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John 20.1-18 (ESV)
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she 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 in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
This is literally the moment in time, that pivotal point where history and life itself are turned in a completely different direction because of the Resurrection of Jesus. The Resurrection is the crucial point in Christian faith. It’s the moment, the event, that instant, that makes everything about faith in Christ real and true.
Without the Resurrection, faith in Christ is worthless. In fact, the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 said that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile.
This is the big deal in John’s Gospel (and in every Gospel for that matter), and there are some moments in this passage that beg for our attention.
First, there is the believing look. In verse eight, when the disciple that Jesus loved, which is John, when he goes into the tomb, we’re told that saw and believed. In that simple statement, we have the birth of Christian faith! Now, John doesn’t fully grasp everything yet, but he believes.
Second, and don’t miss this, the shift in history. It almost gets lost as the passage unfolds as Peter and John, for whatever reason, go home and leave Mary standing, weeping at the tomb. She looks in and sees two angels who ask why she is crying. Mary then turns around and sees Jesus, but in her grief, she doesn’t recognize Jesus and thinks Him to be the gardener. Mary asks, “If you have taken the body, please tell me and I will go and get it.” Mary is still focused on the problem of the empty tomb—where is the body of Jesus?
It’s at this point that Jesus utters one word, “Mary.” And in the second it takes for Mary to turn and face Jesus, all of history shifts.
“A second before this turn there is a woman in the deepest human despair in the agonizing presence of inconquerable death; a second after the beginning of this turn there is a woman in the deepest possible human elation—in the presence of the death-conquering Central Figure of history. Mary is the first person—ever—to experience the personal presence of the Risen Lord.” Dale Bruner.
Finally, there is the first missional Christian. By definition, Mary is the first Christian, she is the first person who believes that Jesus died and was raised from the dead (John is a close second, but it’s Mary who has the first encounter with the Risen Jesus). And Mary is the first missional Christian because she was sent out to share with others the good news (verse 17, go to my brothers and say to them). Can you imagine the joy flooding through her as she tells the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”
We don’t have space here to unpack why the Resurrection is real and rational (I’m trusting that you’ve already entrusted your life to Jesus and believe).
What I want us to understand here is our calling as Jesus’ disciples. You and I have the same mission as Mary, to go and tell.
“The Christian faith is not just ‘Jesus and me.’ It is also Jesus and mission, Jesus and other people. And Mary’s first post-Resurrection responsibility (and privilege) is to ‘Go, tell my brothers’ what just happened…”
Will we be perfect in all that we do? No. Will we get everything right? No. We’re human, we will make our fair share of mistakes along the way. But that doesn’t negate our calling in Christ.
The gracious, amazing, and wonderful thing is this; the Lord will work through our weaknesses and the Spirit will empower us to be His missional witnesses in our desperate, frantic world.
Are you ready to go?
God bless you and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott
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