Mary, why do you weep?

Bible Reading

Focus will be on John 20:11-18

But we need to get see the verses before it.

John 20:1–11 (KJV 1900)

1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

We should not be surprised to see Mary there. She had great love for Jesus. Remember Jesus cast out 7 demons from her.

Take note of the fact it was still dark when she arrived.

2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, (John) and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. (this is pretty funny - much joy in this passage)

5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him (maybe breathing heavier then John), and went into the sepulchre, (this is fitting for what we know about Peter) and seeth the linen clothes lie,

7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (first clue this was not a robbery)

If the body had been stolen by the Romans then they would have mentioned this as disciples began to preach of the resurrection

Disciples were so convinced all but one of them will die a martyrs death telling this historical truth

Maybe a contrast is being suggested between this story and the one in John 11 where Lazarus came out and needed help removing linens

8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. (this had promised/prophesied throughout the Scriptures and recently by Jesus)

10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

You are going to have to stick around to hear the rest of this story.

It is certainly worth the wait.

Pastoral Prayer

mixed emotions in this room on this day (some ready to rejoice others ready to cry and others between those two extremes)

we believe You have a Word for each and every one of us.

pray we all understand the life-altering significance of the resurrection

Sermon Introduction

Quick review of the first 11 verses before we pick up on our story

Now we have Mary standing looking into a sepulchre

Going to look at this portion of the story of the resurrection in 3 stages

A Confusion about His Presence v.11-14

A Calling that was Personal v.15-16

A Commission that is very Precious v.17-18

Confusion about His Presence

John 20:11–14 (KJV 1900)

11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

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

13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Mary weeps because she desire the presence of the Lord but He is unable to be found.

John 20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Mary had a great love for Jesus

To say her life was a wreck before Jesus was an understatement.

Jesus had caste out 7 demons from her.

It is understandable why when she recognizes Jesus she clings to His feet like a child and doesn’t want to let go.

She didn’t want to imagine life with Him.

Mary was looking in the wrong place for comfort.

She was looking in a empty tomb for something to make her full and complete. John 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Like the words of Johnny Lee she was “Looking for love in all the wrong places.”

Or as another theologian rightly said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”

Mary was weeping because she didn’t recognize the presence of Jesus. While she weeped, He was there.

John 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Her grief blinded her to His presence

There are factors such as the time of day that would have made it difficult to recognize the man in the entry way.

Her greatest problem is she was looking to find Jesus standing (sometimes kids can recognize their teacher at the store)

We must respect that she was not ready to move on until she found Jesus.

She is going to ask anyone she meets if they know where they have taken the body of her Lord

John and Peter have already left because they knew the tomb was empty but didn’t know why. John 20:8-9 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

I pray this will be the tomb moment for some of you today. You know the tomb is empty. You just don’t know why and the implications it has upon your life. Do not live until you find out. Join a counselor in the Counseling Room this morning.

Hope is what you get when you realize a different worldview is possible!

Mary was weeping because she did not know that God’s greater purposes meant life after death.

We all have been here before. “How can anything good come from this?”

God is not the author of sin. It was the sinful actions of men that took Him to the cross. But it was His great love and sovereign plan that would take the worst moment in human history and provide our salvation.

Mary had stood outside of the grave where Jesus had cried. Why isn’t crying appropriate now?

Transition: If all you see is an empty tomb, dark days. You life is just filled with confusion and you feel hopeless, stick around the story is not over yet. This is when Jesus enters the story. This is always when Jesus enters the story!

A Calling that was Personal

John 20:15–16 (KJV 1900)

15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Jesus asks questions to clarify the situation

Jesus is not asking for his sake. He is asking for Mary’s sake. He is asking for your sake.

Two life altering questions: “Why are you weeping?” And “Whom are You seeking?”

Mary mistakes Jesus for a gardener.

John 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

How wrong but how appropriate?

Jesus gets mistaken for many things today; Good teacher, Social Rights Leader, Example to follow to earn our salvation, the son of Mary

There is such beauty and harmony in Mary asking Jesus if He is the gardener. (I firmly believe so much of this story is to bring joyful laughter to us)

Let me let you in on the greatness of this irony.

4000 years before this in a garden, the first garden, God walks with man

Man sins and is caste out of the garden

Our relationship has been broken. We need to be reconciled to God.

God promises that a child will be born - from Eve (descendents) that would crush Satan (the one who tempted man and woman to sin)

That child was Jesus. He came and destroyed the works of Satan on the cross.

He becomes the substitute for us on the cross.

He has reversed the curse. He has made it possible for us to reenter a Garden type relationship with the Father.

So in some since He was a gardener.

Where the first garden went from life to death.

This garden cemetery is going from a place of death to life.

Jesus called her by her name.

John 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

This was all she needed to calm her restless heart

This must be Jesus. He knows me.

Jesus knew more than just her name. He knew everything about her and still went to the cross to take her place.

The Bible tells us in Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

That “us, we, and us” includes you. By name.

If Jesus was here today He could call you by name. “Trent. Why do you weep? What are you looking for?”

Look at what the resurrection secures for us.

John really wants us to get that. You’ll notice He says four things essentially to the disciples. SEE IF YOU CATCH IT

John 20:19 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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

John 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Peace/shalom was a common greeting

Comes from Numbers 6

People would greet with is saying “May the peace of God be with you”

Here we are hearing so much more. Listen carefully please.

John, more importantly the Holy Spirit, wants us to understand that now that Jesus has risen from the dead, He is the perfect, final High Priest. His death has dealt with sin forever. Like the symbolic sacrifice of the lamb to make atonement for the sin of the people on the altar in the temple, because Jesus has died, our alienation, our enmity against God, has been removed. We are reconciled to Him. He has made peace, and so He can give peace.

Jesus is all the proof that was needed that life was worth living.

She will likely cling to his feet.

Jesus is not saying He cannot be touched. John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Jesus invites Thomas to touch His hands.

John 20 is not an invitation to a blind leap in the dark. Is it? It is not an invitation to make-believe.

John is saying that this is an account of what we really saw and touched and heard. This is eyewitness testimony that rings with the crystal clear notes of historical fact. Jesus is not dead! He lives! He lives!

Transitional Statement: There is many evidences of an empty tomb today. The meaning of the resurrection is a theological matter, but the fact of the resurrection is a historical matter. The implications are very much a personal matter!

A Commission that is very Precious

John 20:17–18 (KJV 1900)

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto 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 unto her.

Mary goes from confusion to commissioned.

Jesus says “I am going to the our father” you need to “go to my brethren”

That peace Mary has is supposed to be taken to others. John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Such a special opportunity to share an incredible truth.

Can you imagine with me? “Jesus is risen and He wants you to know that He will ascend to OUR FATHER!.”

Mary is the one that Jesus chose to share the news with the other disciples.

Look at the wording of this message “my brethren” and “my Father and your Father” and “my God and your God”

First time we are called brothers in John. How did we become brothers who were once friends and once slaves? How did we become brothers?”

The cross made us brothers.

This is not just a expression of endearment. This is our new reality.

Romans 8:16 (KJV 1900)

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

How did this happen? Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Transitional Statement: So I ask you today. Why are you weeping? Who are looking for? Jesus is alive and is calling your name. Will you respond in faith to him today. Let’s rejoice and run with this message out of there.

Conclusion

Mary will take this message to them and they will not believe. But later that evening John 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Just as Jesus calling our to Mary was personal so must our reponse be. It doesn’t matter what your family belies. Until you believe in the resurrected Christ would never respond as the disciples did.

We must say with all believers around the world today ‘If Jesus is not risen, nothing else matters. If Jesus is risen, nothing else matters.’”

He is risen

so need for confusion today

respond to His personal calling for you today for salvation

become obedient to his commission on our lives

Mary took off running. She made it to a group of confused people and it altered the course of their life. This message has been running and find you today. Respond to it. If you say you have already found the peace in this message. Then take it and run.

Jesus Paid It All" (with Passion)

I hear the Savior say, Thy strength indeed is small; Child of weakness, watch and pray, Find in Me thine all in all. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. Lord, now indeed I find Thy power and Thine alone, Can change the leper's spots and melt the heart of stone. Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow. And when before the throne I stand in Him complete, Jesus died my soul to save, my lips shall still repeat Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow O Praise the one who paid my debt And raised this life up from the dead O Praise the one who paid my debt And raised this life up from the dead O Praise the one who paid my debt And raised this life up from the dead O Praise the one who paid my debt And raised this life up from the dead O Praise the one who paid my debt And raised this life up from the dead Jesus paid it all, All to Him I owe; Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow He washed it white as snow