"The Reason We Live"

The Reason We Live

John 20:1-18

By: Rev. Ken Sauer, Pastor of Grace UMC, Soddy Daisy, TN www.graceumcsd.org

“Woman why are you crying?” the two angels asked Mary Magdalene.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves this same question this morning.

Because deep down inside, or perhaps right at the surface…many of us…so many of us are—crying.

This world is full of tears…

…full of heartache…

Have you ever felt your heart ache?

I used to just think that was an old saying that didn’t mean much, but on a couple of occasions my heart has actually been broken to the point where it ached…

…really ached.

Perhaps your heart is aching this morning.

Perhaps you are going through a terribly tumultuous time.

Perhaps your marriage is on the rocks.

Maybe your job is in jeopardy, or you have no job.

Perhaps your children are rebelling against your love…

…and you are hurting…

…hurting beyond measure.

There is only one cure for the heartache.

There is only one way.

And that ONE WAY is all about submission.

Giving everything you have…

…all your heartache…

…all your worries…

…all your fears…

Giving them to the only One Who can truly be trusted with them.

And that is the Resurrected Christ.

The Lord of Lords!

The Lover of your soul.

God is so good.

God’s love knows no bounds.

Even when we make mistakes—hurting ourselves and perhaps hurting others…

…Jesus is there with us…

…and that is the reason we live.

It is the only way we can make it through.

I remember several years ago when a dear friend of our family, a widow who lived all alone, was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The doctor was concerned.

He was especially concerned because this dear woman had no close relatives.

She had no husband or children to take care of her.

The doctor asked her, “Will you be alright…all alone?”

And there she sat.

And she sat up straight, and looked the doctor in the eyes.

With the utmost confidence, faith and assurance she replied.

“Jesus is with me. I am not alone. Jesus is with me. It will be alright.”

She ended up spending her last days living in my parent’s house.

She was surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ…

…not blood brothers and sisters…

…but spiritual brothers and sisters…

…she was indeed, surrounded by the love and presence of Jesus Christ.

My friends, we all need Jesus.

We all need the community of faith.

For we were not created to be alone.

And God knows this.

So no matter what you are going through, remember, and keep remembering…

…write it down if you have to…

…and put it in your pocket or purse…

…The Risen Christ is always with you!

This is the Reason we live!!!

It is the Only Reason.

It is the Only Way.

And oh, what Christ has done in order to let us know how much He loves us…

…what He has done…

Today is Easter!

It is a beautiful day.

It is a day for rejoicing.

It is a day of celebration.

But as we read moments ago from the Gospel, it did not start out as a day of exhilaration, but as a continued day of sadness, of heartache for the disciples and the women surrounding Jesus’ life and the end of Jesus’ life.

It was also a day of confusion about where His dead body had gone.

The picture starts before dawn with Mary Magdalene going to the tomb and finding the stone which had been well-placed over the entrance—now rolled aside.

Who could have had the strength to do that?

Were there grave robbers about?

Had they been here and stolen this poor beaten, crucified body?

Mary didn’t know, and wasn’t sure of anything.

Remember, it was still dark—literally and figuratively.

She ran away to tell Peter, not about the Resurrection yet, but about the robbery of the tomb.

“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she gasped, “and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Talk about a horrible situation getting worse by the minute!

Where is He?

And why would they do such a thing?

A friend of mine recently found a large REWARD poster in his yard where a house nearby had been robbed, burglarized.

The poster listed everything that had been taken out of the home.

There was a long list of expensive items and down at the bottom was a plea to call this number if you know anything about this.

When your house has been broken into and your precious possessions have been taken you are upset, to say the least!

And it makes living in that house sometimes difficult, if not impossible.

Mary Magdalene was in a state—she’d been robbed of her Lord, the very man who had convinced her of her being freed from her sins.