Easter Sunday, April 8, 2007

John 20:1-18 (The Message)
Resurrection!
 1-2 Early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone was moved away from the entrance. She ran at once to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, breathlessly panting, "They took the Master from the tomb. We don't know where they've put him."
 3-10Peter and the other disciple left immediately for the tomb. They ran, neck and neck. The other disciple got to the tomb first, outrunning Peter. Stooping to look in, he saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Simon Peter arrived after him, entered the tomb, observed the linen cloths lying there, and the kerchief used to cover his head not lying with the linen cloths but separate, neatly folded by itself. Then the other disciple, the one who had gotten there first, went into the tomb, took one look at the evidence, and believed. No one yet knew from the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead. The disciples then went back home.
 11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
 13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
 15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
   She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
 16Jesus said, "Mary."
   Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
 17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

Have you ever stood in a cemetery? Can you imagine being in one and turning around and being greeted by a stranger? What if that stranger turned out to be the very person you KNEW was dead and buried in that cemetery? What if they said your name?

That is exactly what happened to Mary Magdalene. She KNEW Jesus was dead; she most likely was a witness to his death on the cross. She wanted to visit Jesus’ tomb, but when she got there, she noticed it had been disturbed. She did not hang out to investigate, but ran back to two of the disciples, Peter and “the one Jesus loved” (probably John), and told them Jesus had been taken from his tomb.

When they get there, Peter enters the tomb first, though John has already looked in it. They see that the cloths used to cover Jesus body are lying their empty; the cloth that covered his head, neatly folded. Then they left.
Mary stayed, crying outside the tomb. She spoke with two angels. Then Jesus stood behind her. She did not recognize him, and had a conversation with him, assuming he was the gardener of the cemetery.

When Jesus says her name, Mary realizes it is him. Jesus gives her a message, and sends her back to proclaim it to the disciples.

The message Mary took back to Jesus’ disciples is the same message we are to give people today. “Jesus is not dead. Jesus lives, even now, even after death! And he loves us and wants us to love too.”

“Resurrection” is the word that describes this event. Jesus, who was killed on a cross and buried in a tomb, was dead for three days. On the third day, he was raised back to life. He never died again, but was taken into heaven where he lives and reigns with God the Father.

Why did Jesus die, only to be raised again? He did it because it was by dying that he could carry the weight of all our sins. As a result, we do not have to be punished for our sin. He was. Through his willingness to die in our place, we are made right with God. We can enter into a relationship with God and discover what it means to truly live.

As for us, if we believe in Jesus, we too will experience “resurrection.” Though we will all physically die, we will be raised to a new life and be with God. This is a mystery, how and when it will happen. But, it is a mystery with incredible hope.

So what about you? Do you believe in Jesus? Do you believe he was who he claimed to be? Do you believe he was a healer, a worker of miracles, a great teacher, a leader, the King, and the savior who died for us, but is now alive? Believe and live it, that you may have new life and hope in the mystery of the Resurrection.