Encountered

Series

During the 7-week season of Easter we celebrate the presence and power of the risen Christ among us. Easter invites us into a new way of life, in which we are “dead to sin and live to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11). Because Jesus rose from the dead for us, we seek to live for him.

Context

John 20. First Easter morning. Sunday morning like today.

On Friday, Jesus was put to death by the Romans, at the instigations of the religious leadership of Jerusalem for claiming to be the unique Son of God and bringer of the divine kingdom.

Crucifying him was meant to put an end to the swell of popularity surrounding Jesus and to scatter his disciples.

It worked. The Jesus movement ended when Jesus was hung on the cross in shame. His apostles fled for their lives, save his mother, the youngest disciple John, and a few women-followers, such a Mary Magdalene.

Still, the religious establishment was wary. Jesus had claimed that he would rise from the dead, and crowds could be gullible…

So, just to be sure, a guard was placed at Jesus’ tomb to ensure that his apostles would not steal the body of “that imposter” and then falsely claim he had risen from the dead…and start a whole new problem.

So on Friday, Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross. As the sun was setting and the mandatory rest of the Sabbath about to commence, burial rites were postponed. The body was hastily wrapped and placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. The guard was set.

Then on Sunday morning, we pick up the story. Mary Magdalene — and at least one other woman — goes in the early morning to visit the tomb, likely to finish the burial rites that has been postponed.

Text

John 20:1–18 ESV

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. 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.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. 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.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Introduction

He is Risen — He is Risen Indeed! Good news before which all sorrow must flee! This is the Light which conquers all darkness! This is the power that moves the stone of grief!

God we live in darkness and grief and doubt so much that we cannot help ourselves…we need your resurrecting power to turn us to yourself. Through your spirit, let the risen Jesus encounter us and give us the joy of new life.

Ancient Problem - Locked in Bad News

Mary makes her way to the tomb. Early. Still dark. Had not slept well a night of sadness.

As she arrives, things not as expected. Expected to find a soldier, the stone placed and sealed.

Instead, no soldier. Abandoned. Stone rolled away. All is quiet. Place is abandoned.

Mary assumes that “they”, the Romans had moved the body. Roman guards did not just wander off duty, didn’t fail in their charge without a fight. The only option in her field of reality — they’ve moved the body During the Sabbath wile the Jews were observing holy rest.

Bad becomes worse.

She goes to report to Simon Peter. The Rock. The leader. He and another disciple (traditionally understood to be John) go to the tombs to investigate.

Sure enough. Things are amiss. Stone rolled away. No guard posted. Abandoned.

They enter the tomb. Strange clues.

linen clothes are still there. Why would the guards have taken the cloths with the body?

Stranger: face cloth, folded and set apart. Why would that be there?

EG: I sometimes sleep with a beanie. When I get up, I set it on my bedstand.

It seems that the beloved disciple began to believe but the disciples as a whole did not understand that Jesus must rise.

They went back to their homes. A big question mark. Uncertain. Trapped in the BAD NEWS.

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. Our heart goes out to her. Where was she to go?

Evidently, into the tomb. Deeper into the grief. She stoops to look. Imagine her standing crouched just in the entrance, peering into the darkness.

Already a surreal morning becomes supernatural.

Two angels. In white. Sitting where the body had been. Note: Miracle — they weren’t there a few minutes ago. But it seems she does not recognize them as angels. For there is no statement, “do not be afraid.”

They ask, Woman, Ma’am, why are you weeping?

Answer: they’v taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have laid him…

Before they can answer: Jesus arrives.

he too seems to miraculously appear. There is no sound of approach.

He does not speak to gain her attention.

My guess: Casting a shadow, and so she turned.

Face to face with him, the very one she is seeking…except that this is no corpse of course.

But she does not recognize him. Ma’am. Why are you weeping and whom are you seeking.

The kind of question that a caretaker might ask a stranger. Can I help you, you who are in a tomb. What are you doing, are you lost? You are in distress,…

She repeats the story. Supposing him to be the gardener.

Grief is too strong. Too supernatural to believe.

The pall of grief is over the eyes of Mary and the others.

And Jesus has not yet removed that veil.

Current problem — We are uncertain

Bad news bias. Survival skill. We scan for threats. Ancient ancestors, look for the sabre-tooth tiger; what might make the crops fail.

This is why bad news is popular online: Gets the clicks.

Too much consumption. See bad news everywhere, only. bad news tunnel vision.

When I am in that: I don’t notice the sunshine, the beautiful ocean, or the good people or acts of kindness around me…I just see the bad, locked in bad news.

That just from headlines, but even more true when the bad news directly hits our lives: marriage problems, health crisis, relationship strain with parents or kids, finances…too many of these too long, start to only see the bad:

Whatever was good…well…THEY’VE TAKEN IT AWAY and I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT IS ANYMORE.

EG: You need a Shakabuku. Wanna tell me what that is? Shakabuku - swift spiritual kick to the head that alters your reality forever. Ooh, that sounds good, I think.

Christ IS Risen — alter our perception from bad to good!

we cannot make a connection from our end.

He needs to lift the viel.

Hinge - Jesus says her name

First Easter: Jesus takes initiative : encounter

He initiates Easter not just in his resurrection, but in sharing the good news of it!

Ancient solution - mary recognizes when she is encountered

Jesus says one word that alters reality.

That word is MARY.

He says her name. Mary. Period.

not woman. Not Ma’am.

Personal address. More than just a name. A relationship. I know you.

And in knowing her, he enables her to know him.

The Son of God knows Mary, And now, she knows him.

She exclaims, Rabboni. My Teacher! In Aramaic: She naturally defaulted to their familiar language. Previously she and Jesus may have been speaking in Hebrew, Latin. Now the familiar Aramaic.

She embraced him. Kept embracing him. Holding him tight and persistently.

Do not cling to me — as in she did not let him go.

[For I have not yet ascended: they can embrace only momentarily: his bodily resurrection is first and foremost to be a gift to his heavenly Father.]

A new relationship between them, and a new relationship between Mary and God. My God and your God. And the disciples. “You” is plural here.

She goes and tells them what had happened and what he had said.

How do you KNOW it was Him — HE SAID MY NAME! My reality is completely altered forever!

They will have their own encounters with Jesus later.

by name — Peter, Peter, do you love me? Saul, Saul, Why do you persecute me?

Jesus encounters his people and shares his resurrection personally.

The apostle John would decades later have a vision of Jesus, the book we call Revelation. There he sees Jesus, the same risen Lord from the Easter morning decades before, though the years have not touched him, who says: I am the living one. I died and behold I am alive forevermore.”

Current solution - We recognize him as he encounters us.

Today we celebrate not just Jesus rose from the dead long ago, but also that he is alive today.

He is the way out of the darkness of sin, death, and grief.

We talk about having a personal relationship with Jesus…because that is the only kind of relationship to have.

He’s not an idea. He’s a person. He’s not dead. He’s alive.

He is alive for each of us and all of us.

Today we proclaim the good news of the gospel — He is Risen!

Not he WAS risen! He IS Risen!

And our prayer is that Jesus would encounter us.

For the first time. Less: Do I accept you? Will you accept me?

For the first time again, a new way, in our current need.

He knows your name and mine. He means he knows US, our story, our griefs, our tunnel vision. He breaks through.

He comes through with resurrection life. His God, our God. His Father, Our Father. A spiritual impact to alter our reality forever!

That is our prayer

Ephesians 1:18 ESV

having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

Jesus knows us by name.

Easter a season to celebrate that we can know him!

So, like Mary, let us pray that he will turn us to himself, that he will call each and all of us, and that we may embrace him as Savior and Lord.

Conclusion

He is Risen — He is Risen Indeed! Good news before which all sorrow must flee! This is the Light which conquers all darkness! This is the power that moves the stone of grief!

God we live in darkness and grief and doubt so much that we cannot help ourselves…we need your resurrecting power to turn us to yourself. Through your spirit, let the risen Jesus encounter us and give us the joy of new life.

Prayer of Intercession

With joy we pray for all Christian assemblies united this morning at the empty tomb. Help us see you, O God, in those we do not expect to encounter and remove all fear from our hearts. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

With gratitude, we give you thanks for our newly baptized sisters and brothers in every land. Guide them and keep them, open their eyes again and again to your blessings. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

With humility, we pray for this planet, our home. Heal what we have scarred and broken; renew the face of Earth from north to south, from east to west so that your creation may speak to us of your goodness. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

With hope and love, we pray for the nations of the world, especially those places overwhelmed by war and conflict [name here nations in need]. By the light of the resurrection, destroy the shroud that is cast over all who live under dictatorship, in the clutches of propagandists, and in ignorance. Bless peacemakers who work to bring justice to their country, city, village, and household. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

With compassion, wipe away the tears of all who weep. Give us the spiritual tools we need to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and comfort those who are in any trouble. Send your angels to watch over the vulnerable and sick. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

Hear now the prayers of this assembly spoken aloud or in silence…. [A time of silence is kept.] Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

With fondness, we remember those who saw our risen Lord and witnessed to his resurrection so that we might have faith. May their words and deeds inspire us to sing our “Alleluia!” again and again. Lord, in your resurrection power, hear our prayer.

Passing from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, from death to life, we commend to you, gracious and ever-living God, all for whom we pray. Amen.