I invite you to open your Bibles this morning to John 20:1-18.
Verse 1 says:
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (John 20:1 ESV)
As we open this passage we see that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark.
This darkness, of course, is refers to the morning time. Every morning this winter, I walked to the PT formation in the darkness. Now, it is brighter at 0630, but just an hour earlier there is darkness. In Jerusalem—Sunrise this morning is set to occur at 0609, in about four hours, but until that time it will be dark outside.
But Mary was also under another kind of darkness, as well. It was only three days ago that her Savior was hung on a tree and died there. He was her Savior! He was the giver of life to her—he had delivered her from seven demons, raised her brother from the dead, and she had washed His feet with her hair! This was more than just another man to her—she saw Jesus who He was. He was the Savior of the World! But, now he lay dead in a tomb. All of her dreams dashed away. The true Savior that he had proven himself to be was now finished. And “Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark.”
This morning, you may have come to this service while it you are in darkness. Will you leave this place with the same burdens that you are under when you came? It may be your job, it may be your kids, it may be your spouse, or your health; are all of these problems overwhelming you and overshadowing the light that is in you?
One place that we often see darkness is in outer space. It is dark in space because the expanse is so great that no light is able to reach every corner. There are much emptiness in space. Are you empty this morning? While the sun is high outside, you are dark and empty on the inside. You can find hope in a risen Savior this morning.
When I work late in the office, often times the outside is dark. To turn of the office lights, I must walk across the room and return in the dark. It is during this walk that I stumble over something and sometimes stumble over nothing. In this darkness, I cannot find my way and I need someone to guide me. Do you need guidance this morning? My prayer is that you will find this guidance today through the risen Savior.
Darkness also produces fear. It is common for children to be afraid of the dark. In the darkness, you don’t know what is around the corner. It the darkness something bad could be waiting for you. It is no wonder that there is an entire holiday that celebrates the fear that exist in darkness. Are you afraid of the dark? Are you fearful of the future? Fearful for your family? You can find comfort in our risen Savior today, if you will trust in him.
When you walk out of this Easter Service today, the question that you must ask is; “will you still be left in the dark?”
Or will you see the light of hope?
In the second part of verse 1, we see her get a glimpse of hope:
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (John 20:1 ESV)
Could he have risen from the dead?
He’s raised other people from the dead before? He’s done many miracles in the last months she had walked with him! Could it actually be true?
If so, how is that going to change her life? How will her life be different from now on?
This is glimpse of hope! She sees what could be!
But, what about you? In your darkness, as you are burdened from all of your trials, mistakes, and, fears, what difference would it make if Christ was really raised from the dead? Would it change your perspective? Would your priorities change? You have the opportunity to see a man that conquered death! How much more do you need to answer whether or not things will turn out ok?
And Mary does what everyone would do—she goes and tells some of her closest friends.
Verse 2;
So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:2 ESV)
She told the disciples. They ran to the tomb, saw that it was empty, and what did they do?
Looking down at verse 10:
Then the disciples went back to their homes. (John 20:10 ESV)
Some of the most faithful followers of Christ saw the empty tomb, they saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth. They saw and believed but they did not understand the Scripture.
So, they simply went back home.
The sun was up, but they still walked in darkness.
After all they had seen and heard; they still did not get it!
And before we get so smug—think about your own life!
We see what God can do in our lives, but we are still fearful to witness, fearful to live for Him, fearful to believe that a man who can rise from the dead can make an impact in our everyday life.
We see marriages resurrected, lives put back on track, and people healed, but when it is time for us to truly make a decision, we simply head back home.
How would your life be different if you believed that he really did rise from the dead?
And after they return home, we find Mary hanging on to her hope but confused and discouraged.
Verse 11:
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” (John 20:11-13 ESV)
She gives in to her doubts. She doesn’t understand what is taking place. She is paralyzed. Even seeing an angel before her, doesn’t clue her in to what is going on!
How many times in our life do we see miracles happen and return respond in doubt. We tune out the voice of God that whispers “BELIEVE!”
If we would simply believe and act on the truth that we say we know –we could change the WORLD!
How would your life be different if you believed he really did rise from the dead?
If we saw this we would have:
Changed Priorites.
Changed Marriages.
Changes Families.
Changed Churches.
Changed Units.
We would bring light to a dark world;
All because we truly believed in what we say is true.
Because if we believe that Jesus did rise the dead—there is no way we can ever be the same ever again.
But we continue in our doubts, and we continue in our darkness, just as Mary did.
Mary continues her weeping and a man she thought was the gardener speaks to her.
And in her despair pleads with him:
“If you took him—tell me! And I will take care of Him!”
Then the gardener reveals his true identity—he is Jesus! He calls out her name saying “Mary!”
At was this moment that Mary sees that Jesus has risen from the grave! She immediately reaches out to grab him—to cling to him—to hug him in her excitement.
She believes!
Gone is her doubt!
Gone is her questioning—she sees her risen Savior! And this time she goes to the disciples and boldly proclaims; “I have seen the Lord!”
She knows the truth.
She knows that he died three days ago; he whom the Soldiers beat and bruised and hung on a tree; he whom was placed for two days in a borrowed tomb had just spoken to her and was alive!
This moment changed her life forever—from the weeping and questioning to the boldly proclaiming.
This was the very instant that she truly went from darkness to complete hope.
What kind of difference did the resurrection make in the disciples life?
All of them, but one, were killed for their faith—Josh McDowell points out that “people die all the time for a cause; how nobody dies for a lie!” The resurrection of Christ was true and the disciples lived the rest of their lives to tell this story to others.
So, what about you?
If what you say that you believe is REALLY True; How are you going to live differently?
If Christ really died on a cross for your sin—
If Christ really did rise from the dead—
If Christ really did come into your heart—
You will be different!
You will go from this day forward boldly proclaiming that YOU have seen the Lord!
You have seen him do miracles—
You have seen him mend your relationships—
You have seen him give you purpose—
What are you going to do—today?
The story of Easter is very clear.
Form the very beginning, we are all sinners. From the very first bite of fruit of Adam and Eve to—we are all sinners.
We have all said things, thought thing, and done things that disrespect God. God is a holy and righteous God and we deserve death and hell for that sin.
But God showed “his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, ESV)
Jesus was beaten and bruised and died on a cross in our place. We deserved the death, but he took that death in our place. He rose again—defeating that death and taking that death away from those who accept his payment.
It is a free gift. Like any gift, you have a choice—to accept or reject.
Today is your opportunity to move from the dark into the light of hope as you accept this gift that was purchased on a cross for you.
You can make a decision today in your heart. You can commit to him today. And I invite you to do that. The good thing about the Army Chapel is that we are always around and as you make a decision for Christ, I encourage you to share this decision with me or someone you know today.
Let us pray.
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This sermon was preached on Eastern Sunday 16APR17 at Warrior Chapel, Camp Red Cloud, Korea.