This morning’s passage is from 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.
Now, in one way, this darkness refers to the morning time. In Jerusalem—Sunrise this morning is set to occur at 0619—until that time it was dark outside.
Mary was also under another kind of darkness. 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 the Savior of the World! But, now he lay in a tomb; Dead. 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 maybe your job, it may be your kids, it maybe your spouse, or your health; are all of these problems overwhelming you and overshadowing the light that is in you? At 0644, our sunrise will happen, but will you be left in the dark?
Or will you see the light of hope?
As Mary did?
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 what you think is important 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 tell 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 skipping down to 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.
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 live, 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 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 turn off 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.
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, 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 named saying “Mary!”
T 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.
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 you say that you believe is REALLY True; How are you going to live differently?
If Christ reall 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.
We are all sinners. We have all said things, thought thing, and done things that disrespect God. And, honestly, we deserve death and hell for that sin. But Jesus was beaten and bruised and died on a cross in our place. We deserved the death, but he took it in our place. He rose again—defeating that death and taking that death away from those who accept his payment.
So the choice for you today—if you will believe—is to accept it.
And if you have accepted it—to boldly pass this good news to world who desperately needs his touch.
Let us pray.
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This sermon was preached at Heritage Chapel, Fort Lee, VA on 8 April 2012. All scripture marked ESV: The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.