You are sons & daughters of the Heavenly King - John 20:1-18
As you might imagine all four gospel writers; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all record the events that occurred on Easter morning. The Easter account we are focusing on this year is from John’s gospel 20:1-18. In John’s account of Easter morning the main character beside THE main character is a woman by the name of Mary Magdalene and, as we are about to see, the death of Jesus seems to hit hard for Mary. I am not saying the other women, or the disciples were unaffected by the crucifixion of the one they had hoped would redeem Israel, but in John’s accounting of events it seems the death of Jesus hit Mary Magdalene the hardest.
John tells us “1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Mary is beyond distraught. Mary heard Him breath His last breath. She watched as they removed His lifeless body from the cross. She followed Joseph of Arimathea to tomb where He was laid. She helped His mother wrap her son in burial cloths. Now she was on her way back to the tomb to prepare His dead body for its final resting. No doubt, as she made her way to the tomb, the graphic images of His crucifixion still haunted her. Crucifixion is a horrible way to die under normal circumstance, but Jesus’ crucifixion was especially brutal. The Roman soldiers had beaten Him bloody and whipped the flesh from his back. The prophet Isaiah tells us Jeus was so disfigured by the beatings that he barely looked human, and people could hardly stomach the sight of Him. But, as she made her way to the tomb in the still dark hours of Sunday morning, what probably haunted Mary more than the sight of His disfigured body was the sound of His voice as He cried out in pain in agony, ““Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”[1] It’s likely the sound of His voice still echoed in her ears. But I suspect what haunted Mary even more than the sight of His brutalized body or the sound of His agonized voice was the discovery that the body of Jesus was now gone. It was bad enough that He had gone from the land of the living, but to have His body physically taken from the tomb… it nearly unhinged her.
I think the missing body of Jesus had such a traumatic effect on Mary because it forced her to ask, ‘who am I without Him?’ That question more than anything else would have haunted a woman like Mary. You see, Mary knew who she had been before she met Him. Mary had been possessed by 7 demons. Scripture doesn’t tell us anymore than that. However, we do have descriptions of the mental, emotional, and spiritual pain demons caused the people the people they possessed. Can you imagine the pain and suffering Mary would have experienced at the hands of seven demons? We talk about having our own demons, but usually we mean some corrupted character flaw that that threatens to destroy our careers or relationships. This poor woman had demons trying to destroy her soul.
Thankfully for Mary, Jesus cast all seven demons out of her and from that moment on Mary became a follower of Jesus. Literally she followed Jesus almost wherever He went. In the years that followed, Mary was a big supporter of Jesus’ ministry. Along with some other women, Mary devoted herself to caring for His needs and she gave as much as she could give to financially support His ministry. Mary was so grateful for the new life that Jesus had given her, not just a life free of demons but a life full of the peace and purpose. Jesus taught Mary about a peace that transcends all understanding; a peace that comes from knowing her sins had been forgiven. Jesus invited Mary to share this peace with anyone and everyone she met, which gave Mary’s life a purpose beyond simply taking care of herself.
Mary had come to know how good it was with Jesus in her life. Jesus had freed Mary of her pain and given her life peace and purpose, but now it appeared Jesus was gone, and Mary was left wondering, ‘Who am I without Him?’ What would happen to this new life He had given her? Without Him would she go back to a life without purpose, a life without peace, a life full of pain? The terrifying answer is, yes. The rest of Scripture confirms that Mary’s fears were well founded. Without Jesus there is no peace. Scripture tells us, “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”[2] Without Jesus life has no purpose. Scripture tells us, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”[3] Without Jesus there is only the promise of pain. Scripture tells us, we would be cursed and cast “into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.”[4] Without Jesus there is no real peach or meaningful purpose, there is only the promise of pain. If you have ever tried to live your life apart from Jesus, you know this to be true. Even if you manage to live at peace with other people there is always this nagging inside of you that reminds you without Jesus you are not at peace with God. Even if you fill your day with charitable endeavors and altruistic donations there is always this nagging inside of you that without Jesus it’s not enough. Even if you manage to self-medicate the pain of this life away, deep down without Jesus you fear the pain you deserve in the life to come.
Who am I without Him? The thought of a life without Jesus nearly unhinged Mary. John tells us “10… Mary stood outside the tomb crying”, not a whining whimper or a subtle sob, Mary wept and wailed from the bottom of her heart. The sound of her anguish caught the attention of the two angels who were seated inside the empty tomb. “13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” ‘I’m crying because the man who freed me from pain and gave my life peace and purpose has been taken away!’ I assume the angels were about to tell her what they had already told the other women, but before they had a chance John tells us “14 she [Mary] turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Mary sounds like she is ready to kick down the High Priest’s front door or storm the Roman garrison if need be. “tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” This girl is not messing around. She wants to know where Jesus is, and she wants to know now. I like Mary. So does Jesus.
“16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Jesus once said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”[5] When Mary heard her Shepherd’s voice, she did more than follow Him, she grabbed hold of Him. “and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).” He was back! She didn’t understand yet how or why, but in this moment she didn’t care. The man who had freed her from pain and given her life peace and purpose was back and she was determined to hold on to Him and never let Him go. But then Jesus said something to her that let her know that He was better than back. 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary had called him Lord and Teacher because that is Who He was and that is Who He would always be. But now that He had paid for her sins and transgressions with His suffering and death on the cross; now that He had risen from the dead victorious over death and the devil He was even more; He was her brother. Prior to His death and resurrection Jesus referred to His followers as His “friends”, but now He was their brother. Which meant the Heavenly Father was now their Father. The great King of heaven and earth, the king who created all things, the King who rules over all things, the King who continues to sustain all things; was now and forevermore her Father. Because Jesus rose from the dead, Mary would never have to worry about who she was without Him. Mary was now, and forevermore would be, a daughter of the heavenly King.
As instructed Mary “18 went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.” Jesus wanted to assure the rest of His disciples that they would never have to live life without Jesus; they would never have to worry about who they would be without Him… and neither do you. Through the pages of Scripture Jesus has taught you about a peace that transcends all understanding, a peace that you have with God because you sins have been forgiven. Through the pages of Scripture Jesus has instructed you to go share that peace with all nations. Because Jesus is in your life you are at peace, and you have purpose. But on Easter morning Jesus assures you that not even death will be able to separate you from Jesus. Today, through the pages of Scripture Jesus has appeared to you and declared Himself to be your brother. Because Jesus has risen from the dead you will never have to worry about who you would be without Him. Because Jesus has risen from the dead you are now and forevermore will be sons and daughters of the heavenly King. Amen
[1] Matthew 27:46
[2] 1 Corinthians 15:17
[3] 1 Corinthians 15:14
[4] Matthew 25:41
[5] John 10:27