“After He Rose”
John 20:10-18
I. Introduction
a. Illustration: Noel and Jill seemed to have everything. They worked in ministry with youth in Germany. Noel gave up a promising basketball career to pursue full time ministry. After five years of marriage Jill was six months pregnant. She was very excited about being a new mom. They eagerly prepared for the baby’s arrival, as well as enjoying God’s continued work in Noel’s ministry. They, like many couples looked forward to raising their child together and serving God in ministry.
Then one day Noel was headed home from a youth prayer meeting. Noel, after a long week of ministry, was very tired. He knew he shouldn’t be driving but he wanted to be home with Jill.
Anxiously awaiting his return, the phone rang. In broken English she was able to make out, “Accident . .. hospital . . . husband.” She rushed to the hospital to find her husband unconscious and barely alive. The accident was severe, but emergency surgery saved his life. Soon after Noel was conscious and communicating by writing. He was eager to be back at the church so he could share all that God was doing in his life. A total miracle that God had spared his life from such a terrible accident. Jill considered how unimaginable it would be to go on without Noel. How could she continue in ministry and raise her soon to be born child? Thank God He survived.
The next day things turned for the worse. Noel began to have a sudden aneurysm. The doctors tried hard to save him but it was too late. Noel died quickly.
When Jill found out she was complete devastated. Her worst fears realized. He was gone. He only true love was gone, forever. Her baby’s father!! How could this happen? Why God? Why?
b. Illustration: Jesus was everything to us. We placed their lives in His hands. We were trusting him with everything. We had very high hopes. He was here!! The Messiah!! Can you believe it. Of all times and places it had to be in our time. Now after so many years of oppression and sorry at the hands of the Romans, He was here! Praise God. And man, did he do some many great things. Healed the sick. Fed the poor. He taught us so many amazing things. We really didn’t understand everything, but we were encouraged and convicted all the time. The best part was just hanging out with Him. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. When He looked into your eyes he seemed to be reading the very core of your being. At first that was very scary. Then in became a great comfort. I don’t think I’ve ever felt loved by someone so much. It was overwhelming.
Then it happened. They came while Jesus was praying that night in the garden. We were all so afraid. We took off. None of us were faithful to him. I feel so bad. What was happening? Why was this happening. None of knew.
It was humiliating the way they treated him. They mocked him and spat upon him. They beat him up and then put those thorns on his head. I thought I might jump out of my skin when I saw that. Yet the worst was to come.
On the cross he was in total agony. And then . .. . the moment I will never forget. He cried out, “My God, God! Why have you forsaken me?” Then he said, “It is finished.” At that point I knew. It was over. Everything we had believed in, hoped in was untrue.
c. After Jesus died on the cross the disciples were dismayed. Everything they had been told. Everything they believed in—hoped in seemed to be falling apart.
d. Can you imagine after all of this then hearing that the tomb was empty. Come on!! Add insult to injury. You mean someone had robbed the tomb. Haven’t they done enough harm already?
i. This is where the disciples were when they went to the tomb of Jesus. Peter and John ran to see the empty tomb. It says that John believed. They left the tomb to go home, but Mary Magdalene stayed.
Read Passage: John 20:10-18
II. “Don’t Cling to Me”
a. He Came to Her
i. Mary meets Jesus at the Tomb
1. Mary stays at the entrance of the tomb.
2. Our translation says “crying” but the Greek best translates as “uncontrollable sobbing.”
a. Mary was extremely distraught.
b. Jesus was the one that had saved her from seven demons. He was very precious to her.
3. Apparently Mary was hoping someone would come by that could tell her where Jesus’ body was taken to.
ii. Looking into the tomb she sees the angels. Again she appears to be very concerned about the whereabouts of Jesus’ body.
iii. Then she notices someone else.
1. She thinks that Jesus is a gardener. This is probably because she was so distraught. Have you ever been so upset that you can hardly recognize someone?
a. We see this in Luke’s gospel when Jesus meets his disciples on the way to Emmaus. Have you ever heard the saying, “Fooled once, shame on you. Fooled twice, shame on me?” All of their hopes and dreams and beliefs were just crushed. It’s no wonder they didn’t recognize Jesus when he came to them.
b. Jesus came to Mary. When we are in our greatest time of need Jesus comes to us. He never leaves us alone. He comes to us and meets us just where we are.
b. He Spoke Her Name
i. Notice that Mary is still worried about that body. She’s consumed with finding that body.
ii. Jesus then answers her with one word, “Miriam” (Mary). Something about the way Jesus said her name.
1. My mom used to say my name a certain way. It could be very, very dark and I would know it was her . . . even today.
iii. Jesus spoke her name.
1. Jesus comes to us in an intimate relationship. When times get hard our very lives may depend on knowing His voice.
a. John 10:3-5—“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. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice."
2. Would you know His voice if he came to you?
c. He Pointed Her to a Greater Reality
i. Mary runs to Jesus and grabs on to Him. I can imagine that she practically knocked him over.
ii. Then Jesus says, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.”
1. The English here does capture the Greek very well. What Jesus was really saying was, “Let go of me” or “Get off of me” . It was very emphatic.
iii. Why would Jesus tell her to get off of Him?
1. Many times Jesus praises this kind of behavior. Actually there was many times when women would lavish Jesus with affection.
2. What make this time different?
iv. Notice that Jesus says, “for I have not yet returned to the Father.”
1. Jesus wanted Mary to know that it was good for her to enjoy his presence in body, but there was something much, much greater.
2. Mary was very concerned about Jesus’ physical body. She was so concerned about Jesus’ physical reality she was losing sight of everything He had taught.
3. It was going to be much better for them when He went to be with the Father. Being with Jesus on earth is a great thing, but it is nothing to be compared with the reality of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
a. John 16:7—“But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.
4. Jesus also wanted Mary to go and proclaim good news to the other followers. She definitely can’t do that hanging onto Jesus’ legs.
a. The same is true for us. We cannot go out and share Christ with others if we are tied up with worldly things. If all we are concerned about is our physical lives we will not be useful to God
5. Are you more concerned with your life and your possessions than with building God’s kingdom?
d. He Called Her to Proclaim
i. Three Anchor Points
1. Their New Hope—“I am returning to my Father”
a. The greatest news in the world is that Jesus lives! This is our great hope. If He lives then that means we will live. He has conquered death.
2. Their New Position—“go and tell my brothers”
a. We are now sons of God and fellow heirs with Christ. We now have a great new position in God’s new kingdom.
3. Their New Relationship—“your Father . . . your God”
a. We now have access to God as our Father and as our God. We can now have a relationship with Him because of Christ’s death and resurrection.
b. All of this is so much better than having Jesus with us here as a man.
ii. Are you willing to go and tell?
III. Conclusion
a. Jesus comes to us in our time of need.
b. We need to know Jesus’ voice so when he comes we will recognize Him.
c. We need to let go of this physical reality so that we can be of use to God.
