Heard The News (7_of_12)

HEARD THE NEWS? (7 of 12)

Meet Jesus

John 19:25; 20:1

A number of years ago I had the opportunity to go to

Asia/Minor and take a trip tracing the missionary

journeys of the Apostle Paul.  One of the places where

we docked was Ismere. In Ismere we were met by a young

Muslim guide named Ahu. She was a young lady 24 years

of age. She was a graduate of the university there and

had been a guide for a few years.  In the course of

our going to various places every morning, our bus

would get together and she would get on the bus and

say to me, "Good morning, Jarry." That's the way she

pronounced my name.

During the tour I became acquainted with her and was

talking to her. I was asking the Lord to help me

explain to here what the Christian faith is all about

and what it means to know the Lord. Realizing that she

and I were from different cultures—that I was a

Christian and she was Muslim. I asked the Lord to give

me some way, some approach, to explain to her what

Christianity is all about in a simple term.

We were at the sight of Pergamas one afternoon and the

Lord gave me just exactly what I needed. I said to

her, "Ahu, regardless of who you are or where you live

or what your religion may be—all people in the world

have two problems. Their religion must give an answer

to those two problems. Those two problems are sin and

death."

When you think about it, those really are the two

problems that people have. All other problems can fit

under the category of the problem of sin—what do I do

about my sin? How can I overcome the guilt of my sin?

How can I get power to have victory over my sin?

The other problem is death. What about the problem of

death? The problem of loved ones who have died—some of

you have lost loved ones recently. The question of—

will you ever see your loved ones again? Then there is

the matter of your own death. What are you going to do

about death yourself? The Bible says, "It is appointed

unto man, once to die and after this the judgment." So

what are you going to do with the problem of death?

I said to her, "The two problems of life are sin and

death. What does your religion have to give as an

answer to those two problems?"  Then I said to her,

"Let me share with you what Christianity has to say

about it."

In the course of the conversation she gave me answers

for her religion to the problem of sin and to the

problem of death. Then I said to her, "the Christian

faith revolves around two places where those two

problems were solved. The first place is the cross

whereby the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ, the

problem of sin is dealt with. The second place is the

tomb whereby the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the

problem of death is resolved."

In simple terms, that explains to us what Christianity

is really all about. I've asked the Lord to help me

this morning as simply as I know how to put it; in

clear, down-to-earth, easy-to-understand language to

explain to you what Christianity is and why we are

here this morning.

There you have it in two places—the cross and the

tomb. Those are the Twin Towers of the Christian

faith. Through the centuries the infidels and the

skeptics and the unbelievers have made their terrorist

attacks against those twin towers. But when the dust

settles, I'm here to announce to you that the Twin

Towers of Christianity remain.

I. The CROSS: CRUCIFIXION.

The cross—the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the

tomb—the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what I

explained to Ahu that day and I'll tell you more about

it later.

I'm not here primarily to talk about Ahu; I'm here to

talk to you about someone in the New Testament who met

Jesus. Her name is Mary Magdalene. John 19:25,

standing at the cross was Mary Magdalene. John 20:1,

there at the tomb, Mary Magdalene. Here story is one

of the beautiful stories in the New Testament. In

fact, her story has inspired some of the greatest art

in the history of the world. Some of the grandest

music revolves around the marvelous story of Mary

Magdalene who met the Lord Jesus Christ.

She really meets Jesus in Luke 8:2,3. In those two

verses we are told that Jesus casts seven demons out

of her. We can only imagine what kind of mess her life

was in that day she met Jesus and Jesus cast the

demons out of her.

It has been commonly believed by many that Mary was a

prostitute. I do not believe this is true. I will

explain why later on in the message. But whatever her

problems were, those seven demons were cast out of her

by the Lord Jesus Christ. Her life was changed. The

Bible says that Mary Magdalene became a part of that

group of women who followed the Lord Jesus Christ in

His ministry. The Bible says that they ministered unto

Him of their substance.

Evidently Mary Magdalene was a very well-to-do person.

She was financially in good shape. Out of gratitude

for what Jesus had done, she gave of her sustenance to

make it possible for Jesus to conduct His ministry. Of

course, we know that the work of the Lord DOES take

money. Thank God for those who in appreciation for

What Jesus had done for them, give of their sustenance

so the ministry of Jesus can take place.

So here is this woman—Mary Magdalene. The thing that

has so enshrined her in our hearts as Christian

believers is this—Mary is the woman who is known as

the one who was last at the cross and first at the

tomb. She meets Jesus at the cross—His crucifixion.

She meets Jesus at the tomb—His resurrection.

That's what I want you to do this morning. I don't

want you to just come to church, I want you to come to

the cross and to the tomb. You have been to the cross

and to the tomb, haven't you? You have met Jesus at

the cross—His crucifixion?  You have met Jesus at the

tomb—His resurrection? Think about it. Mary Magdalene

meets Jesus at the cross.

There she stood the Bible says. Mary saw it all. She

saw the death of Jesus on the cross. Oh, what a death

it was. She heard them as they drove the nails into

His hands. She heard the voices around the cross as

they taunted the Lord Jesus Christ. She listened as

Jesus spoke those beautiful words He uttered from the

cross of Calvary that ring in our hearts to this very

day. Mary stood there. Mary saw it all. Oh, what a

death it was. It was not a death like someone dying in

a quiet place surrounded by family and friends. It was

a death outside Jerusalem on a hill. There amid the

atoning cries of wicked men; there amid the hostile

stares of an ungodly world. Mary was there and Mary

saw it all.

Death by crucifixion was the cruelest form of

punishment ever devised by the depraved minds of men.

Oh, what a death it was that day. Mary saw it all.

I can almost see Mary as she cringes when she hears

the driving of the nails into His hand. She hears the

ripping of the flesh as He is lifted on the cross. She

hears the dull thud of the cross as it is dropped into

the hole. Mary saw it all. She saw His ribcage bulge.

She heard His lungs heave. She saw His muscles break

and His tendons shred and His bones disjoint. Mary saw

it all. Oh, what a death it was that day.

The death of Jesus Christ is the first thing you have

to know about what Christianity is all about.

Christianity is about the crucifixion. It's about

Jesus dying on the cross.

In I Corinthians 15 it gives us the gospel. The word,

gospel, means good news. Paul said, "I declare unto

you the gospel how that Christ died for our sins

according to the Scriptures, and he was buried." The

cross of our Lord means that sin was being paid for.

Of course, that the whole problem. It's the problem of

sin. We all have to face the problem of our person

sin.

A number of years ago I read book by Karl Menninger,

who was the last of the great secular psychologists.

The book was entitled, "Whatever Became of Sin"?  In

the course of that book he was discussing a psychology

that was popular at that time—the "I'm okay, you're

okay" psychology. The truth of the matter is—it's

incorrect because the truth is we are not okay. I'm

not okay; you're not okay. The Bible says we have all

sinned. You can't get to the good news unto first of

all you understand the bad news that all of us are

sinners in desperate need of a Savior.

He was talking about that in his book and here's what

he said. I think I can quote it exactly. "To say I'm

okay, you're okay in the face of human sin is like

flitting through life like a blue bird on a dung

heap." He was saying that in the face of human

depravity; in the face of all the sin that is in the

world and the sin that is in our human hearts, we have

to understand we are not okay. We are sinners. WE need

someone to do something for our sins. That's what the

cross of Jesus Christ is all about. And Mary was

there.

I want to ask Mary a question—"Mary, there you stand

at the cross. Who is that dying on the cross"?  Mary

says, "Oh, that's Jesus dying on the cross. He's the

Son of God. More than that He's the Son of Man. He

came down to this world to be the Son of Man. He was a

man; yet He was more than a man—He was God. He was

God's Son dying on that cross for the sins of the

whole world."

God was willing to give His only Son to die for our

sins. It's like a warden from a prison contacts you

and says, "We have a vicious murderer in our prison

who is on death row. We are getting ready to

electrocute him. I have heard you have an only child

and I've come to request that you let us have your

only child and execute your child in the place of the

vicious murderer."

You would look at the man like he was absolutely

insane and you would say to him, "No way. No way I'm

going to give my only child for a vicious murderer."

Yet, that is exactly what God did. The Bible says,

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish

but have everlasting life."

Who is that, Mary?  That's God's Son dying on that

cross.

Mary, I want to ask you another question. Mary

Magdalene, tell me why did do that? I can almost hear

her as she says, "He was dying on that cross for my

sins. He was dying on that cross for your sins. He was

dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world."

That's our problem—our sins. Not His sins. He had no

sins to die for. But my sins, your sins, the sins of

the whole world—those sins that taunt us and torment

us—those sins that shame us and shackle us—those sins

that defy us and defeat us. He died for the sins of

the whole world. You take every sin you have ever

committed, every sin you will ever commit and when

Jesus Christ spent six hours on that cross, He was

paying the price in full for all of your sins. That's

why we built a cross. That's why we say to you, "Meet

me at the foot of the cross."

Have you met Jesus at the cross?

The Bible says that they took Jesus down from the

cross and they buried Him. Not only does the Bible say

that the good news is that Christ died for our sins,

but it also says He was buried. Evidently Mary saw it

all.

In the interest of time, I'll not go down through the

chronology of the different steps that were evidently

involved in Mary Magdalene going to the tomb. But I

have a feeling that Mary saw it all. I have a feeling

that Mary saw them when they took Jesus down from the

cross.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemas came and took Jesus

down from the cross. They washed His dead body and

washed the bloodstains from His body. Mary was right

there. She's watching it all. Then I can imagine that

she and the other women followed them as they took

Jesus to the tomb that was close by. I personally have

always believed that Gordon's Calvary, outside

Jerusalem, was where Jesus was crucified. I've always

believed that the tomb they show there that is just

within easy walking distance of Golgotha, is where

Jesus was buried. So, it was not a long journey. Just

a few steps.

There is Mary Magdalene and she sees them as the

Lord's body is put in the tomb. She sees the soldiers

as they roll that huge, massive stone in front of the

tomb. He was buried. Mary is one of the witnesses who

can tell us that Jesus Christ was really dead. I can

almost imagine Mary Magdalene with a broken heart

saying, "He's dead." The calloused Roman soldiers—

another routine job is done and they say, "He's dead."

The smug Pharisees, with glee in their voices, say,

"He's dead."  Pilate, the compromising politician with

a sigh of relief said, "He's dead."  Everybody knew He

was dead. Nobody ever expected to see Him again. Even

His own disciples. He told them He would come back

from the dead, but they didn't catch it. They didn't

understand it.

There was Mary. Jesus was buried. What does that have

to do with us today? What did it have to do with Mary?

There is a beautiful verse over in the book of

Jeremiah. I would encourage you to jot this verse down

and memorize the last part of the verse. In Jeremiah

31:34 there's a beautiful, beautiful statement made.

It says this. "The Lord promises, I will forgive their

iniquity and will remember their sin no more."

Do you know what it means when they took the body of

Jesus down and the fact that He was dead and was

buried?  It means that God has put your sin away. It

means that it is possible for you now to be forgiven

of your sin. God says, "I will forgive their

iniquity."

When Jesus was buried in that tomb, God was saying,

"I'm sending your sins away. I'm putting your sins

away. I'm forgiving your sins. I am covering your

sins."

That's why I don't think Mary Magdalene was a

prostitute. When you study the New Testament there are

several prostitutes mentioned. But in no instance in

the New Testament is the name of a prostitute ever

given. In the Old Testament that's not the case.

Prostitutes are given by name in the Old Testament.

For instance, Rahab, in the city of Jericho. Her name

was mentioned—but not in the New Testament. That's the

difference between the law and grace. That's the

difference between the Old Testament system of law and

the New Testament system of grace. The law exposes,

but grace covers. So in the Old Testament our sins are

exposed; we are exposed for the sinners we are. But

the good news is when you come to Christ, Christ

covers over your sin and they are put away forever.

A number of years ago I was in Dallas, Texas, in a

revival meeting at First Baptist Church, Dallas. They

had a reception for me on the first night of the

revival. I was taken by Dr. Criswell to the home of

one of the godliest women in his church. She had not

always been a godly woman. I remember when I went into

her home, among the things she showed me, was picture

of Mary Magdalene. The common understanding being that

Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. That's the way the

picture presented her.

Here's the story. This woman had become the mistress

of a very wealthy man. If I called the name you would

immediately know him.  But in the course of the years,

after finally pulling the man away from his wife and

marrying him herself, she came to First Baptist Church

of Dallas and was gloriously saved and became a godly,

Bible-loving, Jesus-loving member of the church. I

remember as she showed me that picture of Mary

Magdalene she said, "Lovely picture, isn't it?" I can

almost imagine the joy in her hear realizing that

whatever Christ has done for Mary Magdalene He had

done something wonderful for her.

I'm not here to name your sins this morning. I'm here

to announce to you that because Christ was buried in

the tomb, your sins can be forgiven and covered and

they will never be held against you anymore. He said,

"I'll never remember them no more."

Mary Magdalene meets Jesus at the cross—the

crucifixion—where the sin problem is settled.

Then I said to Ahu, "What about the death problem?"

She of course gave me her answer to the death problem

and what Islam teaches about the death problem. Then I

told her what Christianity has to say about the death

problem. I took her to the tomb. I talked to her about

the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

II. The TOMB: RESURRECTION.

Mary Magdalene is at the tomb. The Bible says that on

that resurrection morn that Mary looks into the tomb

and Jesus is not there. Look at verse 11 of John 20.

"But Mary stood without at the tomb weeping, and as

she wept she stooped down and looked into the

sepulchre. As I have said, He indeed was dead.

Now, Mary, I want to ask you a question. When you

stood that day and looked into the tomb, what did you

see?  Mary says, "I looked in there and I saw some

angels, but Jesus was not there."

Look at verse 13. Someone says why weepest thou? Then

in verse 14, "when she had thus said, she turned her

back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was

Jesus."  There stands Mary at the tomb and she's

weeping.

Women are good at weeping. The saying is—if you are

asking your husband for something and you don't get it

just cry, cry again.  Janet goes off to class meetings

and things like that and comes back and I ask her—how

was the meeting?  She says, "Oh, it was wonderful. We

had a good cry."

We men are taught that men don't cry. Grown men don't

cry. But Jesus did. It's therapy for the heart

sometimes.

There she stands weeping. As she stands there weeping,

Jesus is there, but she doesn't recognize Him. Isn't

that the way it is a lot of times. We need Jesus. We

call on Jesus and HE comes. Yet we don't recognize

him. We don't understand he's there.

She turns around and when Jesus spoke to her and

called her by her name, she falls at His feet and

evidently she clutches Him because in verse 17 he

says, "Touch me not."  Literally the word there means

-stop clinging to me. She has known Jesus one way, but

she is fixing to know Jesus in a different kind of

way. She had known Jesus through physical senses. She

could see with her physical eyes. She could touch Him

with her physical hands. She could hear Him with her

physical ears. She could speak to Him with her

physical mouth. All of that was very important.

In I John 1:1 the Scripture talks about the

reliability of the witnesses of the fact that Jesus

actually lived; actually died; actually rose again. It

says, "That which was from the beginning which we have

seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our

hands have handled of the word of life."  Those

physical evidences are proof of the reality of the

cross and the tomb.

Mary is going to experience Jesus in a different way.

He says—stop clinging to me. He says—I go to my Father

and my God and go tell my disciples.

Verse 18 says that Mary came and told the disciples

she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these

things unto her. It's as if Jesus is saying to Mary,

"Now, Mary, you have known me in a physical way; now

you are going to know me in an altogether different

way."

From the time Jesus rose again until the time He went

back to heaven was about forty days. During those days

Jesus made a series of appearances. He would

miraculously appear. Down in this same chapter, the

disciples are in the upper room, behind closed doors

and suddenly there Jesus is. Just as suddenly He was

gone. He would appear; He would disappear. Finally, he

would go out to the Mount of Olives and as the

disciples were witnessing the Bible says He ascended

from the Mount of Olives and has been gone for 2,000

years.

Somebody says I won't believe it unless I can see it

with my eyes; unless I can touch it with my hands. I

want to have genuine evidence that Jesus Christ is

alive again.  I'm here to tell you that there is a new

method of seeing; there is a new method of hearing;

there is a new method of knowing now.

Turn to II Corinthians 5:16. Down in the latter part

of verse 16 it says, "Yea, though we have known Christ

after the flesh; yet now, henceforth, know we Him no

more." It is saying that there's a new way of knowing.

Look at that same chapter in verse 7. "For we walk by

faith and not by sight."  There's a new way of

apprehending. We now see through the eyes of faith. We

now hear through the ears of faith. We now touch

through the hands of faith.

Mary, who had already met Jesus, now meets Jesus in a

new and dynamic way.  He is alive and because He is

alive all people whoever they are, wherever they may

be, by faith can experience the living Lord Jesus.

Let me wrap it up this way. I was in a restaurant

yesterday and the server was very nice and friendly.

As I try to do, I witnessed to him and asked him if he

had ever received Christ as his personal Savior?  A

big smile came on his face and he said, "As a matter

of fact I have. My life was all messed up. I woke up

one Sunday morning and I turned on the television and

there you were. After you told me about Jesus, I got

down on my knees and I invited Jesus into my heart and

into my life and he has changed my life. Everything

has turned around for me. I'm a brand new person. I

have a brand new life."

That's really what Christianity is all about. It's not

enough to just come to a place—the church. You have to

come to two places—the cross and the tomb. Have you

been to the cross?  Have you been to the tomb? The

solution to the problem of death is the resurrection

of Jesus. Because Jesus died and rose again He

promises that one day though you may die, you'll rise

again and you'll live forever.

I said to Ahu, "Ahu, this is the last day." We were at

a shopping mall getting ready to get on the bus and

go. A lot of people were around and I didn't want to

be embarrassing to her. I said, "Ahu, I'm going to

write out a simple prayer and if this prayer expresses

the desire of your heart, I'm going to ask you to pray

it." I wrote it out and she stood there for a moment

reading over it. Then she walked away. As she walked

away and turned with a big smile on her face and waved

and said, "Goodbye, Jarry, I'll meet you in heaven."

Will I meet you in heaven? Will you be there? You will

if you will meet Jesus this morning at the cross and

at the tomb.

Every head bowed.

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