Easter 2024

The Resurrection through the eyes of Mary Magdalene

John 20:11–20 (NKJV)

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, 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, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

​ Talk about what Jesus went through from the beating to the cross. ​ Intro: On this resurrection morning the story of Mary Magdalene meeting Jesus at the tomb. Mary Magdalene plays an important part in the life of Jesus. She was a follower of Jesus. She was 1 of 5 different woman named Mary in the N.T On this morning her along with another Mary, mother of James (James the lesser) had gone to anoint Jesus body with spices. Elab the stone. Jesus body is missing. goes and gets Peter and John.

Mary Magdalene

city where is was from. ​ Magdala. Western shore of the sea of Galilee. We are told in Luke 8:2 NKJV2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, ​Jesus cast 7 devils out of her. Before she met Jesus she was totally enslaved by demonic powers. (Elab not just 1 but 7 demons) 7 had to be 7 times as bad. The people in her community would have known about her conduction. ​When Jesus set her free he broke the chains that had kept her bound. She was living proof the when the Lord set you free you are free indeed.

am sure there is much more that she did to prove her love for her Lord then is recorded in scripture. Here in John we see Mary at the empty tomb and she is the first to encounter Jesus. Before we get into today scripture let talk about what has happened up to this point. Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James went to the tomb to anoint the body. They were concerned about the stone. The Lord had taken care of that problem. An Angel appears and tells them to go tell the disciples. Peter and John go and find the empty tomb. ​ ​ VS 10

John 20:10 NKJV

10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

I Mary’s Sorrow VS 11-12 VS 11

John 20:11 (NKJV)

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

1. Weeping:Sub, wail aloud. Expressing unobtainable, audible grief. a. Elab her outside the tomb. b. If the tomb was empty why was she still there when the others had left? If you have ever lost someone that meant more to you then life itself, then you know why she was still there. c. She loved Jesus in life, she loved Jesus in death. She was at the tomb because death did not destroy the love she had for him. d. Mary is alone the others have left, she is weeping over an empty tomb. Mary was unaware of the resurrection.

She had all the fact there, (the empty tomb) but she had come to the wrong conclusion. e. We often do the same thing. When we are faced with trials and unexplainable tragedy, we often weep over our circumstances, and come to the wrong conclusions.

When if we had God’s perspective, we wouldn’t weep at all, but we would rejoice in the times that seem too hard to handle. e. Mary looks inside the tomb to see for herself. VS 12

12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

1. As Mary looks into the Tomb she sees 2 Angels. One the head and one at the foot of where Jesus had lain. a. Angels are not born they are God’s created beings. They are God’s servants. They appear instantaneously, supernaturally, as God commissions them. b. We cannot see then but they are with us. c. An angel announced to Mary that she would give birth to God’s son. Angels announced the birth of Jesus to the Sheppard’s. An angel came to strengthen him when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. VS 13

13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 1. Notice “They” why are you weeping”? a. Did she really have a reason to weep? Jesus had spoke of His resurrection. But when she saw the empty tomb all she could think of was that His body was missing. VS 14

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 1. Here are 2 angles standing in front of her and she turns her back on them, her concern was Jesus. “She turned herself back and saw Jesus standing” 1. Mary had great devotion and love for the Lord, something the Lord does not over look. a. It was to her that Jesus first appears, it was her that he first spoke. Her love for His had compelled her to stay at the tomb after Peter and John had gone, and her love was rewarded. b. She was the first to see the resurrected Jesus, and she was the first to hear him speak. But she did not know that it was Jesus. 2. Why didn’t she recognize Jesus? Luke 24:16 NKJV16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. Luke 24:16 ​ a. There is all kinds of speculation of why, this is one of those times where we just have to take God’s word for what it say. VS 15

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

1. Jesus asks her why she is weeping. He knew, but he wanted to get her attention. Jesus speaks tenderly to her and yet His words note a gentle rebuke. a. She was weeping because she could not find her Lords body. She thinks that Jesus is the garden and that he has moved his body. Elab VS 16

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). 1. When Jesus spoke to her in the previous verse he called her women. Now he uses her name. a. “Mary” He was speaking to her as redeemer and Savior. , b. He called her Mary as one of His own. c. Does Jesus ever call you by name? Elab e. Elab when she turns to Jesus. Ra-bone-i VS 17

‌17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’  a. In Jesus, Mary had found someone she could love and trust. He tells her to go tell the others. What a great commandment, she would the first person to share the truth of a risen savior. VS 18

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. 1. Mary did not seem offended by the Lord telling not to touch him. a. She was a devoted, obedient servant, she did as she was commanded and immediately went in search of the disciples to tell them she had seen the Lord, and that He had sent her to tell the message. b. That is what we a suppose to do, tell people the story, the gospel of Jesus. c. I like the way that Mark puts it “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” ​

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.