Turn to the Lord

John 20:10–18 NIV84

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. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 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.

The Resurrection Remembered

The resurrection of Jesus is the most central event in all human history. In fact, without the resurrection, there is no Christianity.

1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV84

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

No one prior to the actual event ever thought it would be possible for a crucified Jesus to be resurrected. It just was not expected. There were many pagan gods that were to believed to have an after-life, but there is no proof like there is in the resurrection of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15 lists six different individuals or groups that physically saw the resurrected Jesus. Included in that list is the mention of 500 people who claimed to have seen Jesus.

The very fact that the church in general gathers in some form on Sunday is the direct result of the resurrection. One writer put it this way:

“It changed the cross from a tragedy into a triumph, and it changed the Roman Empire into a Christian state. This was the most powerful divine event in the history of creation, and it ushered in a new age of the Holy Spirit’s activity and power in saving and transforming lives.”

The resurrection of Jesus was the fulfillment of prophecy. There are many verses in the Old Testament that point to the resurrection. In fact, scholars say that the oldest book we have in all the Bible is the Book of Job and it even points to the resurrection:

Job 19:25–27 NIV84

I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

King David knew in his heart of hearts that the resurrection would some day take place.

Psalm 16:9–10 NIV84

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

There are several others I can point you to and have listed them on the outline for further study. These passages reveal the resurrection of Jesus as well as the future resurrection of the believers. There is much to study and see, but for our purposes on this glorious resurrection Sunday, I want you to meet the first person that encountered the resurrection Jesus.

Mary Magdalene is one of several “Marys” mentioned in the Gospels. She is called Mary Magdalene because it identifies her with her place of birth. Magdala or Magadan was a thriving town on the coast of Galilee about three miles from Capernaum. Historians believe this Mary was from there and was given the name Mary Magdalene to set her apart from the other Marys. Some people think she was the sinful woman mentioned in Luke 7 but that is a speculation that came about many centuries later and it is not the same person. However, what we do know is that Mary Magdalene had been touched by Jesus. Jesus had previously driven out seven demons from her.

Mark 16:9 NIV84

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.

Luke 8:2 NIV84

and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;

Just for a point of emphasis, the number seven in the Bible refers to completion. In my mind, if this women had seven demons within her, she was completely saturated and controlled by these instruments of evil until she met Jesus, and Jesus changed everything in her life. Mary Magdalene was delivered and freed by the saving power of Jesus and she became a disciple of Christ.

The Resurrection Revealed (vs. 10-12)

As we see in our text for today, Mary Magdalene was braver than the remaining eleven disciples. These disciples were quite passive. The Bible says that just went on to their homes. I wonder why? Had they lost hope? Had they given up? Often, when it comes to our faith, we strive to figure it out on our own rather than to go back and look for Jesus.

Mary Magdalene stayed. During the trial of Jesus, Mary Magdalene had stayed. In fact, she stood by Jesus throughout this horrible time.

Luke 23:49 NIV84

But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

What would you have done? Would you have stayed or would thought it was over? Mary Magdalene was persistent in her faith. She was last at the cross and earliest at the grave. I imagine that the life she had been relieved of through the healing of Jesus made her sold out to Jesus.

Persistence pays off. It is a good thing to be inquisitive. Even in the midst of strife, sorrow, and not understanding, we can still find hope. Mary Magdalene was persistent.

Mary Magdalene comes to the grave. She looks in the tomb and does not see a body. She is crying. Through her tears she sees two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other sitting at the foot of where the body of Jesus had been laying. I am amazed that there is no mention of fear. Mary Magdalene is asked by these two heavenly beings about her tears, “Woman, why are you crying?” Her answer is quite obvious, “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put them.”

The empty tomb had not misplaced just a body, the empty tomb had misplaced her Lord. In her mind, “they” had taken her Lord away.

Have you ever notices how much “they” get the blame? They took, they put Him somewhere else. Sometimes we get too caught up in what they have done and fail to act accordingly ourselves.

I have learned over the years that angels do exist. Their purpose is to help guide us along our path in a way that always points to God.

Hebrews 13:2 NIV84

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

The presence of these two angels certainly help reveal the resurrection. However, what happened next certainly made the resurrection realized.

The Resurrection Realized (vs.13-16)

Mary turned to leave the tomb and saw someone standing there. The Bible identifies this someone as Jesus but Mary Magdalene did not recognize Him. Jesus gives her heavenly compassion by asking two simple questions, “Dear woman, why are you crying? And, “Who are you looking for?” Jesus cared about Mary Magdalene’s tears. Jesus cared about the answers she was trying to find. I think it is accurate to insert her that Jesus also cares about our tears. I am convinced there is no other way to say it, sometimes life just stinks. We have trials, troubles and losses and quite honestly it causes lots of pain and tears. Yet over and over in scripture we find evidence that Jesus is truly concerned with what makes us cry and what makes us hurt so bad.

Matthew 11:28 NIV84

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

I wonder if Mary Magdalene remembered those words of Jesus. She had to have heard them as close as she followed Him. Yet, somehow in the midst of this moment she did not even recognize Him. Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus because He was not just a resuscitated life like Lazarus. Jesus had passed through death and now was revealing a new order in the glory of the Father’s presence. She was looking for her beloved teacher not the Savior of the world.

By the way, who is it that you are looking for? Are you looking for someone to take up and follow as a good teacher or are you looking for Someone that can save your soul for eternity? The Resurrected Jesus is different than the Teacher Jesus, even that His appearance had changed!

Not recognizing Jesus, Mary Magdalene provides some honorable concern. She looks at this man standing before her, thinking he is the caretaker and says, “Sir, if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him and I will go and get Him.” She still had on her mind the need to complete the burial rites and preserve the integrities of the the customs of the day. This was an honorable concern.

But Jesus, wanted to give her holy consolation. Jesus simply says, “Mary.”

Oh to have been a witness of this glorious recognition. One word transformed her life forever after and that word was her own name! This reminds me of the personal nature of our Lord and Savior and the way He deals with His people. The Good Shepherd calls His sheep by name and they know His voice!

John 10:14 NIV84

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

When Jesus calls us by name we are compelled to respond. Mary Magdalene responds by turning towards the Lord. The word “turn” comes from the Greek word strepho which means “to turn again.” It represents a turning that changes everything.

As you go through the stuff of this life, where do you turn? When Mary Magdalene turned toward the Lord, she found Him already facing her! Her whole situation changed by turning to the Lord. The same thing happens to you and me. Every time we turn to the Lord, He is already there facing us!

Glory Hallelujah! Life cannot happen in a sealed up tomb! The stone was rolled away and the resurrected Lord was indeed alive!

The Resurrection Retold (vs. 17-18)

Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus and cries out “Rabboni!” which means teacher. When your teacher is your Savior, you can’t help but be an “A” student! Mary Magdalene must have jumped to try to embrace Jesus because of the very next words we have recorded.

John 20:17 NIV84

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”

There is a confirmation of the realization that Jesus is alive. Mary Magdalene is given a new relationship with Jesus. It is the same relationship that you and I can have through faith and provided by the Holy Spirit. Perhaps it was all starting to make sense to Mary Magdalene. Perhaps she remembered the words of Jesus saying that He would not leave His children.

John 14:18–26 NIV84

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Jesus is true to His word! With this confirmation, Jesus gives Mary Magdalene a calling. He says, “Go.” That calling comes with a commission. Go and tell.

John 20:18 NIV84

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.

When you meet the resurrected Lord, you are called to share the good news! The good news is that Jesus is alive! He knows who you are and is calling your name. He is saying it is never too late for a miracle in your life. Mary Magdalene turned her situation around by turning to the Lord.

We can learn lots from Mary Magdalene. She was healed and saved. She practiced her faith in following Jesus and ministered to Him and His disciples. She owed much. She gave much. She loved much. And she served much.

She witnessed the power of the resurrection and the record of it in the Gospels bears witness to us as well. The question now is this: Where are you going to turn?