Sermon notes from Sunday morning 16 April 2017
John 20 verses 1 - 18
A Lonely Stand
As we turn again to this wonderful, marvellous resurrection account of the Lord Jesus, as we come to look into the tomb what does it teach us? What are the lessons from it? It is a story we never tire of speaking about. We will never exhaust the great depths of this event that resurrection morning. I see Mary Magdalene coming to the sepulchre before day light beings to dawn. The experience she has here. What a tremendous grace we see here. This woman delivered from 7 devils is first at the grave, first to look in, first to hear the Lord speaking to her, to feel his touch. What can we experience this morning? You can see her standing at the sepulchre with tears running down her cheeks. Her heart was broken within her. She feels no-one else understands her position. A lonely stand. She comes face to face with the resurrected Saviour. If only we would open our eyes to him today and trust him thoroughly.
The reason Jesus consoled Mary. She is standing there. The stone has been rolled back. She is looking into the tomb. Her heart is broken. She is standing alone. The resurrected Saviour comes to her. She makes this great discovery and goes off to find Peter and John. That is her first reaction. Peter and John ran to the grave and make the great discovery that the tomb was empty but what did they do? They went back to their own homes - verse 10. What did they think of Mary standing there? Perhaps they left her standing there. Verse 13 the angels come to Mary and spoke to her "why weepest thou?" She replies "they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him." She is still standing on her own. Mary remains while the disciples went home. Waiting to the very end. She is the one who will receive the blessing of God on this occasion. The angels spoke to her and she turns away. Then the Lord speaks to her, he has a word for her. He simply says "woman". A word in season for her. Think of all he has suffered yet he speaks to her this day. The Lord wants to speak to you directly today. Perhaps you are going through a difficult time and need consoling. Do you think of others? Is there someone you know going through a great affliction and you haven`t given them a second thought? Maybe this is a familiar scene to us. In that lonely spot, let down by others, standing alone. The risen Saviour wants to console you if only you will let him. The resurrected Saviour came right to where Mary was and gave her the word she needed just at that time. The apostle Paul felt so alone at Corinth preaching when he had no results. He was about to walk away, to shake his garments. You can be alone in the service of God today. Maybe you are praying for your family, are bending over backwards to see them saved but nothing is happening. Maybe you are doing something in God`s service and nothing is happening. You feel like walking away. Paul was like that but then the Lord spoke to him. "Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace. For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city." (Acts 18 verses 9 and 10) It was the resurrected Saviour. On another occasion his friends left him and he was called before the emperor Caesar. Paul said the Lord stood by him. He was taken on board a ship and the captain decided to sail even though a violent storm was coming and Paul warned him not to. Paul told the people on the boat "For there stood by me this night the angel of God whose I am and whom I serve. Saying, Fear not, Paul thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath given thee all them that said with thee." (Acts 27 verses 23 and 24)
The concern the Lord had for this woman. In her lonely stand God had concern for her. The Lord is concerned about you today. He asks her the question "why weepest thou?" Mary is standing broken and the Lord says to her "why weepest thou?" She couldn`t find her Saviour and she was weeping so strongly. It is the same word used when Jesus met Mary and Martha as they wept over their brother Lazarus. It is not the same word as "Jesus wept". He had an inward weeping. Here in these verses he was concerned about Mary. The Lord is concerned about how you feel. He died on Calvary to save your sins. He raised Jesus for your justification that you might be raised to a right relationship with him today. He is concerned for your soul. He cares for the situation you find yourself in. He was concerned about the 2 on the Emmaeus road. In John 14 when Jesus realised he must leave this scene of time, knew he was leaving a team behind him and said to them "Let not your heart be troubled". He was concerned about them. He is concerned whatever the situation is down in your soul today. Are you saved today? The disciples were concerned about their future. They stepped out in faith to follow Jesus. What would they do? Do not be concerned Jesus told them because the heavenly father knows everything you need. The resurrected Saviour is the one who consoles us and is concerned for us. As Christ hung on the cross dying, ready to give up the ghost, he looked at the people around the cross. He looked to Mary and said "woman behold thy son" then turned to John "son behold thy mother." He was making sure the woman who bore him was taken care of when he left this scene of time. Not only cared for now in this scene of time but has taken care of in eternity.
The challenge in her lonely stand - verse 15. The Lord said to her first "why weepest thou" and he was looking at her eyes and then her heart. Now he asks her "whom seekest thou?" There was one thought in her mind. She came alone to the tomb with the spices for his body. There was only one thing in her mind. Then she finds the stone rolled away and there is no sign of her Saviour. Jesus asks her "whom seekest thou?" What a challenge to us today. This is the same woman out of whom the Lord had cast 7 devils and delivered her. Is it any wonder she was weeping? We are not told how these devils affected her but we remember the young man of the tombs who was given over to fits of rage and anger. He had superhuman strength because he was able to snap the fetters and chains off him. No man could go near him. What about the father who brought his son to Jesus. The father told him that the devil some times casts him into the fire and water. He couldn`t leave him because of that. Mary had 7 devils within her and the Lord delivered them from her. Is it any wonder she is here on this particular morning. When she cannot find him she is weeping. She realises what she has been delivered from, who delivered her and now he is gone. She wanted to be shown where he was and she would go and take care of him. Sadly the Laodicean church in Revelation 3 didn`t even miss the presence of the Lord. He was on the outside knocking. They didn`t even hear him. They didn`t know he was gone - why - because they were so wrapped up in themselves. They were so rich in themselves, didn`t need the Lord and didn`t know he was away. Are we here because it is a Sunday morning ritual? Because we want others to see us in church today? Think of Zacchaeus, he ran down the street and climbed a tree - why - to see Jesus. He wanted to find out more about him. Is that how it is for us today? Are we here to meet the risen Saviour? It happened just as she was about to turn away, when she was going to leave and go home. The close of any meeting is one of the most important times in the whole of the service. Maybe for you in the last few seconds of this meeting God has a word for you like Mary. She didn`t rush away, she tarried and received the blessing.
She received a commission from the Lord - verse 17 "go to my brethren." She was to go and tell the disciples especially Peter. Why should she go to them? They were not concerned about her. Peter and John walked past her and never gave her a second thought. They didn`t see the tears, the brokenness, were not worried about Mary. Why should she go to them? She was commissioned. Maybe you don`t feel this morning that there is a task you can do for the Lord but when you come to the Lord and are consoled by him, when you are challenged by him there is something else you must do. You may not feel like it today but maybe the Lord has put a commission on your heart for a task that he alone wants you to do. The resurrected Saviour is not here. We can leave with a joy in knowing he is alive today and alive for evermore.
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