October 17, 2020
In the first 2 sermons of this series, we compared Nicodemus with the Woman at the Well. Today we are going to compare Peter with Mary Magdalene.
As we noted last week, Peter is mentioned, by name, more than 150 times in the New Testament. He had many spectacularly great moments and many spectacularly disastrous moments during his 3 ½ year walk with Jesus.
His over-confidence nearly destroyed him and it wasn’t until after Jesus went back to heaven that he fully understood Jesus’ mission.
Now let’s consider Mary Magdalene. Who was she? Well, we know she lived in the town of Bethany, which was not far from Jerusalem. We know she had a sister, Martha, and a brother, Lazarus. She is mentioned, by name, 12 times in the New Testament and only in the Gospels.
Here is something you may not know….. Jesus cast 7 demons out of her. {Luke 8:1-2}
Now what does that mean??
Well, Scripture does not come right out and tell us, although I believe it is alluded to in:
• John 8:1-11 - Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" 11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
And:
• Luke 7:36-50 - Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him. And He entered the Pharisee's house, and reclined at the table. 37 And behold, there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet, and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." 40 And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." 41 "A certain moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him more?" 43 Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. 45 "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. 46 "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48 And He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." …. "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." {see also Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8}
Ellen White says ……………... That it was Simon who lead Mary into sin and that she had been deeply wronged by him. {DA 566}
Whatever the details of the story, what becomes clear is that Mary’s devotion was driven by the knowledge of what she HAD BEEN, what Jesus had FREED HER FROM and what she HAD BECOME through His forgiveness and transformational power.
She loved Jesus and Jesus loved her ----- Not in a sexual way. They weren’t lovers. They weren’t married. They didn’t have a secret love child. Those are all lies of Satan in an attempt to cast doubt about WHO JESUS WAS and to discredit His mission.
Why is it impossible for people to believe that a man and a woman can have a platonic non-sexual relationship AND have a deep love and respect for one another???
She loved Jesus BECAUSE of what He had done in her life.
Jesus loved her BECAUSE that’s what He does --- He LOVES people.
The relationship was unique not because of HIS love but because of HERS:
• She, along with a group of women financially supported Jesus’ ministry. {Luke 8:2-3}
• Every moment she could – she was at his feet. {Luke 10:38-42}
• Her sorrow over the death of her brother, Lazarus, moved Jesus to tears. {John 11:29-35}
• She was one of 3 women who remained at the foot of the cross and witnessed the crucifixion. {John 19:25 – By-the-way…. the rest of the disciples, except for John, were in hiding}
• She was the last to leave Jesus’s tomb. {Matthew 27:57-61 and Mark 15:42-47}
• She was the first to arrive at the tomb on Sunday morning {John 20:1-10}
o John 20:1-10 - Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!" 3 Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. 4 The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, and he saw and believed-- 9 for until then they hadn't realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.
{It is interesting to note that the person Mary went to to report Jesus missing was Peter ---- that while John just looked into the Tomb, Peter went running in (so Peter!!!) ---- that when they found Jesus gone, they just…. went home. Meanwhile….}
• She was the first person to see Jesus alive after the resurrection. {John 20:11-18}
o John 20:11-18 - Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 "Why are you crying?" the angels asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. 15 "Why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him." 16 "Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward him and exclaimed, "Teacher!" 17 "Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God." 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message.
This is the last we read about Mary Magdalene…. The remainder of Scripture is silent regarding her. However, 2000 years later we are still discussing her…. Just as Jesus said we would:
• Matthew 26:13 - "Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of in memory of her."
• Mark 14:9 - "And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, that also which this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her."
Wrapping Up
Do you realize what it cost Heaven to save you?? Do you realize just what it is you have been saved from? Maybe the reason so many Christians live superficial spiritual lives is because they have never seriously considered those 2 questions.
Mary’s gratitude influenced her entire life. She was an obedient disciple, faithful steward, loving friend and eager evangelist all because she knew EXACTLY what Jesus had done for her.
• Ellen White {CC 309.2-5}: Mary had been looked upon as a great sinner, but Christ knew the circumstances that had shaped her life. He might have extinguished every spark of hope in her soul, but He did not. It was He who had lifted her from despair and ruin. Seven times she had heard His rebuke of the demons that controlled her heart and mind. She had heard His strong cries to the Father in her behalf. She knew how offensive is sin to His unsullied purity, and in His strength she had overcome.
When to human eyes her case appeared hopeless, Christ saw in Mary capabilities for good. He saw the better traits of her character. The plan of redemption has invested humanity with great possibilities, and in Mary these possibilities were to be realized. Through His grace she became a partaker of the divine nature. The one who had fallen, and whose mind had been a habitation of demons, was brought very near to the Saviour in fellowship and ministry….
Jesus knows the circumstances of every soul. You may say, I am sinful, very sinful. You may be; but the worse you are, the more you need Jesus. He turns no weeping, contrite one away. He does not tell to any all that He might reveal, but He bids every trembling soul take courage. Freely will He pardon all who come to Him for forgiveness and restoration. . . .
