“So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and 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. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen” (John 20:3-7).

Verse 6b-7 says, “He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.”

The Greek literally says, “The napkin which was upon his head was not with the linen cloth lying but was by itself neatly folded up.”

So, why am I even bringing this up? What difference does any of this make?

The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.

Was that important? Absolutely! 

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. 

Now, if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, “I’m finished.”

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because….the folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back!”

“Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them…The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Proverbs 4:5, 7).

In an episode on the classic Andy Griffith show, Barney told Andy he should just let Opie, “decide for himself” how he wanted to live. That was, after all, part of growing up.

Andy had these words of wisdom.

“No, I’m afraid it don’t work that way. You can’t let a young’n decide for himself. He’ll grab the first flashy thing with shiny ribbons on it. Then, when he finds out there’s a hook in it, it’s too late. Wrong ideas come packaged with so much glitter that it’s hard to convince ’em that other things might be better in the long-run. All a parent can do is say “wait” and “trust me” and try to keep temptation away.”

That, my friends, is what the Bible calls wisdom.

What Barney said might sound good, but is terrible advice.

Solomon told his son, “Get wisdom…The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.”

Wisdom doesn’t just come to you. It’s something you need to pursue, something you need to work hard at.

So, my friends, “Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get wisdom.”

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Sin.

Our culture doesn’t like that word. Our culture hates being guilty of that word. So, our culture continues to change the concept of sin. In time, we have come to believe only things like murder, rape, theft are sins.

But, have you ever thought about what sin is? What is it?

The Greek word for sin is hamartia. It means “missing the mark” or “failure.” If sin is missing the mark, what is the mark? Who sets the mark? Who determines what the mark or the aim is? Without someone setting the mark, it makes no sense to miss the mark. The second meaning of the Greek word for sin is failure. Again, the question is failure from what? Who determines what failure is? In order to fail, there has to be a goal, or target, or something at the end. So, who decides what the goal, target, or the end of something is?

Christians, God and only God determines the “mark” or the “goal.” Sin is always a sin against God. No matter how much our culture changes and reviles against the idea of sin, God’s truth is God’s truth. Sin is sin. Sin is sin against God.

Therefore, the only solution to sin is to get right with God.

God has made a way for sinners to get right with God. That way has a name. His name is Jesus. Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. When we confess that we are sinners in need of a Savior, God forgives.