The Risen Lord Speaks

(John 20:1-14 KJV) The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. {2} Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. {3} Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. {4} So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. {5} And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. {6} Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, {7} And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. {8} Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. {9} For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. {10} Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. {11} But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, {12} And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. {13} And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. {14} And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?

Who are you looking for?

When Adam and Eve had sinned in the Garden of Eden, things changed in their relationship with God…

(Gen 3:7-9 KJV) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. {8} And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. {9} And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

It’s not that God didn’t know where Adam was, it’s that God wanted Adam to think about where he was.

Where are you today? What are you looking for in life?

Mary had gone through a hugely traumatic experience, watching her Lord suffer and die and now not being able to find the body.

Sometimes the trauma of life is what we need to get ourselves to ask, “What am I really looking for?”

:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary

She’s been talking with Jesus, carrying on a conversation with Him, but didn’t recognize Him.

It’s when she hears Him say her name that she recognizes Him.

Jesus told us that He was the “good shepherd”

(John 10:3 KJV) …and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

He calls us by name. He knows our name.

When Samuel was a little boy, the first thing he heard God speak to him was his name, “Samuel, Samuel”.

Illustration

I’ve been reading the last book in the “Left Behind” series. The book is called “The Glorious Appearing”. It’s all about the Second Coming of Jesus. When Jesus appears, He does it in such a supernatural way that every believer on the earth is able to see Him. And as He returns, He begins to speak. He speaks the Scriptures. And at one point as He’s speaking, each believer hears Him speaking to him/her using their own name. And each believer is blown away in thinking that He knows and calls each one by name.

Yet that’s what the Scripture says that the Good Shepherd does.

He knows you. He knows your name.

Lesson

It’s personal

God wants a personal relationship with you.

It may be that like Mary, you’ve actually been listening to things that Jesus has been saying. But He wants to take it a step further. He wants you to recognize Him. He wants you to know that He knows you. He wants you to know Him.

He wants you to hear Him call you by name. He’s calling. Do you hear?

:17 Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father

touch – haptomai – to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to. It might sound as if Jesus is just bothered by the woman, but He’s not.

There was still another prophecy that needed to still be fulfilled:

(Psa 110:1 KJV) A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

This was a prophecy well known to the Jews concerning the Messiah. The prophecy was that the Messiah would be one who was sitting at the right hand of God. That required that Jesus ascend into heaven.

Jesus has unfinished business. He still has to ascend into heaven and give the final proof to the Jews that He is the Messiah.

Lesson

Let go

Sometimes we need to learn to let go of things so we don’t end up getting in the way of what God is wanting to do.

Illustration

Eleven people were clinging precariously to a wildly swinging rope suspended from a crumbling outcropping on Mount Everest. Ten were guys, one was a gal. As a group they decided that one of the party should let go. If that didn’t happen the rope would break and everyone would perish. For an agonizing few moments no one volunteered. Finally the gal gave a truly touching speech saying she would sacrifice herself to save the lives of the others. The guys applauded.

Sometimes the things we need to let go are very good things.

Mary was clinging to Jesus. What could be better than that?

Yet there were things that needed to be accomplished, and if Mary continued to cling to Jesus, God’s plans would be hindered.

Sometimes the things we need to let go of are things that aren’t so good.

(Heb 12:1 KJV) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Sometimes there are things in our lives that are simply slowing us down. Sometimes it’s the areas of sin in our lives.

God’s work isn’t getting done because we’re running too slow.

:21 as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Lesson

Get going

He hasn’t saved you just so you can be more comfortable.

He’s saved you for a purpose. He has work for you to do.

The work starts with the word “GO”.

He has provided what we need for the work by giving us the power of the Holy Spirit. (vs. 22)

:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

The work involves the “ministry of reconciliation” (vs. 23)

:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

You don’t have the power to forgive sins, but you have the authority to tell people what God has done in forgiving them.

(2 Cor 5:17-21 NLT) What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! {18} All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to him. {19} For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. This is the wonderful message he has given us to tell others. {20} We are Christ's ambassadors, and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ himself were here pleading with you, "Be reconciled to God!" {21} For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Go. There’s a world that needs to hear about Jesus.