The Ticket
John 20:1-18
April 16, 2006 (Easter Sunday)
94 years ago this week, a boat described as unsinkable left its harbor in Southampton, England for its maiden voyage across the Atlantic. This boat, the biggest passenger boat of its time, was carrying 2,224 people - some on board for a vacation, some purchasing tickets to return home and some hoping to start a new life in America.
On the fifth night of the ships voyage at 11:40 p.m. when it was off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, the unthinkable, the unimaginable happened. The boat named the Titanic hit an iceberg and over the course of the next 2 hours and 40 minutes, it slowly sank to the bottom of the ocean.
There were 16 lifeboats on board the Titanic. Those fortunate enough to be allowed in them were primarily wealthy women and their children. And the rest of the passengers, crew and all of their belongings were tragically lost to the bottom of the ocean.
No one who purchased a ticket for that journey expected to perish.
No one on board the Titanic was expecting to die on that maiden voyage.
After all - the boat was brand new.
the boat was built with the best available resources and workers.
the boat was "unsinkable."
And yet - it sank. Bringing down with it the lives of precious people.
It was a tragedy that shattered the dreams.
killed the hopes.
and introduced grief, loss, mourning into the lives of
many who lived on both sides of the ocean.
These emotions.
This grief.
This loss and trying to make sense of it is exactly what we heard about when we read our text earlier in the service. We read words like "crying", "They’ve taken the Lord and we don’t know where they’ve put him." We were told no one understood. This resurrection was one big confusing mess. Not all neat and tidy like it is 2000 years later.
You came in here today knowing what would happen, knowing exactly what the message would be about, knowing more or less what songs would be sung, what plants would be displayed, what people you would see.
2000 years later any fogginess, any disbelief, any uncertainty about this day has disappeared.
But originally at least how John tells the story there is:
nothing but questions.
nothing but misunderstanding.
Mary, this woman who had been a follower of Jesus. This woman who was going to take care of his dead body, believes "that someone took Jesus out of the tomb and she didn’t know where they put him." (v. 2, v. 13, 15). Three times she says this and to 3 different people.
Though Jesus had said in Mark 10:33, 34 that he would be:
betrayed
condemned to death
handed over
mocked
spit on
flogged
killed
and 3 days later rise again.
To Mary and to any of us had we been in her shoes, this wasn’t even conceivable. Jesus was dead. He was supposed to be dead. But where was He?
The thought, the faith, the teaching that Jesus wasn’t:
Lost
Misplaced
Nor stolen but alive wasn’t even on Mary Magdalene’s radar screen nor any of Jesus’ other follower’s minds.
But this was the plan.
This was the necessary action our God took in order for his human race to have hope, assurance and life even after death. That in Jesus and through his death, he took upon himself the misdeed, mishaps, the sin, the evil that each of us has, going through a substitute death instead of us. Jesus paid the price. Paid a ransom. Was the sacrifice offered - done out of love for you and me. Because our God desires nothing to separate us from Him.
He desires us to know Him in this life and for us to experience life with him after we die.
Jesus’ words - "Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3)
You see:
You and I were born with an expiration date.
You and I like the gallon of milk we can buy at the Clear Lake Market.
like the ham or turkey that is in your oven.
like the pie you will bake for later on today.
But unlike any Twinkie - for those things never expire. You and I were born with an expiration date.
Though we don’t know exactly when our lives will end. Though none of us have May 17, 2023 stamped on our foreheads. And though some here are like Twinkies having outlasted and out lived the predictions of their doctor, each of us, every single one of us whether we are ready or not will suddenly or gradually expire.
And life - your and my life is a preparation for what happens after we die. How are you preparing? Rick Warren, The Best-selling Christian author writes:
”In a nutshell, life is preparations for eternity. We were made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven. One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body -- but not the end of me. I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity. We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn’t going to make sense."
Well, life wasn’t making much sense to Mary on that first Easter morning. Even though she had been following Jesus, was coming to the tomb out of love for Jesus and sought to understand what was going on. It wasn’t working out like she had expected. Her Jesus was dead and missing - "what was going on?"
But give her credit.
As she stays at the tomb.
As she talks and asks questions.
She is led- into understanding.
into believing.
into knowing and seeing that her Jesus is indeed alive.
Though in the beginning - she thinks someone has taken her Lord and she can’t find him, by the end she exclaims, "I have seen the Lord." (v. 18)
And isn’t that the journey that each of us are on.
We are somewhere between -
I don’t see him.
Where is God?
Does he even exist?
Does he- see me?
Know me.
Care about me.
And I have seen the Lord
He is Alive.
I believe.
Some of you are in the dark about Jesus.
You are walking through each day oblivious to Jesus.
He’s not on the radar screen for you.
Had you been living when this event happened - you would have been sleeping in.
Others of you have heard about Jesus. Perhaps you spent some time in a church, you used to read the Bible but you’ve distanced yourself from Him. He disappointed you. Or you feel like you disappointed Him and so distance has developed.
Others of you are disinterested.
"If it works for you Pastor - great."
But me - I’ve got my life on cruise control.
I don’t need Him.
Perhaps a 4th category is the discouraged or the desperate.
This is where Mary fits in.
She was a believer in what Jesus said.
She had her life changed by Him after all.
And yet when she needed him most, when she wanted to be there for Him, He was no where to be found.
Others are devoted.
There are other categories, other steps on the journey of faith besides these 5, but no matter which one you are at, our Jesus wants you to end up where Mary did - knowing Him for sure. And he is willing to help us get there.
Did you notice that though Mary was looking for Him and wanting her questions answered as to Jesus’ whereabouts, that she was actually looking in the wrong direction. She was looking into the empty tomb to find Jesus. She was looking for him, starring into where he had been. But Jesus in verse 14 had to help her change her focus.
Jesus caused Mary to "turn around." Verse 14 says, Mary had to do a 180.
This God of hers wasn’t where she thought.
Wasn’t where she expected.
And Jesus caused her to learn this. She was looking for a dead and missing Jesus. Jesus wanted her to see him alive and right behind her.
I wonder how long he had been waiting there?
I wonder how long he waited for her to turn around? How long has He been waiting for you?
After Mary turns around, did you notice that Jesus recognized her, before she recognized Him and He knew her name before she knew His.
This is our God. He helped Mary into seeing Him by changing her focus, her direction, by causing her to do a 180. A U-turn. And when He did, she found who and what she was looking for. "I have seen the Lord! I have seen the Lord!"
When she turned, changed her focus, she went from disbelief to pure devotion. And the same is true for you and me.
Growing up I played a game with my friends called Sardines. Unlike hide and seek, the person who would hide would try to be found. The hiding person would choose a spot large enough for everyone to hide with him.
After everyone counted to 30 Mississippi, you would go out searching for the hiding person in the dark. And if you found him or he saw you he would go, "psst" and have you hide with him until all your friends were in with him as well.
Though you were looking more often than not you would be found by the one hiding, calling out to you - psst - turn around. Hay Tim. I’m over here. Get in here!
In all Mary’s searching, she didn’t find Jesus but he found her. Psst, Mary - I’m behind you. Turn around. I’m here.
This is our God.
If you want to be found.
If you want to come out of the dark:
Come in from the distance.
And be relieved of discouraged.
And become a devoted follower.
Do a 180 - turn your life around and begin to practice, to live with this God of ours who is behind you all the way.
On your program is a ticket. Let’s imagine it’s the ticket for the Titanic’ maiden voyage. Let’s imagine you were having a time of your life, enjoying the grand boat. Admiring its’ features. Enjoying the food and company.
You were enjoying the ride with not a thought:
Without any concern as to who was driving.
Without any worries as to arriving at the proper destination.
But then the unthinkable happens.
Where would you end up? Among the few in the lifeboats or among the many left to die. Is our Jesus your life preserver? Your life savior?
Jesus says wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13, 14)
Our Jesus will find us.
We will be found by Him as we turn our lives around and look for Him, our risen Lord.
He knows your name and He is waiting for you to look for Him.
