John 20:1-18

Let us continue to examine our relationship with Christ Jesus in this Easter season

John 20:1-18
20 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!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
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.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, 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.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Dear brothers and sisters-in-Christ, today is Easter Sunday. Every Easter, we wake up with excitement, gratitude and celebration – rejoicing in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. Because of His resurrection, the power of sin and death is defeated. Because of His resurrection, we have eternal life in Christ Jesus. All glory to our Lord Jesus Christ! Amen!

John 20:1-18 recorded the very first Easter. But the mood was not in the same way that we have. In this passage, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and found it empty. She thought that someone has taken the body of Jesus away, leaving them without anything to remember Him. There were two disciples, in disbelief, ran to the tomb to see it for themselves. They saw the empty tomb and believed what Mary Magdalene has said. After which, they went back home. We do not know why they left, but Mary was there weeping. She was very very upset, crying, sobbing, probably blaming herself for not guarding the tomb. She loved Jesus so much that she refused to leave the tomb even when his body disappeared.

At this juncture, Jesus revealed Himself to Mary. Jesus Christ reveal Himself to those who truly and deeply love Him. And His two disciples, Peter and John who ran to the tomb, was not the first in the queue. Mary Magdalene, the one who refused to leave, was the first one. Brothers and Sisters-In-Christ, in this season of Easter, let us examine ourselves. Do we love Jesus Christ so much that we refuse to leave the tomb in the midst of sadness and disappointments? In this passage, it shows that Jesus Christ will reveal Himself to those who truly loved Him most, who truly yearn to see Him, to find Him. And Mary Magdalene becomes the first person to see the resurrected Jesus Christ. Her reaction is a recognition of her close relationship with Jesus, so close that she yearns so much to see Jesus Christ even though it is just His body. Thus, His resurrection is a bigger shock than finding Jesus’ body missing. But it is one with great joy and hope because our Lord Jesus Christ is alive. Mary Magdalene becomes the first person to see the resurrected Jesus Christ. She went back to announce her encounter with Jesus’ disciples saying, “I have seen the Lord!” “I have seen the Lord!”, testifying the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Dear brothers and sisters-in-Christ, because of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, the power of sin and death is defeated. Because of His resurrection, we have eternal life in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us continue to examine our relationship with Christ Jesus in this Easter season, to answer questions honestly and recommit our lives to Jesus Christ our Lord. Blessed Easter to you. Amen!