First Words of the Risen Christ – John 20:1-18
Gladstone Baptist Church – 8/4/07 am
Introduction
Happy Easter – Christ is Risen. That is a fact of history that can not be denied and I pray this morning that it is as real to you as it was to those who witnessed Jesus in the flesh. Over the last month or so we have been leading up to Easter with a series on the last seven words of Jesus from the Cross. This morning, I thought it would be good to continue this theme and to look at the first words of Jesus after his resurrection.
A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb with a great stone sealing the opening. She wanted to share the excitement of the resurrection with them and so she asked: "And what do you think were Jesus’ first words when He came bursting out of that tomb alive?" A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. Attached to it was the arm of a little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted out excitedly "I know, I know!" "Good" said the teacher, "Tell us, what were Jesus first words." And Extending her arms high into the air she said: "TA-DA!"
I don’t know whether she got the answer right – but it would have been something incredible to behold wouldn’t it.
If you’ve got your bibles there, turn with me to John 20 as we read the account of the resurrection. This morning I want to divide this story up into 5 parts – I see here first a shocking discovery, followed by a sensible question. Then comes a sensitive reassurance, a strange command and a serious commission. See if you can see these elements as I read out the account – John 20:1
20 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. 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!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10 Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
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.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 “Woman,” he said, “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.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 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.
A Shocking Discovery
Jesus was crucified on a Friday and on Sunday morning, after the Saturday Sabbath, some women went down to the tomb to prepare Jesus’ body for burial (we are told by Mark that they included Mary, Jesus’ mother, Mary Magdalene and Salome). It was a bit of a rushed job on Friday to get Jesus’ body into the tomb by sunset. They didn’t have time to complete their preparations and so came back on Sunday morning to continue the work. Preparation for burial involved wrapping the body in fine linen and putting various spices and ointments in the folds. It was not embalming as the Egyptians knew it, but it was still something that ought to have been done.
But when the ladies had arrived, they made a shocking discovery. The tomb was empty. The soldiers were gone, the roman seal over the rock was broken and the stone covering the entry had been removed. More shocking than that, the tomb was empty. Jesus’ body was gone.
John says that Mary, upon seeing the empty tomb – ran to get Peter & the other disciple which is normally understood to mean John (the author of this book). They came running to investigate. They didn’t believe Mary that the tomb was empty. How could it be with a roman guard on duty. Surely no one could have stolen it. But when they saw the tomb for themselves, vs 8 says “and they believed.” This was not the belief that Jesus had risen, verse 9 makes this clear. Rather, it was a belief that the body was indeed gone and that the women, hadn’t got lost and gone to the wrong grave as the typical navigation skills of the female race may typically suggest. Having seen it for themselves, Peter & John were at a loss to explain it. The grave clothes were all still there (the meaning of the text implies that main part of the linen cloth had fallen in a heap as if the body had just disappeared from within it. The cloth that covered the head was folded up neatly.), but how could that be.
This was a shocking discovery which shook the fearful followers of Jesus to the core. Remember that they had within the last 3 days witnessed Jesus’ unjustified arrest, torture and execution. They must have been reeling. How could their teacher and leader of their group be gone. It was surely a night mare, but now this – his body is gone. Someone had taken his body. Surely it was the work of the Jews or the Romans. But why would they have taken his body and where is it now.
John tells us that Peter and John do what any normal males would have done – they went home to tell the other disciples. Nothing more could be done at the tomb, so why hang around. But Mary Magdalene stays – she is left to fend for herself. She did what any normal woman would do (and no disrespect is meant here …) But Mary sat down and cried. Actually the term used should be to wail or cry uncontrollable. This was no ordinary little cry. Mary was inconsolable. She was heartbroken at her loss. And now the loss of Jesus’ body was the last straw – she feels ripped off. Her normal grief process is being violated. She has lost all hope and all purpose. Jesus had been her salvation. He’d rescued her from 7 demons, but now he had been stolen out of her life.
Finally through her tears, she peers into the tomb and is shocked again as she sees 2 angels in white sitting in the tomb. They ask a sensible question which is repeated soon by the “gardener”….
A Sensible Question
The question asked is “Woman why are you crying?” In Mary’s frame of reference, this was a stupid question. It was obvious why she was crying – someone dear had been executed in the most horrific and humiliating way. Now his body was missing. Why do you think I am crying – was I’m sure what was going through her mind. But in her words she explains … “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.” Though she didn’t know who they were, she knew that someone must have been behind it.
Just then Mary becomes aware of someone else’s presence and turns around to see another person outside the tomb. Verse 15 indicates that she thinks he is the gardener and he also asks the same stupid question that the angels ask. “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for.”
In Mary’s frame of reference this was a stupid question, but in the frame of reference of the angels and of the risen Lord. This is a sensible question. From their perspective, they knew that what Jesus had prophesied had come true. That he had been killed and then three days later he had come back to life. It didn’t make any sense to them for Mary or the other followers of Jesus to be looking for Jesus’ body in a tomb. He was risen. To them it was totally inappropriate to have tears being shed at this empty tomb. And so they ask quite sensibly – “Woman, why are you crying.”
There must have been a sense of incredulity in their asking. “Woman, don’t you remember what Jesus said would happen? Doesn’t anyone believe that Jesus is alive? Is there not one among the followers who believed Jesus’ words?”
The gospels make it clear that none of the disciples had grasped the possibility of Jesus coming back to life. Similarly a resurrection as the explanation for this shocking course of events was the furtherest thing from Mary’s mind.
But Mary’s concept of Jesus was too small. She was looking for a lifeless body in a cold tomb. But instead she should have been looking for a victorious and living Lord out in the world.
How often do we fail to see who Jesus really is and therefore ask the wrong questions or fail to exhibit faith. When something bad happens to us or in our world, what do we ask – “Why?” We all do it, but often this line of questioning indicates that we don’t understand who Jesus really is. I was talking to my parents the other week about some old family friends who had a tragedy in their family. The grandfather was involved in an accident and his grandson who was in the car was killed. Their family had strong faith, but as a result of the tragedy, one of the Grandfather’s Sons has turned away from the Lord completely while the other (the father of the little boy who was killed) has grown closer to God. One had a correct view of God, one had a concept of God that was too small.
Mary’s concept was too small, yet, Jesus met her at her point of need. In answer to her questions about the location of the body, Jesus responses with a sensitive affirmation
A Sensitive affirmation
All Jesus says is one word. “Mary” It was her name. I don’t know whether it was the way Jesus said it or whether the tears were clearing from her eyes. But Mary immediately focuses and recognises who it is that is standing outside the tomb. It is not a gardener, it was Jesus. And with joy and relief she turns and calls out “Teacher.”
Jesus word was a sensitive one which carried tremendous power. John 10:2-4 says … The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice. …14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep”.
Jesus is the good shepherd and he calls all his sheep by their individual name. Isn’t that encouraging to you. Jesus knows you individually. You are not a number, you don’t have a barcode on the back of your neck that he swipes. No you are a person who is special to him and just like for Mary, he knows your name. He knows the number of hairs on your head. He knows what you are going through. As a shepherd, he cares, protects and guides you. Is that an encouragement?
For Mary, this was the best word that could ever have been spoken. It remade her world and transformed her life forever. It demonstrated the fact that Jesus still cared for her. That he was still there for her. And upon hearing it, Mary believed. Reading between the lines, we see that Mary must have thrown herself at Jesus. It was likely she threw herself at Jesus’ feet as Jesus was a respected teacher. And then Jesus makes a strange request.
A Strange Command
Jesus says to Mary – (vs 17) “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father”. In this sentence, Jesus introduces a subtle change in the way that Mary and the disciples will relate to Jesus in the future.
In the past it has been a physical relationship – they can touch, see, hear and even smell Jesus. But from here on in, the relationship will not be physical, but spiritual. He would no longer be known by sight or by the sound of his voice, but by faith. In the next couple of weeks, Jesus appeared occasionally in a physical form to his disciples, but after his ascension, his physical presence was replaced by the spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit. Our relationship to Jesus is now spiritual. And Mary had to learn this.
Jesus also in this reminds us that there is something more important than the physical. For many of us, we hold dearly onto our physical lives. We protect them. We care for our health and well being. But For Jesus, being with God, his heavenly father in his heavenly home was far more preferable. Jesus didn’t want to be hindered from going to his Father and so he commands Mary, “Let go of me.”
That is the view we should have of this life also. It is good to be alive, but it is better to be with our Lord in Glory. Paul knew this – in Phil 1:21 he writes … “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far:;
Jesus was going to again be with his Father and he couldn’t wait. One day we will go and join him too – that will be a great day won’t it. Are we longing for that day to come? If not we need to grow in our knowledge and love for God. Jesus was longing to go home - but before he could leave, Jesus had one more word for Mary and indeed the rest of his followers also. It took the form of a Strong Commission
A Serious Commission
Jesus said – “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary was the first of Jesus’ followers to be commissioned after his resurrection to go and tell others about the gospel message – That sin had been paid for at the cross and that we have hope beyond the grave. This is amazing, because Mary was just a woman. I don’t mean to denegrade any women in our congregation, but you need to understand that in first century Jewish culture, Women were not trusted witnesses. They could not be a witness in a court of law and so for Jesus to commission a woman to be the first person responsible to go and spread the gospel message to his disciples and to the world was amazing. It shows that Jesus was no respecter of persons or positions. He chose the foolish, weak and lowly of this world to do amazing things through.
This was the way Jesus always worked and he still does. His disciples were examples of this. They were commissioned with the same task – go and tell the good news. And so are we. God has chosen to commission us to continue to take the good news to all nations.
The Cross and the empty tomb have an incredible message – they are filled with hope and power and we need to go and tell the world. The power and success of this commission does not rest in our ability and power as messengers. It lies in the power and truth of the gospel message.
Some have made the comment that the tragedy of the Christian community over the centuries is that it has been more inclined to sit and cling to Jesus’ feet than to go and tell others the wonderful lifechanging gospel of the cross and the tomb. It is far easier for us to hold onto him in the security of a church building, than to go out and tell a world that needs to hear. But thankfully Mary went and shared the good news and this is the model for us also.
There is a poem that describes what must have been going through Mary’s mind when Jesus commissioned her – it goes like this …
"How can I tell
That we’ve all been set free?..
I’m only a woman;.
They won’t listen to me
I saw him
The One we all thought was dead
They’ll think I’m imagining
Out of my head
I talked with Jesus
I knelt at his feet
My Master’s alive
Will the others believe
Will they beat me or scoff at me
Put me away
It’s my duty to tell
But what will they say?....
Author unknown
Despite her fear, Mary went and told the good news. Do you have the same attitude as Mary? That it is your duty to tell others about the power and victory of the cross and empty tomb. Are you doing it or are you happy to sit comfortably clinging to Jesus feet.
Easter gives us a wonderful opportunity to remind ourselves of some of these things. This Easter, reflect on these first words of Jesus at his resurrection and
- remember just how big and majestic our God is. Don’t have too small a view of Jesus and risk missing Him in all His Glory.
- Be assured also that Jesus knows your name. Just like he loved Mary and knew how she was suffering, He cares for you too.
- Catch a new vision of what life with God in heaven will be like. Maybe then, like Jesus and Paul we can begin to long for our death because to die is to be in glory with Christ. And finally
- Recognise the commission that Christ has left for us to accomplish while we are still remaining on this earth. There is a life changing message contained in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Let us take every opportunity to share them with those around about us who need to know.
