1. Living hope: Seeing, seeing and seeing. What did Mary Magdalene see
Living hope: Seeing, seeing and seeing... What did Mary Magdalene see? Simple physical sight

3. What did John see? ‘He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen cloth lying there but did not go in’ Simple seeing, physical sight.

4. What did Peter see. ‘Simon Peter. Went straight into the tomb
What did Peter see? ‘Simon Peter... Went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head in its place, separate from the linen Peter ‘observed’ – had a good look round

5. Then what did John see? More than physical seeing. ‘Oh I see!!’

6. Three different Greek words
Seeing – just plain physical sight – Mary, then John at first
Observing, taking in the scene – Peter
Having insight – John saw and believed

7. Where are you on your faith journey?
‘Seeing’ – head knowledge of God through Jesus. Believing that he existed.
‘Observing’ – wanting to work it out. Seeing facts and trying to piece them together
‘Seeing and believing’ – ‘Oh, now I see! Now it makes sense!’

8. Searching bravely – like Peter
Common question from new believers: ‘Why hasn’t anyone told me this before?
They probably have, but you couldn’t ‘see’ until recently!
Searching bravely – like Peter
He soon got there
Very soon, in fact – we’ll be looking at Acts in a couple of weeks time
Hang in there!
Just ‘seeing’ that someone is there, perhaps looking after you sometimes, but it’s all a puzzle
You want to believe

9. Something else commonly heard: ‘I wish I could have your faith’
You can, and if you take a small step, you will
Sometimes our minds are over-rational, and want to work it all out until it is ‘proved’
Mary and Peter couldn’t make any sense of it at that time
Perhaps you are like that. Let go a bit. Dare to say, ‘OK, I don’t fully understand, but I’ll go with it without full proof’
God does know that is harder for some than for others

10. So take hope in what Peter later wrote:
There are times when even the strongest Christian cannot feel they have proof...
So take hope in what Peter later wrote:
‘Praise be to God! He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The trials you may now have come so that your faith may be proved genuine.
Though you have not seen him, you love him; you believe in him. You are receiving the salvation of your souls’
(1 Peter 1)

11. Seeing?

12. Observing?

13. Or... ‘Oh now I see!!’ ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!’ (1Peter 1:3)