Subject: The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ
1Now 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. 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, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
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.
1. Mary Magdalene’s Visit to the Garden Tomb
a) She was the first one to make a trip to the Garden Tomb
b) She was there at the Crucifixion scene
c) What she saw:
i) The stone door of the Garden Tomb was no longer there
ii) She ran to find the men disciples (Peter and John)
iii) She declared her fear that the enemies had taken away the body of the Lord Jesus
2. Peter and John
a) Peter was identified by name
b) John was identified as the disciple whom the Lord loved
c) Both ran to the Garden Tomb
3. John ran faster
a) He came to the Tomb
b) He saw the linen cloths
c) But he did not go in
4. Peter came shortly after
a) He went into the Tomb
b) He saw how the linen cloths had been neatly folded up
5. John then went into the Tomb
a) He saw the same things
b) He believed that the Lord Jesus had been resurrected
c) The Disciples had not fully comprehended the Scriptures
d) They returned to their own homes
MARY MAGDALENE
1. She returned to the Garden Tomb
2. She wept at the thought of the missing body of the Lord Jesus
3. She looked into the Tomb and saw two men dressed in white in the Tomb
4. These were angels and they asked why she was weeping
5. She replied
“She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” John 20:13
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD JESUS TO MARY
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?” John 20:14-15
1. The Lord Jesus asked Mary why she was weeping
2. Mary did not realise that this was the Risen Saviour speaking to her
THE REVELATION OF THE LORD
15She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!”
(which is to say, Teacher) John 20:15-16
1. Mary thought she was speaking to a gardener
2. She asked him to reveal where they had taken the body of the Lord Jesus
3. She would take Him away personally
4. The Lord spoke her name “Mary!”
5. Instantly, she recognised the Lord Jesus
She responded “Rabboni”
SIGNIIFICANT WORDS SPOKEN TO MARY
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. John 20:17-18
1. Mary clung to the Lord Jesus, the Risen Saviour
2. His significant words to Mary
a) He will be ascending to God His Father
b) She is to bear a message to them for Him
3. The Message
a) ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father,
b) And to My God and your God.’ John 20:17
4. Mary’s word to the Disciples
a) She had seen the Risen Saviour
b) She delivered His message to them
CONCLUSION
1. Knowledge of the Scriptures
Absolutely vital
2. Belief in the Resurrection
Just as Vital
3. Relationship
a) Relating to God who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead
b) Relating to God as Father
c) This was how the Lord Jesus had always related to the Father!