JESUS ALIVE: When Empty Changes Everything!

(S) — What does Easter mean to you?

Mary Magdalene: Follower — Teaching — Crucifixion — Burial

— First to see the tomb EMPTY…Jesus Alive!

Read — John 20:1-2, 11-18

Why a Mary? Why a woman?

God’s way of making up for creating man first…?

John 20:10 “Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.”

Woman’s witness more credible…

Luke 24:11 “But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”

More emotionally attached to Jesus than...

More patience — didn’t hurry off...

“Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.” John 20:10

Why this woman?

Here tears tell a story

John 20:11 “Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb”

(S) — Why her tears? Was it finding the tomb EMPTY?

EMPTY

What was the meaning of Easter for Mary, finding the place where Jesus’s body lay EMPTY?

1. Gone — The one who gave her her life back

2. Loved — Outcast — Feared — Jesus loved

3. Purpose— With him when he...

Everything Jesus had done for others he did for her — SAVED — LOVED — NEW LIFE

Her story, her tears, her act of love, give us clues to how empty may have felt that Easter morning.

Have you ever experience EMPTY?

Exhausted — Aimless — Stuck — little motivation — lack of direction/meaning

(S) — The Commonness of Feeling Empty — Mental Health

"A kind of bottomless jug that can never be filled, a feeling of separation from society that sucks all of the life and energy out of you. Emptiness characterized by a sense of inner void, coupled with lack of purpose in life and a sense of disconnection to the people in their lives and the world around them.” — The Conversation

The feeling of emptiness can affect our physical/mental health — Life: Finances, relationships, work...

Easter — Egg hunts — Happy

(S) — Good News — Easter is when EMPTY changed everything

Empty means empty, except when it doesn’t

What Mary did not yet know about empty...

What Jesus had done for her in life, would be magnified in his death.

For Mary Easter felt empty... until it didn’t — How she arrived — Seeing Jesus alive

18 “I have seen the Lord!”

When Empty Changes Everything!

PRAY

(S) — Mary’s arrival at the tomb...

“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.” John 20:1

John — Early — The absence of light — a spiritual DARKNESS

(σκοτία)

“Moral and spiritual darkness that represents the state of the world apart from Christ” ( Lexham)

Mary’s darkness — Her grief — Her story

Luke 8:1–2

Burden sin — Outcast - Feared - Alone — Damaged goods!

When she saw EMPTY — Her life again without Jesus

Father Stuart Long — “Stu” — Boxer — Teacher — Accident

“Conversion from being an agnostic trouble maker to having a mystical encounter with God,”

(S) — Incurable Disease —

“That cross of his disease was the most powerful way to serve people. He was tireless in his service and the Lord gave him many beautiful gifts. He was fearless even though he was limited.”

Mary’s burden before she met Jesus was not uncommon...

Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil.”

Empty meant empty…UNTIL IT DIDN’T! — Meeting Jesus changed her — Seeing Jesus alive moved her to live for Jesus and share the good news of Easter

Early Christian writings as "the apostle to the apostles."

Preaching in Italy and in the city of Rome itself. The Apostle Paul refers to her in Romans 16:6 — Mary (Mariam), who as he expresses "has done much for us."

(S) — Jesus alive means, no one is beyond saving — our spiritual deficiencies can be dispelled by the light

John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

I. Jesus Alive Turned her darkness into LIGHT!

Then came the Morning! With dawn breaking forth and darkness was overcome with the light of Jesus

Finding the tomb empty meant darkness until it didn’t!

(S) — Finding the tomb EMPTY meant…DECEPTION

2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!””

Mary’s assumption — Body taken — Rumor — Guards

Matthew 28:11-15

Seeing the same thing and drawing different conclusions

Girl looking at grate with dad — “Get to China from here?”

Assumptions can lead to disappointment when not based on deception

The serpent was more crafty — “Did God really say…?

(S) — Mary’s assumption was based on the deception of those who wanted to stop Jesus’ truth

It’s not so different today — We are so easily decieved…How do we know what’s true?

John 8:31-32 “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.””

II. Jesus ALIVE turned her deception into TRUTH!

Finding the tomb empty meant deception...until it didn’t!

(S) — Finding the tomb Empty meant…FEAR

11 “Mary stood outside the tomb crying. She bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been 13 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.””

Angels — “Do not be afraid” — Mary’s Fear? Uncertainty, unanswered questions…what now?

Outcome in Ukraine is uncertain — Fear — Stories of hope

Her fear? The tomb was a grave and it still meant death? The one she loved gone.

But the presence of God...assures Mary, calms her fears and comforts her in her uncertainty —

— “Woman why are you crying?” Translates — There is no need for tears!

John 16:20 “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”

(S) — The angels message? That empty changes everything? Jesus IS ALIVE!

Ever feel afraid? Uncertain of thing going on in the world? Your Life? Seek JOY

III. Jesus ALIVE turned her fear into JOY!

Finding the tomb empty meant fear...until it didn’t!

(S) — Finding the tomb empty meant…DOUBT

14 “She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Him. 15 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.””

“Who is it you are looking for? Blinded by doubt she sees only a man, a gardener

She would not be alone in her doubt — Thomas — “unless I see…

Doubt is not bad if it leads us to ask questions and seek more truth, but it can blind us to the truth

Proverb — "There are none so blind as those who will not see" John Heywood 1546

Sin can lead us to doubt, which can lead us away from what we know about God — There is always hope

(S) — Jesus ministry opening the eyes of the blind

John 9:25 “ a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!””

IV. Jesus ALIVE turned her Doubt into HOPE!

James 1:6 “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

Seeing the Gardner gave her hope to believe…slowed the flow of tears...

Someone who came along-side you in a difficult time

Finding the tomb empty meant doubt...until it didn’t!

(S) — Empty meant DARKNESS until it didn’t — DECEPTION until it didn’t — FEAR until it didn’t — DOUBT until it didn’t …because Jesus is alive!

16 “Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”

He had called her name so many times — and now she recognizes his voice. The same one who spoke and called her into the LIGHT — showed her TRUTH — gave her HOPE — and turned her doubt into JOY

VIDEO

(S) —

V. Jesus ALIVE turned EMPTY graves into gardens of LIFE!

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

What Jesus had done for her in life, would be magnified in his death. — Empty meant...darkness — disappointment — Fear — Doubt…until it didn’t! Jesus alive changes everything!

hat does Easter mean to you? Is Easter your story?

Do you have a past that your ashamed of? Ever get deceived by untruth? Fear? Doubt? Do you need some light in your life? Some Joy — Some Hope?

You only need to look to empty — Jesus alive changed everything and its still true today!

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Seeing Jesus…can make a difference! It did for Mary and I pray it will for you!