Here I am! (John 20.1-18) Resurrection 2021
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Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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.”
Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.
The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there,
and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.
Then the other disciple, who 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 returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb;
and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other 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.”
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” 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 Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because 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 she told them that he had said these things to her.
Intro:
Freedom family....
Sometimes, it’s not until we need someone that we really understand how much we need them....
And if you have ever been in that moment you clearly understand what I’m talking about....
(slight pause)
And.....
......there’s nothing worst than when you are looking for someone that you really need to find, and you are unable to find them.
(slight pause)
Because.....
........usually in those moments we do not rely on faith as much as we rely on experience!
(pause)
And if we would be completely honest......
We have all had some experiences over the past year that have at times caused our faith to hop in the backseat in terms of priority in this season of Pandemics......
For instance on last year this time we were unable to meet In-Person like this and worship our Liberator in Christ Jesus
And Experience would suggest......
“That was our cue to panic and become pessimistic....”
But Faith would suggest........
“That was our cue to began prayer and remain persistent......”
(pause)
Biblical barrel -
When the 3 Hebrew boys were threatened by King Nebuchadnezar that he was throwing them in the fire if they refused to bow to him and worship other gods they said,
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us,
but if not......
we do not serve your gods.”
It’s the......
......but if not that does it for me!
(pause)
Because for me this suggests.....
....that God is still God even without an experience!
(pause)
And so ......
Faith says,
“We have history together even when there has been little or no experience!”
(pause)
That’s why when the Centurion soldier believed in Jesus the way he did for his daughter’s healing....
Jesus says......
I have not found this kind of faith like this in Israel!
(pause and expound)
Watch the text......
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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.”
Listen yall.......
On sunday somewhere between 3am - 6am........
Mary shows up alone at the tomb in John’s Gospel!
Now the other Gospels don’t bring her to the tomb alone.....
But John does........
And when I noticed what John was doing I asked myself.....
“What made Mary think she could do this by herself?”
(pause)
Because......
......the reason that Mary is even here is because she was coming to complete the burial process of Jesus.
And......
........in an ordinary scenario there would have been a huge stone in her way that would have kept her from getting to Jesus.
And........
.........I don’t know about you but for me
......one of the most discouraging things in life is when I’m trying to get to something important and something unmovable is standing in my way.
(pause)
But John’s Gospel says
“She still arrived early in the morning!”
And what I love about this is that........
when we determine to do something that is driven by our faith
God will prove to us that if we show up God will do the rest!
(pause)
Because the text says.....
When Mary gets to the tomb....
.....the stone that was supposed to be in her way had already been removed!
(pause)
But instead of getting excited......
.....Mary hit the panic button!
(slight pause)
And the reason she becomes nervous......
.........is because she allows her experience to talk to her more than her Faith!
(pause)
Freedom family.....
Never assume the worst when you can’t explain what’s happening!
(pause)
And if I could speak to Mary for a moment right here I would explain to her.....
“Mary you hit the panic button too soon!”
Because.........
“It could just be that God knew you were on your way,
and sent some angels on an assignment to get to your destination before your experience took place!”
(pause)
And I wonder.......
......if God has sent something Supernatural to us
......even before our experiences take place!
(pause)
Mary says in the text.......
“They have taken away the Lord!”
(slight pause)
And.....
.....the problem here is that Mary has chosen to believe the worst case scenario.
And.....
.....what she needs to remember is that the experience of death did not change who Christ was.
(pause)
But.......
.....because she cannot find him
.......she speaks out of her panic!
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination.......
Mary can’t possibly be thinking too clearly....
.....because after all,
......who REALLY has enough power to take away the Lord?
Freedom....
I’ve personally had some REALLY bad experiences in my own life.....
But the truth of the matter is that........
As bad as my experiences were......
NONE of them have had ENOUGH POWER to take away my JESUS!
(Preach Baker!)
And in my mind.......
.....even a dead Jesus is more powerful than something that moves with limited power!
Sickness may have some power.......
Injustice may have a little something something........
we may have a few issues in this life that give off a portion of power......
(pause)
But........
I still know something greater!
(pause and optional expound)
Look at it now...
Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
Freedom family.........
The text says that Peter and John drop everything their doing and run full speed into an unknown situation......
And according to the text......
Peter started running first.......
.....but John gets to the tomb first
(pause)
And the problem here is that even though they are running fast.......
.....they are moving based on a bad experience
(pause)
And so.......
.....while I love the fact that they are willing to get there
My only question is......
“What’s making them run so fast?”
(pause)
Because while bad experiences are inevitable.......
When our movement is “FAITH MOTIVATED!”
.......it looks a little different!
(pause)
Let me help somebody......
.......do you remember when Jesus received the news that his friend Lazarus was dead
(slight pause)
......instead of running fast to where Lazarus was, what did Jesus do?
(slight pause)
The bible says,
Jesus waited an entire additional day versus rushing to the tomb of Lazarus.
Because........
Faith says,
“even though death is in the experience.........
Resurrection is in my faith!”
(pause and optional expound)
Look at it now....
John 20.5-8 (don’t read)
Freedom......
.....in these next verses 5-8 I call this the “Seeing Scene”
Because when they finally arrive at the tomb this Greek word “To See” or “Saw” opens up some things to us......
And the text says they see.....
Empty grave clothes in the tomb.....
Carefully folded hankerchiefs in the tomb......
But they “Do Not” see Jesus in the tomb.......
Now watch this because.....
in verse 5-8 this word “Saw” means something different in each verse.....
v.5 John glances in
v.6 Peter looks carefully
v.8 John perceives with intelligent comprehension
(pause)
And sometimes Freedom......
......what we start out seeing, aint what we end up seeing!
(pause and expound)
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb;
Freedom......
Can you see Mary left here standing alone after Peter and John have gone back home satisfied?
(pause)
Here she is........
bending over looking into the tomb
.....desiring to learn why they were content to run back home and Jesus is nowhere to be found
(pause)
And while they have walked back home.......
In my spiritual imagination here Mary is still standing at the tomb crying.......
Asking the same question.......
“Where have they taken him?”
I see her still standing there...........
.......scared, hurt, feeling as if she is all by herself.
(pause)
But what I love about this is that.......
......even though Mary was confused
Mary refused to leave.........
(slight pause)
.......even when her Faith got a little bit shaky
…I love how she just couldn’t leave!!!!
(pause)
And Freedom......
In this Pandemic we have cried our own tears..........
......and we have had our share of CONFUSION
(pause)
But one thing I love about us is that.......
We refused to LEAVE!!
I believe we picked up some of Grandmama’s faith
We’re criying through it yall.........but we’re getting through it
(pause and expound)
And watch this now.......
Because in the next few verses.......
(slight pause)
Even though Mary has a REASON for crying.....
Faith still has a QUESTION......
(slight pause)
The two angels that were in the tomb asked her,
Mary.......
“Why are you crying?”
(pause)
And here’s where Mary gives her reason........
Mary says......
“Because they have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him”
(pause)
But watch this........
Because in verse 15........Jesus shows up!
(longer pause)
And in my spiritual imagination.......
I hear Jesus saying to Mary.......
“You should have known I was going to show up!
That’s why I folded the hankerchief and laid it to the side.......
If I would have WRINKLED IT UP and tossed it to the side
then there would have been a problem....”
(pause)
But I FOLDED it neatly just for you MARY.....
(pause)
And Freedom.......
what I love about this is that EVERYTIME we have a REASON to cry.......
Jesus shows up!!
(pause)
Freedom.......
I don’t know if you’ve ever had a REASON to cry.........
But......
I’ve had some REAL REASONS to cry........
(pause)
But what I have discovered is that......
EVERYTIME my REASON shows up.......
Here comes JESUS!!
(I’m Closing - pause)
Baker who you looking for?
HERE I am!!!!
(slight pause)
And just when we thought our REASONS to CRY were scripting our TESTIMONY
Here comes JESUS!
Our Savior
Our REDEEMER
Filled with Justice and RIGHTEOUSNESS
(slight pause)
And so instead of feeling hopeless.......and helpless.......
We leave the tomb like Mary does with a DIFFERENT STORY saying...
“I have SEEN the LORD!”
(pause)
Freedom.......
I know its been ROUGH.......
I know its been LONG.........
I know you’ve been LOOKING.......
But I hear Jesus saying.......
Death couldn’t hold me
BACK THEN...........
The Grave had to LET me GO..........
.........back then
(pause)
And.....
I hear Jesus saying.......
On that Friday.......
“He Died!”
(EXPOUND)
But THREE days later...........
Jesus said.............
“HERE I AM!”
(EXPOUND and CONCLUSION)