"A Familiar Voice"
Notes
Transcript
April 9, 2023
FBC Baxley
am service
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Welcome radio and online guests…
*It’s ok if you’re broken, unfaithful, lost, we are too and we are here seeking God’s will and way and plan.
We are all prodigals here…
Some rescued….Some Not..
All Loved…
*Acts 4:12 (repeat)
*John 3:16
Sermon Title: “A Familiar Voice”
Scripture Passage: John 20:15-16
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
PRAY
Three Points:
The Word of Conversion
The Word of Apppreciation
The Word of Commission
Introduction:
Each of us can recall moments when the sound of a familiar voice was an especially meaningful experience.
It might have been a long-distance call from someone special, the voice of an old friend in a crowd of strangers, a recording of a son or daughter away from home, or words of assurance following surgery.
The sound of a familiar voice is powerful medicine.
I doubt if any of us has experienced the feeling Mary Magdalene had when she heard the familiar voice of Jesus in the garden of his burial!
This was not their first encounter. Jesus had spoken important words to her in the past. He still speaks and waits for us to hear and respond.
I. The word of conversion.
A. Life in need of change.
Mary first heard the Lord speak the words of conversion. Luke records that seven demons had come out of Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). This woman, possessed by evil, had lived a life of torment and suffering. Tradition says she was a prostitute.
That label may have stuck on her because of the extremely wicked town from which she came.
The people knew Mary; they had seen how the devil had used her and controlled her body and made her a public shame.
I wonder what happened at the first meeting between Mary and Jesus—the divine Son of God face-to-face with a demon-possessed woman!
Did she cry out in scorn at Jesus, as others had? Did she cower in fear in a dark corner, afraid of his power?
The circumstances don’t matter.
What is significant is that this woman, so desperately in need of transformation, met the Master and heard the words of conversion: “Be whole!”
Is your life in need of change? Does some kind of evil spirit possess you? The spirit of selfishness? Fear? Hate?
An anonymous poet expressed our longings:
Oh, I wish there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our sins and mistakes
Could be laid aside like a shabby old coat
And never be put on again!
There is such a place! The place where you meet Jesus. He can change your life just as he changed the life of Mary Magdalene.
B. The power of resurrection.
It is significant that Mary was the first person to see the risen Lord.
She had one of the more dramatic conversion experiences.
God is telling us something here about resurrection and conversion.
Without Christ’s resurrection, there can be no conversion.
Paul wrote to the Philippians of his desire “to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection” (3:10 NIV).
The resurrection power is what changes people.
A dead Christ can change no one.
Paul told the Corinthians, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:17 NIV).
The power of sin nailed Jesus to the cross; the power of God raised him.
That same power continues to work, and if you will repent of sin and trust Jesus, his power will change you today.
II. The word of appreciation.
A. Involved in ministry.
After her conversion, Mary Magdalene assumed a place of service with the disciples.
She and several others traveled with Jesus and the disciples and “were helping to support them out of their own means” (Luke 8:3 NIV).
We are not told the exact nature of Mary’s ministry. She might have washed their clothes, helped prepare food, and provided funds for needs in the group.
Her ministry was a result of the love she had received from Christ.
Conversion should result in committed service. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph. 2:10 NIV).
B. Appreciation for service.
How often Jesus must have said to Mary, “Thank you, Mary!” She frequently heard the word of appreciation for her service; and if the Lord said it to Mary, he will say it to us.
If the Lord noticed the widow’s small copper coin and offered praise for her faithfulness, he notices what we do.
He appreciates our ministry, whether great or small.
I sometimes hear the elderly and homebound express the sentiment of feeling forgotten and unappreciated.
They have faithfully served in the past but now are no longer able. Some of them may be forgotten by the church, but the Lord remembers.
He appreciates every labor, and in eternity they will hear his word of appreciation: “Well done, good and faithful servant! . . . Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matt. 25:21 NIV).
III. The word of commission.
A. Go tell.
The third word Jesus spoke to Mary was the word of commission.
When Jesus spoke her name, Mary realized who he was and embraced him in adoration.
But Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me” (John 20:17 NIV).
It was not a time of worship. The resurrection is not a doctrine to hold on to selfishly but an experience to share selflessly.
We are not to hold on to it but give it away. Mary Magdalene obviously understood, because she “went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ ” (v. 18 NIV).
A newspaper had this interesting editorial about Easter: “Easter is usually a quiet occasion. . . . Millions of Americans make a special effort to go to church on Easter Sunday.
Easter is a wholesome kind of holiday. It gives all of us an opportunity to recuperate in a small measure from the harassments of daily life.”
That is not what the Lord intended.
The resurrection is the force that propels us into the harassments of life and causes us to change the world.
It is ironic that for Christians, Easter events take place inside the church building.
We dress up and go to church where we enjoy our programs and flowers and decorations. Jesus said the big event should be outside the church—go tell!
B. Every disciple telling.
Mary’s commission illustrates the Lord’s desire to use every disciple to share the resurrection news.
The Lord’s appearance to Mary—a woman with a scandalous past—sent a shock wave throughout the disciples.
The eleven disciples probably thought that Jesus should have appeared to them first.
Isn’t that just like Jesus to use the person others consider unlikely? The ingredient that makes the difference is love. He will use any of us to tell the good news.
Conclusion
Jesus still speaks. His voice can be heard today. Are you listening? He says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in” (Rev. 3:20 NIV).
PRAY
Invitation
“Are you born again?”
Is your name written in the Lambs Book of Life?
“Have you surrendered/repented to Jesus?