4: The Reward of Trust

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Welcome back to our TOTAL TRUST series. Many of us start at different locations. Some of us are In this room are young believers. Some of us in this room are growing, some are stagnant & some of us are skeptics. So while we start at different locations, I hope that our destination is the same...to Know HIM...to know the God who created you.

So how do you get from our current location to our desired destination? That’s going to take some very important decisions on your part.

Direction determines Destination.

(Direction, not desire, determines Destination.

In order to KNOW God, in order to please God, you are going to need to TRUST God.

Our theme passage that we have reviewed each week says…

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

A few years back a fairly new follower of Jesus wrote a note that I have I will share with you at the end of today’s time. She is essentially asking, “Is trusting Jesus worth my life?”

Today we will seek the answer to that, as we discover The Reward of Trust.

So far our study on Total Trust has brought us to 2 stories of life change: a Centurion & a Pharisee (Nicodemus) - both men.

Today we are going to look at the story of a woman whose life was transformed by trusting Jesus.

Many people think of disciples of Jesus and think only of 12 men. But there were several others, some of whom were women. The 12 men like Peter, James, & John are further classified as apostles, of which the women are not.

Dr. Luke tells us about some of those women in Luke 8.

Luke 8:1–3 (NIV)

After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Today we spotlight this first woman, Mary, called Magdalene.

We learn 3 quick facts about her.

1. Mary is from Magdala

‘Magdalene’ is not this lady’s last name. It is the town of her origin: Magdala, is believed to have been on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

2. Mary was once possessed by 7 demons, but Jesus healed her.

Demons are angels - spiritual beings created to serve the Creator. But some of these angels had long ago disobeyed & were condemned by their Creator - thrown out of heaven. Some were allowed to roam earth while others were imprisoned in hell until final judgment (2 Pet. 2:4). The New Testament teaches that Jesus IS the Creator of all things - including angels (John 1:3). This explains why demons possessing people were afraid of Jesus when He was near - their Creator who cast them out stood before them. Now these spirits begged their Creator camouflaged in skin, not to throw them into hell (Luke 8:31).

So what was Mary like BEFORE Jesus healed her? We simply don’t know. Many have thought that Mary was a prostitute, but there is no biblical evidence for that, but I’m guessing - as she was demon possessed - she was a conniving, evil woman, likely sexually promiscuous, and certainly living in sin.

And although we are not told the specifics of the meeting, at some point Jesus approaches Mary of Magdala inhabited by 7 sinful angels. I wonder what THAT moment was like! I wonder if, using the voice of Mary, these fallen angels begged not to be bound in hell? We don’t know. What we DO KNOW is this: Jesus kicks these demons out of their comfortable home & Mary is healed!

Mary’s transformation demonstrates this incredible reality:

BIG TRUTH #1 You haven’t gone too far for God’s grace.

You might wonder if you have somehow offended God with your many wicked actions. I have good news for you. If you still have breath, You haven’t gone too far for God’s grace.

You might have cursed God, been sexually immoral, abused drugs, abused people.

If you still have breath, You haven’t gone too far for God’s grace.

3. We learn that Mary & these other women were helping to support Jesus & the apostles with their own resources.

They likely cooked meals & served the men as sisters would. They likely heard Jesus teach often and saw Him perform miracles. * And just in case you’re curious, contrary to the Da Vinci Code claim, there is NO first-century historical evidence that Mary’s relationship with Jesus was anything other than that of a disciple to her master-teacher.

When these ladies are mentioned, Mary of Magdala typically leads the list - but WHY? Could it be because of the incredible transformation? Yes, but she wasn’t the only one radically transformed. Then why is she spotlighted so often? I think it’s because she found the answer to the question: What is the reward of those who seek God?

I believe the answer is found in John 20. Jesus has been crucified. Nicodemus & Joseph had buried His body. And then we see Mary spotlighted once again in Scripture.

John 20:1 (NIV)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Why not sleep in? Why not wait until the sun was up? Because this woman was committed to Jesus. His words, His voice, His memory was her REASON to live. He has transformed her life. She, with these other precious women, had been serving Him day after day...and now it had been 3 days since she had seen Him, touched him, served Him. She approaches the tomb and notices it has been disturbed. She races to tell Peter & John. They run back to find the burial cloths, but the body of Jesus is GONE!

John 20:11–12 (NIV)

Now 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.

* I remember reading this text one time and thinking...wow...that’s a picture of the ark of the covenant in the Old Testament - and angel on each end, with the atonement cover/mercy seat in the middle (SHOW PIC). This represented the throne of God & was where the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled - making payment for sin before our righteous God.

Then it hit me...what Mary saw wasn’t a picture of the the ark of the covenant, that gold box was was just a SHADOW of the real thing that was coming. What Mary saw was the real Ark of the Covenant - an angel at the head and foot...in the middle - the place where the Jesus’ body - the perfect payment for our sins was placed!

Evidently, these angels didn’t have wings and glow. In fact, it seems like Mary doesn’t yet understand who THEY are!

John 20:13–15 (NIV)

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. He asked her, “Woman, 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.”

For a reason not stated in the story, Mary doesn’t recognize Jesus through her tears.

But notice her laser-like focus...she will not be distracted...she is searching for her Lord.

Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.

And then something so simple, yet so significant happens.

John 20:16–17a (NIV)

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 ascended to the Father.

Mary is on a mission, upset but not giving up...and then she hears...HER NAME!

Only ONE PERSON said her name that way! “In a flash all of her doubt, confusion, and sorrow vanished.” The voice that healed the sick & spoke the truth. The voice of the ONE...the ONE who had healed HER - was ALIVE! She is overcome with emotions and grabs Jesus.

What is the reward of Trust - the reward of those who earnestly seek God? There are many: full forgiveness, genuine relationships, eternal life...but

BIG TRUTH #2: The Presence of Jesus is the Reward of Trust

At this point, Mary is satisfied to just hold on to Jesus all day! Because JESUS is her reward!

He is the One who transformed her life. He is the One who gave her purpose in life. It was the PRESENCE of Jesus that she longed for.

David Platt in his book ‘Radical,’ writes:

When we risk our lives to run after Christ, we discover the safety that is found only in his sovereignty, the security that is found only in his love, and the satisfaction that is found only in his presence. This is the eternally great reward, and we would be foolish to settle for anything less.

But Jesus had others to see and more to do before He physically ascended to heaven. So…

John 20:17b–18 (NIV) Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending 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.

Remember, God is triune - Jesus is God ‘the son’; He will ascend to God ‘the Father’ and later send God ‘the Spirit’.

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” I would have loved to have seen her expressions & excitement!

The first one to spread that message...is not a man, not one of the apostles, not a Bible teacher, but a woman...who had once been possessed by the enemy, a woman who had been transformed. Why her? Because...get this... He rewards those who seek Him. She got to see Him first...because she was the first one seeking Him!

This woman, Mary of Magdala, had come to understand these 2 most important TRUTHS:

1. You haven’t gone too far for God’s grace.

2. The Presence of Jesus is the Reward of Trust.

Now to the note I mentioned at the beginning of today’s teaching:

I sat down Sunday afternoon and wrote everything out on paper. My first question to myself was, "What will trusting Jesus cost me?" And in that I came up with relationships with certain friends who tend to shy away from anything Christian. Aside from my grandmother, I am the only Christian in my family, and I've dealt with some backlash from other family members regarding my faith in the last few months.

And finally, I came up with my relationship with my boyfriend. Trying to make him understand the burden that all of this has put on my heart feels like its falling on deaf ears. A couple of weeks back he had seen a conversation with a Christian friend, basically discussing my relationship with him and he told me that it was none of her business. He said that I needed to tell those concerned that I knew that the way we were living was wrong, but that it was the way I choose to live. And right then it just hit me like a brick wall.

The second question I asked myself was, "What has NOT trusting Jesus already cost me?" There just wasn't any comparison. It is costing me my physical health, my emotional health, and more importantly my salvation.

I would rather step away from my boyfriend and hopefully let God work in his life than continue down the path we are on now...because its getting us nowhere. Please continue to keep me in your prayers, this last few days have been awful.

I tried to encourage her with these sobering words from Greg Koukl.

Greg Koukl "Jesus is not the bridge OVER troubled waters. But He will pull you THROUGH the waters...if you can stand the tow."

2 Questions you need to answer:

1.What will trusting Jesus cost you?

2.What has NOT trusting Jesus cost you already?

2 Truths you need to consider:

1. You haven’t gone too far for God’s grace.

2. The Presence of Jesus is the Reward of Trust.

PRAY: *Is God dealing with you? Seek out a Christian friend or leader to ask your questions!