"Your Condition Is Not Your Conclusion - Part Three”

Introduction:

Life can sometimes take us down some highways and byways that seems as though there is no hope or no tomorrow. We can even be in church looking for a break through and while we’re in church we feel good. We even believe that we can over-come the situation. And it even seems a though that pressing situation has never happened.

But when the benediction is over, the music has stopped playing, the shouting has stopped, and it’s time to go home, the thoughts of where we’ve been and what we’re dealing with begins to re-enter our minds and we’re right back to the same thinking. We began to say, “My Lord, how am I going to make it? Am I on anybody’s street? It seems as though our condition has become our conclusion. Can I talk about it?

Let’s just tell the truth and keep this thing real. A lot of times we’re in that boat because we truly don’t recognize just whom or what we are dealing with. Well I’ve been there. Are you with me?

Point Number One: Looking For The Wrong Answers In The Right Place

Now Mary Magdalene had a special relationship with Jesus. She remembers how Jesus set her life free and changed her life forever. She did not forget what it was like to be in bondage. She did not forget how life was before she met the “Master.”

Like many of us, when we’re in a jam/tight situation and we pray to God to come to our rescue, He rescues us. Shortly after the rescue, shortly after He has brought us out we forget. Sometimes we come down with the SADS’ Syndrome “the Spiritual Alzheimer’s Disease Syndrome.” This disease can be contagious. It causes us to soon forget where the Lord has brought us from.

Every now and then, we need to go back down memory lane. That’s why we sing the song in church, “I’ll Never Forget What He’s Done For Me. I’ll Never Forget How He Set Me Free.” “I’ll Never Forget How He Brought Me Out” “I’ll Never Forget Forever.” That’s why praisers and worshippers are different. Just because you’re praiser doesn’t make you a worshipper. A praiser has to be pumped up to praise, but a true worshipper just has to think about the goodness of Jesus and all that He has done. Their souls can’t help but to cry out!

Now when Mary went to the tomb, she was not expecting to see what she saw. She was expecting to still see the stone covering the entrance to the tomb, as it was where Jesus was laid to rest on that Friday, which was three days ago.

Little did she understand who/whom she was dealing with. Mary’s condition appeared to her to be her conclusion. Mary was looking for the wrong answers, but she was in the right place.

Some of us are guilty of the exact same thing. I just got to keep this thing real.

I often went to churches with my buddies not only to hear the Word, but to check out the ladies. We were in search of a nice spiritual woman.

Come on ladies, you are no exception. You were there looking too. Let’s just be real about it. Everybody’s not in church for the same reason.

Some are in church to be the disruptors of the church; better known as hell raisers.

Some are in the churches to sabotage the leadership of the church with their own little private coo. You know the private coo in countries try to over-throw the government. That’s why I say everybody that’s standing in your corner is not standing with you. You better hear me.

I’m not saying that Mary did not believe that Jesus was who He said he was, but what I’m saying is that she really did not understand what was really happening. She was confused about what was and what had happened. Mary was revealing an unquestionable love.

Mary revealed an unquestioning love because she still considered Jesus as her personal Lord even in death. In John 20:13 she said: “They have taken away my Lord.” Mary is a supreme example of one who loves and believes, although she did not fully understand.

She was one of the last to leave Jesus at the cross (cp. Mark 15:40, 47); one of the first to attend the tomb; and one who still called Him “Lord.” Her belief was a belief of love—not a belief based upon intellect or understanding.

She knew what Jesus had done for her, and she loved Him for it. Jesus was her Lord, dead or alive (cp. John 20:13f).

Her lack of understanding was her condition, but it was not her conclusion.

Point Number Two: Woman Dry Your Tears, It’s Time To Celebrate!