Gtcotr/ss041209
This is the first day of the week, a Sunday, and not just any Sunday, but this is Easter Sunday. This is the Sunday we have set aside to celebrate the most important element of our Christian faith, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah.
As I understand the scriptures, in about the year AD30, in the spring of that year, right at the time of Passover, on the 15th day of the first Jewish month called Nissan, along about noon there was an earthquake in Judea, somewhere near the city of Jerusalem. We cannot know for sure but many speculate that the earthquake caused a release of dust and debris into the atmosphere which covered all the land of Israel resulting in total darkness throughout the region.
This darkness lasted for three hours. These three hours were the same three hours in which Jesus of Nazareth hung on a cross, suspended between heaven and earth, Son of God and Son of Man, crucified as a perfect sacrifice to pay for the sins of all mankind.
Everyone in the land heard the news and many we have studied about these past few weeks leading up to this Easter service were there in Jerusalem that day … it was a requirement that Jews attend this feast of Passover in Jerusalem.
The disciples of Jesus were there; Mary the mother of Jesus was there; Mary Magdalene was there; Mary, Martha and Lazarus were there; Simeon, the man who carried Jesus’ cross, and his two sons, Alexander and Rufus, were there; most likely the young rich ruler who had refused to follow was there; and Zacchaeus, along with Bartimaeus and at least one of the ten former lepers as well as many others from Jericho; probably even the little children who just a few days earlier were sitting and listening to Jesus, were there with their families and so, so, so many others whom Jesus had touched, healed, called and cared for along the way.
Every one of them felt the tremors, saw the sun hide its face and no doubt thought to themselves what the Roman soldier attending the cross said out loud: “Truly this was the Son of God!”
With Jesus now dead, the temple veil torn, the Sabbath approaching, and the disciples scattered, what was there to do and who was left to do it? We do not know if the two thieves crucified with Jesus were Jewish or not, but as for Jesus, He was a Jew and Jewish law demanded He be buried the same day in which He died … especially today, because sundown marked the beginning of the Sabbath.
A very wealthy man named Joseph, who was a secret disciple of Jesus, was a prominent business man in Jerusalem. This man of means went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. Pilate granted Joseph his request and Joseph, along with Nicodemus, who was also a secret follower of Jesus, took the body of Jesus, prepared it according to the customs and traditions of the Law, and buried Him in a tomb which had just been carved into a rock in an orchard garden near Mount Calvary, which belonged to Joseph.
This garden tomb came with a great stone closure which rolled in front of the door. Thus Jesus’ body was buried and secure on Friday before sundown, while it was still Friday according to the Jews … thus was Jesus’ first day in the grave. Sundown Friday evening began the second day.
On Saturday morning the Jewish leaders went to Pilate and asked him that a watch be set to guard the tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid, at least until the third day. They remembered that Jesus had said while He was alive that He, after three days, would rise again. Pilate granted the guards who went and made the tomb secure, sealed the stone and set the watch. Sundown on Saturday marked the end of day two and the beginning of the third day.
Early Sunday morning, only three days after the full moon, while the guards were watching, there was another earthquake, perhaps an aftershock of the quake on Friday. God sent His angel from heaven, who rolled the stone from the door of the tomb and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightening and his clothes were white as snow. When the watchmen saw the angel they began to tremble and fell down and became as dead men. Satan was defeated and Jesus was raised victorious over sin, death, hell and the grave.
Let’s read our text for today to see what happened next …
John 20 NKJV
1 ¶ Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
(Production Note: When I begin to read verse 10, dramatic portrayal begins, house lights fade and characters move to center stage. Refer to production notes below written in brown.)
10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
11 ¶ But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him …
(Production Pause … then release of children before continuing message)
John 20
17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’"
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
What were the things Jesus spoke to Mary?
* I want to draw our attention to the new position Jesus ascribes to the Believer after His resurrection.
> My Father and your Father … how appropriate for this risen age to see us united forever with Christ in an undeniable, indissolvable family bond.
> He sent Mary with the Good News that we are family.
* Next notice the phrase, “Do not cling to Me” …
> Cling means to cleave to; stick to; be glued to …
> It can also mean to detain or hold on to
Scofield’s 1917 Reference Bible Notes tell us that there are two major opinions concerning the phrase Jesus spoke to Mary, ‘do not touch Me’, or ‘do not cling to Me’, in this passage.
* First there is the opinion that Jesus was in the process of fulfilling the ministry of the High Priest on this day of atonement and was on His way to present the sacred blood in heaven which He did between this meeting and the later meeting where He encouraged Thomas to touch Him. This opinion is in harmony with the types.
> Some might suggest that the difference in Mary and Thomas was that Mary believed and Thomas did not. Perhaps Believers have some restrictions which non-believers are allowed in order to encourage their faith.
> Or it may be only a matter of Jesus’ duty of the day as a High Priest on His way to heaven’s call.
* Then there is the opinion that Jesus was speaking directly to Mary not to detain Him by some previous earthly affection of worship as though He might continue in a former earthly level of relationship. Rather now she must not cling to His earthly image or hold on to the past but rather rise and go forth for Him in obedience to her new responsibilities …
This view brings to mind the consideration that with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, times changed.
At the end of Luke the 10th chapter, Jesus had something quite different to say to another woman named Mary. Remember Mary from Bethany, the sister of both Martha and Lazarus?
One day when Jesus and His disciples were visiting their home, Mary was just sitting down at Jesus’ feet listening to Him while Martha was busy with all the chores associated with taking care of that number of guests. When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary sitting down and not helping with the work, Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen what was best for her at the time and therefore He would not ask her to get up and go to work.
Why would Mary of Bethany be allowed to sit and soak in Jesus and Mary of Magdala told to get up and get busy? Why? Time change! Things were different now …
There is always earthly work to be done and earthly work should not overshadow our relationship with Jesus. However, there is also much heavenly work to be done and our own desires to sit and soak with Jesus must not keep us from going forth and telling the Good News that we have found Him and that He is alive!
Our relationship with Jesus should mean something to somebody else besides us.
Unless our changed life is changing the lives of others, our life hasn’t changed enough yet.
We are in a new day and the duty of the day calls for us to rise up and go to work … and there is much work to be done.
Everyone has a duty of the day. For the angels it was to roll the stone away; for Jesus it was to carry the sacred blood to God and cleanse the heavenly utensils of worship … What is the duty of the day for you and me … it’s the same thing Jesus told Mary Magdalene:
Go and tell others that you have seen the Lord, He is alive, and He has a word that will change their life!
This morning’s Easter message is the same message Jesus preached on that first Easter morning. No other words are sufficient for such a day as this … no other call so great and no other time so pressing …
Hear Jesus saying to you: Go and tell! Answer the call … say yes to Him this morning … say yes to Jesus! Won’t you stand while we pray.
Production Notes in Brown:
Dramatic Presentation Title: “He’s Alive”
Pastor Ron comes to the platform and begins his message, setting the stage for the Resurrection. He briefly describes the death and burial of Jesus and then asks the congregation to turn to John 20:1.
Characters ready themselves awaiting their cue.
Cue: Reading of Scripture Text
Scene 8
*Mary sitting in the congregation at stage right in front row
*Jesus (center doors near the Children’s Ministry Desk)
*House lights dim and stage lights stay up
The tomb will be positioned at stage left, just in front of the screen. Mary gets up and starts walking across the stage in front of the platform. As she nears the tomb, she lays across the steps, weeping.
As Pastor Ron begins reading verse 10,
*Spot light highlights Mary
*House lights dim
*Jesus walks to stage left, a few feet past and behind Mary, allowing the congregation the best view possible
Mary: Gardner, I have come looking for the body of Jesus. Do you know where they have taken Him? Tell me so I can go to Him. (She will continue to look around. Her head is away from Him when He speaks.)
Jesus: Mary!
Mary: (Mary looks back at Jesus and exclaims) Teacher you are alive! (She will bow down on one knee. He will stretch a hand toward her, but not touch her.)
*Characters exit stage left stairwell door
*Lights fade and house and stage lights return
Pastor Ron releases children to Children’s Church and continues message.
