Scripture John 20:1-19
JESUS DIED
Philippians 2:5-8 (AMP version) Jesus: who, although being essentially
one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes
which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be
eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself [of all privileges and
rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He
became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human
form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience
to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
JESUS DIED! HOWEVER…
John 20:1-19
Early on the first day of the week,
while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb… Mary Magdalene = The only person,
mentioned in all 4 gospels, that she was present at the crucifixion. She was an
important figure to the rest of the disciples to be mentioned this way She knew
where the tomb was because after he was crucified, she followed and watched
where they had laid him. The other gospel writers list several women who went
to the tomb together and found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty but no
sign of Jesus. John as well as Mark list Mary Magdalene as the first to see
Jesus. At some point, she found herself alone at the tomb. Mark 16:9-11 When Jesus rose early on the
first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had
driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were
mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had
seen him, they did not believe it.
Mary Magdalene was THE premiere female disciple who supported Jesus'
work and is present more than any other female. Different from Mary his mother.
Different from his friends Mary of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary Magdalene was
a disciple in every sense of the word.
Mary Magdalene went to the tomb…and saw
that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon
Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the
tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" (We don't know who she means by
"They" she could be referring to the Roman military or politicians,
or to the Jewish Religious leaders.
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, who
was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen
lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself,
separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb
first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand
from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
Then
the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb
crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels
in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at
the foot.
They
asked her, "Woman,
why are you crying?"
"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put
him." At this,
she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it
was Jesus.
"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are
looking for?"
Thinking
he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put
him, and I will get him."
Jesus
said to her, "Mary."
She
turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
Jesus
said, "Do not
hold on to me, for I
have not yet returned to the Father. (It doesn't mean she didn't hug him. He
means, don't try and keep me here physically. That is not the plan.) Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I
am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" (That is a huge statement - I am still
alive, but not to spend more time with you like we have for the past 3 years.)
Mary
Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had
said these things to her. ("Do not hold on to me, for I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and
your God.")
On
the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together,
with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and
said, "Peace be
with you!" (Mary Magdalene appears to be the only
one who had a private audience with Jesus after his resurrection.)
That is all great information about Mary Magdalene, but I
share it only insomuch as she is the most credible witness to Jesus'
crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
This sermon is not about Mary Magdalene, it is about the risen Christ
and what that means for you and me.
What does resurrection
mean for us?
Eternal life is real
and available! Heaven is our destination.
Do you remember what it
was like in your mother's womb? You were
very much alive but not yet 'born'.
Remember hearing the voices of your parents - mom and dad who were
arguing about what your name would be/Or your grandparents talking about all
the things they would buy and provide for you? Or maybe you remember hearing
your older siblings being upset that you were going to be born and take
attention away from them? Do you remember thinking I just want to stay right
here where it is comfortable, relatively quiet, and certainly warm and
protective? When you thought about being
out there - out where they were - out in that 'other world' it sometimes seemed
wonderful and other times scary. Mostly it just seemed like a mystery. In fact,
you had no idea how different that world would be until when? Until you were
born into that world - until you were actually there and experienced it.
What do you imagine heaven is like? Your only frame of reference is this
temporary finite fallen world you live in right now. Oh sure, we have some
hints in the Bible but they are few and far between to give us a full picture
of heaven. If we truly believe heaven is so much more wonderful than our
current existence, why do any of us hold on to this life at all costs? Our view
of heaven from our current vantage point is no better than the view of an
earthly existence from inside the womb - for 2 reasons. 1) We cannot see it yet
and 2) just like a baby doesn't have the mental ability to conceive what it
might be like, we don’t have the spiritual capacity to truly know what heaven will
be like.
Besides knowing Jesus has constructed a dwelling for us,
and there will be no more crying, mourning or pain, or death; we really only
know one important thing about heaven for sure - Jesus will be there!
Jesus' question of Mary at the empty tomb is the same question Jesus asks us as
we stand in this life looking forward to the life to come "Who is it you are looking
for?" The only answer and
the only thing we need to know about heaven is the answer to that question -
JESUS!
From your current vantage point can you imagine what heaven
will be like? Streets of gold, a crystal sea, gems making the walls. 24 elders
bowing down lying their crowns before Jesus? Can you imagine truly being in the
presence of God Almighty face to face and seeing His joy because of your faith
and those whom you helped lead to faith? Can you imagine that God has given us
an eternity to discover all that heaven has to offer? There is so much more
than you could ever imagine, but like your first realization of this new world
when you ere born was just being with your parents, so too, you can imagine
what it will be like in those first moments in heaven as we get to spend face
to face time with Jesus!
SING I can only imagine
Remember as we imagine
heaven that God is on both sides of the grave! He is in heaven and by His
Spirit He is here with us now. Until that day we are united with him through
our own resurrection, we need to praise him and proclaim Him here and now as
Jesus Messiah!
Haroutunian was an
immigrant from Armenia to this country. When he arrived here his accent was
very strong. Someone took him aside and said, "Look, Haroutunian, your
accent is a problem, but you can do something about that. Your name, though, is
something else. Nobody can spell Haroutunian, which will be a
handicap to you professionally in this country. So, why don't you change your
name to Harwood or Harwell, something like that?"
Joe looked at the man
for a moment and he asked, "What do they mean? What do you mean? Those
names, Harwood and Harwell. What do they mean?" The man said, "Well, nothing. They're
just easier to pronounce and to spell than Haroutunian." Then Haroutunian
said this: "Back in Armenia when my grandfather was baptized they named him
Haroutun, which means 'Resurrection.' And when my father was born
they named him Haroutunian, which means 'Son of Resurrection.' My
name also means 'Son of Resurrection.' I am Joseph Haroutunian and
I will be a son of resurrection all of my days."
SING: Jesus Messiah
