Resurrecting Hope: Overcoming Life’s Greatest Challenges—The Empty Tomb Changes Everything.
John 20:11-18
Week—Four.
The Secret Service—A gentleman walk in front of the pastor coming out of the church one day. The pastor grabbed him by the hand, pulled him aside and said to him, "You need to join the Army of the Lord!" The man replied, "I’m already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor." The Pastor questioned, "How come I don’t see you except at Christmas and Easter?" He whispered back, "I’m in the secret service. “
Don’t be a secret service Christian!
Maybe some of us come to Easter morning struck down by circumstances beyond our control—by health problems, betrayal in relationships, job loss or simply by the emptiness of looking ahead at more of the same.
Not all of us come with full hearts of joy this morning!
In our darkest days, this resurrection power gives us light. In overwhelming— discouragement, it gives us faith. In the midst of devastating loss, it gives us joy. In times of divisiveness, it gives us something that unifies us.
Ready for some great news? The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive, and that gives us hope!
Let’s look at, John 20:11-18, and take it verse, by verse.
John 20:11AMP But Mary [who had returned] was standing outside the tomb sobbing; and so, as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb;
Here’s 3—important points about the resurrection:
Point 1—Hope appears when we least expect it.
Mary’s thinking, “I want to see my Jesus for the last time.”
As she looked inside the tomb—she might have thought her eyes were playing tricks on her—Two angels.
Hebrew 13:1-2NIV Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
You need help? Psalm 103:20, Angels, God’s Mighty ones, do His bidding.
John 20:12-13AMP and she saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Notice, the angels concern, “Woman why are you crying?”
Are you distressed?
Psalm 61:2NLT From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
Clark Commentary, Having God for my rock— He’s a strong fortified place, for my salvation continual safety, and my defense—my elevated tower, which places me out of the reach of my enemies; I shall not be greatly moved—I may be shaken, but cannot be cast down forever.
John 20:14AMP After saying this, (where have you laid Him?), she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Sometimes our situation seems so bad that we can’t see anything else—That’s Mary.
Ever been there? It’s over. The end.
John 20:15AMP Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? For whom are you looking?” Supposing that He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you are the one who has carried Him away from here, tell me where you have put Him, and I will take Him away.”
Notice Jesus’ nature, Woman, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?
Can I tell you, people don’t know—Mary still didn’t know. It’s time we realize there’s a lot of people who don’t know? You can’t afford to take one scripture for granted. They need to be heard.
John 20:15TM Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?” She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Sir, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.”
Mary thinks it’s the gardener. Mary cries, “Sir, if you took Him please let me have His body!”
John 20:16AMP Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
Again, Point 1, Hope appears when we least expect it.
Notice verse 16, “Mary!” God knows how to call our name.
POINT 2—Easter comes at just the right time.
Again, Hope has come!
Genesis 3:8-10TLB That evening they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden; and they hid themselves among the trees. 9 The Lord God called to Adam, “Why are you hiding?” 10 And Adam replied, “I heard you coming and didn’t want you to see me naked. So I hid.”
God came searching for His creation, but could not find them because of their shame.
—Shame is of the devil!
Verse 10 again, They were naked and so they hid.
Here’s the coolest thing about this, “The historical Easter account is about a God who re-enters a garden to search for those He loves and to offer life to them once again.” P.H
As soon as Jesus speaks Mary’s name, she recognizes Him and calls Him—“teacher.”
In the middle of Mary’s darkest moment, Easter came just in time.
Jesus calls her name—Mary! Mary hears her teacher. Mary hears her deliverer, Mary hears—Jesus.
Do you remember when He called you by name?
Again, Easter has come at just the right time.
How about your situation? Is it seemingly beyond God?
Sometimes my frequency is off, it has to be readjusted and or, tuned in.
Once more, (Easter), Hope, has come at just the right time.
Romans 5:6-10TLB When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. 7 Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since by his blood he did all this for us as sinners, how much more will he do for us now that he has declared us not guilty? Now he will save us from all of God’s wrath to come. 10 And since, when we were his enemies, we were brought back to God by the death of his Son, what blessings he must have for us now that we are his friends and he is living within us!
Why was Mary so grateful? Why was she so devoted?
Luke 8:1-2TLB Not long afterwards he began a tour of the cities and villages of Galilee to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God, and took his twelve disciples with him. 2 Some women went along, from whom he had cast out demons or whom he had healed; among them were Mary Magdalene (Jesus had cast out seven demons from her),
Maurice Casey, author of Jesus of Nazareth, surmises Mary must have suffered from severe emotional or psychological trauma to deem an exorcism necessary. She was battered and bruised, injured and in agony from the suffering demon possession entailed.
Mary lost all control, and dignity, along with everything she knew in her previous life. Beauty and wealth did not spare her from the evil that assailed and attacked her every hour of every day.
“Seven demons suggest completeness, implying that when the evil spirits dominated Mary, the suffering was extremely severe.”
Think about this, Our troubled thoughts, try to block out Jesus’ big perfect thoughts.
John 20:17-18AMP Jesus said to her, “Do not hold Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene came, reporting to the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.
In the beginning remember what Mary was wanting to do? Hold Jesus. Prepare His body. Sometimes we think, “if I just don’t let go.”
Was Mary Magdalene a credible source? You better believe it, her entire life had flipped flop. From lady of the night, to woman of light. All she wanted was Jesus!
POINT 3—The resurrection is victory over death.
Just a short testimony—Mary Magdalene went from demon possessed, to lover and follower of Jesus! Jesus can do the same for you, receive His fullness of love, grace, peace and joy in Jesus name.
You see, what Mary discovered early at the tomb was that the thing that she believed to be most final was not the end, but only the beginning!
Jesus rising from the dead meant that sin, and its ultimate outcome which is death, could not overcome Jesus Christ. Death did not have the last word and final say: Jesus did. Jesus overcame.
John 11:25KJV Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
The powerful revelation that comes with this truth is that if Jesus can overcome death, there is nothing in our lives that He cannot defeat and overcome.
Again, POINT 3—The resurrection is victory over death.
What do you need Jesus to overcome for you? For your family? What’s dead? What needs resurrecting?
Benediction.
