FORGIVEN, FREED & DELIVERED
John 8:1-12 / Luke 7:36-50
We see here two stories about a woman named Mary Magdalene… Mary came from the town of Magdala located just west of the city of Capernaum… which is why she is given the Identity of May Magdalene…
Of the 4 Gospels… (Matt thru John) the synoptic Gospels are Matt, Mark & Luke meaning that are very similar in their accounts of the life of Christ tonight as we cover the life of Mary Mag… we will look at Luke from the synoptics and at the gospel of John… first story will come from the Gospel of John…
Freddy Huizar to read John 8:1-12 = Expound briefly… Luke 7:36-50 = prayer
Life Lessons from the life of Mary Magaline:
1. My God has FORGIVEN much, much LOVE I must give to Him.
Mary had been a woman of the world… she had drunken deeply from the well sin and she had drunken often from the well of sin.
In the account from John 8 we see this woman accused by many, and forgiven by Jesus… and then we find her in Luke coming back to the feet of Jesus… If God has forgiven you… you must then find yourself often coming back to the feet of Jesus no-matter what others will say of you…
Luke 7:41-43
Mary’s spirit was contrite and her heart was broken as she kissed the saviors feet in Luke 7…and in this account, although God had forgiven her, Siman rejected her on the basis of her life-style, man rejected… Jesus accepted.
In John 8 we see the same theme in her life… one time she led a life of twisted torment… she was an adulterous who thru biblical account was possessed with over seven demons… all intent on her was that of total distruction… until the day she met Jesus…
John 8:11
However for you and I… nothing changes – mankind still has a difficult time forgiving certain sins… but the blood of Jesus covers over not only your sin but your guilt and shame as well.
…I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive etenal life. 1Timothy 1:16
Maybe you are like Mary or even Paul and you have been branded by society as UNFORGIVEN… the good news is that Jesus died for all sins and for all sinners… the ground is level at the foot of the cross… at the feet of Jesus.
Mary came to Jesus and never again would her life be the same… never again to live in darkness because the light of the word had come into her life… into her heart… and she fell in love with Jesus Not in a romantic way but in a spiritual way…
Matthew 27:45-56… the earth shook and the rocks were splitfrom top to bottom… the tombs were open, bodies of the saits who hasd died were raised… the things that she had witnessed challenged rational thinking… but nothing could tear her away from Christ.
Even if this were the end of the world… she would rather parish at His feet, than to run for her life… Love held her there and Love sustained her. It was love for Jesus that empowered her in the midst of hell’s fury… love was the power in Mary’s life, is it so in yours?
Do you possess this kind of tenacious love for Jesus? Would you have stayed at the cross?
Jesus came to set the captives free… for a purpose…
Luke 10:17-20
2. My God KNOWS Me and WANTS Me
This is the resurrection account… Mary made her way along the dusty path to the tomb where Jesus was laid…as she approached, feared gripped her heart and her eyes teared uncontrollably… they had taken his body away… where could they have possibly taken him?
Suddenly she hears someone call to her…
“Woman why are you crying, who is it that you are looking for?”... then Jesus said to her, “Mary”… Luke 20:15-16
It was the same way he had called he hundereds of times before but this time something was different… the moment she heard his voice fear evaporated, and the weeping turned to joy. It was the voice of her precious Jesus
The same voice that calmed the seas… that called forth Lazarus from the dead and the voice that beckoned her to salvation… was she dreaming? The only way to be sure was to reach out and touch Him, and she clung to Him.
It was Him and he explained to her that He must go to be with the Father, but even as He spoke she knew everything would be alright…He was alive, therefore she could face tomarrow…
That same voice calls out your name right now… He knows everything about you and He wants to be with you…
Psalm 139:13-16
Long after that resurrection morning, long after his ascension, and long after the day of Pentecost, mary could still hear the gentleness of his voice calling her name…
Every Christian should hear his voice calling their name. he is the good shepherd, and His sheep know His voice. Listen today for the masters voice calling your name and join in the sweetness of his fellowship… why? Because…
3. My God NEEDS Me
“Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” John 20:17
“he’s alive, He’s alive…he has risen from the dead… from the moment Mary heard Jesus call her name she became an evangelist. She immediately ran to tell the disciples the news of the risen Lord.
How could she possibly keep this quiet anyway? Her Jesus was crucified, was buried, and now risen from the dead. She couldn’t possibly keep this to herself. She had the key to the worlds problems… to any problem and His name was Jesus..
Like Mary the Christian church has the answer to the world’s needs. The church possess the key to everything, and we are mandated to share this Gospel with anyone who will listen.
...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace. Ephesians 6:15
Can you imagine a doctor finding the cure to AIDS or cancer and keeping it to himself? How could a person committed to saving lives watch mankind die from dreaded deceases, while possessing the cure?
In the same way how can a Christian who knows the truth not share the good news about Jesus with everyone they meet?
Your God Needs you to spread the news… If you are saved then you can be an evangelist like Mary Magdaline… all you have to do is tell someone that He is alive, he rose from the dead, and He washed your sins away. The clarion call for the church today is SHARE THE GOSPEL…
The apostle Paul announced to the world that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is the power of salvation. He was not ashamed… are you?
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Isaiah 52:7
