John 20:1-18

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. ¹³They 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Just as a ‘heads-up,’ I’m going to set the scene and fill out some details about Mary Magdalene as well as the events of morning of Jesus’ resurrection. I’m not making stuff up; I’ll be pulling from Scripture. If you want the references for things that I mention that aren’t in this text, ask me after the service, and I can print out the sermon with all the references.

Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb before light dawns the morning of the Resurrection, but she isn’t seeing, hearing, or thinking clearly. She is still filled with grief and sorrow from watching Jesus’ crucifixion. Mary Magdalene stood and witnessed the sad events of Good Friday at the foot of the cross (Jn. 19:25; Mk. 15:40). And the last time she had seen her Lord, He was wrapped in burial cloths before the sun set on Friday (Mt. 27:61; Mk. 15:47; Lk. 23:55-56).

But now, it’s Sunday, the first day of the week. Mary Magdalene was one of several women who went to the tomb (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1; Lk. 24:10). As the women approached, they began to ask each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” But when they got there, they saw that the stone had already been rolled away by an angel who was sitting on it (Mk. 16:1-4; Mt. 28:2). It seems as though Mary Magdalene immediately ran back to the disciples as soon as she saw the open tomb.

For Mary Magdalene, the empty tomb was, initially, another reason to grieve because she thinks that someone has stolen Jesus (Jn. 20:13, 15). She runs back to tell Peter and John about it. She returns to the tomb with them while they investigate her claim (Jn. 20:3-9). They see the empty tomb and the neatly-folded burial cloths (Jn. 20:5-7). But these two disciples can’t comfort Mary because they didn’t believe that Jesus had risen; at least not at this point. In fact, the disciples won’t believe the resurrection until later that evening (Jn. 20:8b-9; Lk. 24:36-49).

Peter and John leave the tomb, but Mary stays there. And sorrow again fills her. She sees two more angles dressed in white robes sitting inside the tomb where Jesus had been laid, and she even has a conversation with them. They ask her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” And you can hear the pain in Mary Magdalene’s voice as she answers, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” This conversation with the angels doesn’t help Mary believe in the Resurrection.

And I wonder what the angels thought about this conversation with Mary. They might have been a bit confused by her reply because, as Mary said this, Jesus is standing behind her.

Mary turns around and sees Jesus standing. But seeing the resurrected Jesus doesn’t give her faith. She thinks He is the gardener. And Jesus, patient Jesus, asks her the same question the angels had asked, “Woman, why are you weeping?” But Jesus adds another question, “Whom are you seeking?”  It’s almost like Jesus is saying, “Hey, it’s Me, I’m right here.” But Mary still doesn’t believe Jesus is raised. She says, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Even this conversation with the resurrected Jesus doesn’t give her faith.

But then, everything changes when Jesus speaks her name, “Mary.” I wonder what intonation Jesus used. Did He say it with a mild rebuke, “Mary”? Did He say it with a snicker, “Mary”? Maybe, He said it with utter compassion, “Mary.”

No matter how Jesus said her name, she believes. That one word – and not just any word, but her very own name spoken by the lips and voice of her resurrected Savior – pulls her out of her grief and sorrow. This is so magnificent.

The same voice that called seven demons out her (Lk. 8:2; Mk. 16:9) now expels the demon of unbelief. The last time she had heard the voice of Jesus was when He cried out on the cross “It is finished,” (Jn. 19:30) and, “Father into Your hands I commit My spirit” (Lk. 23:46). Now, that same voice, filled with life and peace, speaks her name, “Mary.” Jesus – who had drunk the cup of God’s wrath, had all the sins of the world laid on Him, and had passed through death and the grave – He calls her by name. And Mary believes and latches herself on to Jesus as though she will never let go. But her grip on Jesus isn’t as important as His grip on her.

Jesus sends her with a message to give to the disciples, “Go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” Jesus can call the disciples, “My brothers,” and say this because something new has arrived. All who believe in Christ, all His disciples, all Christians, are welcomed into a new world where they are Jesus’ siblings, where God is ‘your God’ and Jesus’ Father is now ‘your Father.’

So, that very moment in the garden next to the empty tomb, Mary experienced the fulfillment of Isaiah 43:1-3. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

I’m going to give you some Easter homework: Before you send your kids out hunting for Easter eggs, as a family, read Isaiah 43:1-3 and v. 11-18 of this text, then read Isaiah 43:1-3 again to see the parallels.

Dear saints, what Jesus did for Mary Magdalene the morning of the Resurrection, He does for you. He calls you by name. In John 10, Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11). In that passage, Jesus also says that He is the shepherd who, “calls His own sheep by name and leads them out” (Jn. 10:3). Jesus, your Shepherd, is the name-calling Savior. He calls you by name in your Baptism and places His name – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – upon you (Mt. 28:19). 

Jesus is your God, your Savior. You, Christian – this could be said to each and every one of you by name – you will always have the risen Jesus. He will never leave you or forsake you. He died for you and has forgiven all your sin. Christ leads you through every trial and tribulation you face in this life. And He leads you to the resurrection. Nothing in this world will overwhelm or consume you. You belong to Him. Jesus is your Savior, Redeemer, and Brother, and God is your God.

You are His. You belong to Him. He has bought and purchased you with His holy and precious blood by dying on the cross and rising again for you.

And now, He invites you to come to His table where you will again see Him in Bread, which is His resurrected Body, and in Wine, which is His life-giving Blood. Come, taste, and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8).

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.