Text: Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
Seven days before the resurrection, there were shouts of joy along the road from Jericho to Jerusalem. The crowd recognized Jesus as King and gave Him the glory that He so deserved.
The people gave what they had to honor the King. They gave their cloaks to be placed upon the back of the donkey in honor of Jesus. Some placed their cloaks and robes along the road while others placed palm branches on the road.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9).
Excitement filled the air while hearts were bathing in the warm water of hope. Everything seemed to be positive in the minds of the people because they were looking worldly. In their minds, freedom from Roman rule was about to surface. The King had come and things were about to change.
Jesus knew in His heart what was at the end of the road. He had come to save man from sin’s destruction. He knew the joy that was present in the hearts of the people would soon turn to sorrow and the tears of joy would turn to tears of sorrow.
Jesus could see Calvary down the road. He was aware that some who followed Him at this time would desert Him at a later time. He could already feel the pain and agony He would have to endure. The crowd had no idea of the suffering that was to come.
The crowd then was no different that the crowd today. The crowd following Jesus could visualize things were going their way; therefore, joy and happiness filled their mind and their heart. People in this day are happy, excited, and positive as long as they are being favored or as long as life is good to them.
Life appeared to be good to the disciples and the crowd during the entry into Jerusalem. Jesus was the leader they needed. He seemed to make things happen even when they seemed impossible. His power was demonstrated on many occasions.
Each time Jesus used His power it was for the glory of God and the benefit of man. When He found no fruit on the fig tree, Jesus cursed it and said, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again” (Mark 11:14). The fig tree dried up and died.
There was no fruit on the tree because it was not the season, but there was a lesson that the disciples and all mankind needed to learn. The lesson was to have faith in God and to believe in the power of prayer.
Jesus knew that He would not be with them much longer in the flesh which they could see, but He would be with them in Spirit which they could not see. He knew there would be moments in their life when troubles would come.
Obstacles or hindrances would appear as mountains impossible to get around, over, or through, thus, Jesus wanted them to know that nothing is impossible with God. All they had to do was to have faith, believe, and ask God to help them.
All of us have had times of disappointment when things seemed impossible for us to do. Some of you might have had a challenge getting your high school diploma because times were tough, money was short, and you had to help support the family.
Perhaps there was some type of tragedy in your life and you thought you could not go on living. Days were dark and you could not see the light of joy at the end of the tunnel.
We all have days of joy and days of sorrow, but we are assured Jesus will always be with us. He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
We feel sorrow for ourselves because we don’t have everything we want, “but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).
We find it very difficult to bear the grief when someone we know dies. Jesus knows how we feel because He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:33-35).
Have you ever felt that someone has been disloyal to you? Remember, Judas sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15-16).
Has anyone ever denied you of anything? Peter, one of the disciples, denied knowing Jesus three times. Jesus knew Peter would do this. He said, “I tell you the truth this very night before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matthew 26:34).
The disciples and the crowd of Jesus’ followers were about to go through a tough time. Jesus told the disciples on at least three occasions that His death was coming, but they did not understand or they did not want to believe it. The disciples were looking worldly instead of heavenly.
The disciples and Jesus’ followers were about to face a storm that would turn their joy to sorrow. Jesus knew the storm was coming and it was a necessary event that would give man a chance to form a right relationship with the Father. Storms of life are necessary in that they strengthen our relationship with Almighty God. Listen to this story:
Story: “The Ministry of Storm”
We were going through a great furniture factory, when our guide, the superintendent, pointed out to us a superbly grained and figured sideboard in the natural wood. “I want you to observe the beauty of this oak,’ he said, “It is the finest selected timber of its kind, and the secret of the intricate and beautiful graining is just this: that the trees from which it was taken grew in a spot where they were exposed to almost constant conflict with storms.”
What a suggestive fact! The storm beaten tree develops the closest and finest and most intricately woven fibers. When it is cut down and the saws lay bare its exquisitely figured grain, the cabinetmaker selects it as the material for his finest work.
Each human life is beset by sorrows, tests and trials. If it stands the storm the wind of God strengthens and beautifies it! We need life’s stress. Character cannot be developed into its strongest and most beautiful forms without the storms of life.
---------------B.J., in Elim Evangel
Jesus was ready and willing to take punishment for the sins of all mankind. His disciples did not understand when He said, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father” (John 16:16).
Jesus was telling the disciples that He had a few more hours before the Crucifixion would take place. He was also referring to the fact that after the Crucifixion He would be with them in the Person of the Holy Spirit. This would be an intimate relationship because He would live within their heart.
Jesus prayed for Himself, his disciples, and the entire world before taking his disciples and going to the Garden of Gethsemane where an unforgettable event would take place. “Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapon” (John 18:2).
Jesus was arrested and let away to the ex-high priest Annas instead of Caiaphas, because Annas seemed to have more power or authority. It was during this time that Peter denied knowing Jesus.
Peter knew he had done wrong when the rooster crowed after the third denial. “Peter broke down and wept” (Mark 14:72).
Judas was regretful for his act of selfishness when he found out Jesus had been condemned. “He was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ He threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:3-5).
The joys of the beginning of the week were overshadowed by the cries to “Crucify Him” (John 19:15). At the beginning of the week cloaks and robes were laid down in His honor, but now He was stripped of His robe and flogged with a three-pronged whip. His hands were tied to a post, His back was bare and He received a number of lashes, which according to Jewish law could be up to forty.
After the flogging the soldiers mocked Him by placing a crown of thorns on His head, a purple robe around His body and hailing Him as King of the Jews. The only joy present was the joy of hatred and meanness in the minds of the soldiers.
As He was forced to carry the heavy cross-beam of the cross upon the shoulders of His weak and bloody body to the place called Golgotha, he stumbled and fell. A decision was made to relieve Jesus of the weight of the cross-beam. Scripture says, “Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name and compelled him to bear His cross” (Matthew 27:32).
When they arrived at Golgotha, the soldiers stripped Jesus of His clothing and nailed His hand and feet to the cross. His cross was placed between the crosses of two others being crucified.
His family and His followers watched as He shed His blood upon the Cross. “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home” (John 19:25-27).
Can you imagine watching as one of your family members are nailed to a cross? This man, Jesus, was innocent and sinless and was being crucified for you and for me. As His family and followers watched the gruesome agonizing death, there was sorrow in their heart for Jesus and for them.
They felt they were losing all hope because their Leader, their Messiah, the One whom they had waited for was being put to death by the Romans soldiers. The only joy was in the heart of those soldiers who gambled for Jesus’ few earthly possessions.
Jesus showed his love for the people who crucified Him when He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).
When death occurred, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Permission was granted and Joseph and Nicodemus prepared the body for burial.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were followers of Jesus, but did not want it known because Joseph was an honored member of the Jewish council and Nicodemus was a member of that council.
These two came out in the open when they asked to take Jesus’ body for burial. They were brave enough to risk their reputation as well as their life. This act brought out their secret relationship with the Master.
There are people today who are secret followers of Jesus. They don’t let it be known they are followers because of what other people might say or because they may be classified as odd or strange. These people are afraid to speak up in defense of their relationship with Jesus. The Gospel is kept within their heart instead of being shared with others. The Word needs to be shared.
Jesus said, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. Whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).
As far as people were concerned, it was all over. Doom and gloom was present among the people. Their heart was filled with sorrow. There was no joy. There was no hope. There was no future. There was no freedom from Roman oppression. The end had come.
Sorrow was present until the day after the Sabbath and the first day of the week. As Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb early on Sunday morning, sorrow was still in her heart. As soon as she came into view of the tomb, she noticed the stone blocking the entrance had been taken away.
Her first thought was that someone had stolen the body, so she ran to tell Simon Peter and others. Her words to them were: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20:2).
The sorrow of Jesus being crucified was bad enough, but now someone removed His body from the tomb. Peter and the other disciple, who was John, ran to the tomb to see for themselves. John was the first to arrive and peered into the tomb.
Simon Peter entered the tomb and observed the linen cloths still in place with the cloth that was wrapped around Jesus’ head neatly folded and placed by itself. The other disciples came, looked, and left with heavy heart.
Mary could not bring herself to leave. She stayed by the tomb and wept. She peered into the tomb and as she did, she observed “two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain” (John 20:12).
The angels asked Mary why she was weeping and Mary said, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20:13).
As Mary turned around she noticed a man standing near her. She thought the man to be the caretaker of the garden. The man spoke to her and asked, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15).
Then Jesus said, “Mary!” Mary responded “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). At that moment Mary knew it was Jesus. Her sorrow turned to joy and she ran to share this joy with the disciples that the Lord is risen.
Conclusion:
The beginning of the previous week was full of joy and happiness, but by the end of the week, sorrow replaced joy. At the beginning of the week following the Crucifixion, joy was again in the forefront replacing sorrow. Darkness turned to light. Despair was replaced by hope.
Christ Is Risen – Hallelujah!
Christ is risen! Hallelujah!
Gladness fills the world today;
From the tomb that could not hold Him,
See, the stone is rolled away!
Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!
Blessed morn of life and light!
Lo, the grave is rent asunder,
Death is conquered through His might.
Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!
Friends of Jesus, dry your tears;
Through the veil of gloom and darkness,
Lo, the Son of God appears!
Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!
He hath risen, as he said;
He is now the King of Glory,
And our great, exalted head.
-----------------Fanny J. Crosby
Amen.
