I have seen the Lord (John 20:1-18)
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who 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 returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other 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 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” 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 Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because 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 she told them that he had said these things to her.
–John 20:1-18 (NRSV)
Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022
Sermon Notes
This was the second Easter Sunday back in the sanctuary after being forced to worship online during the pandemic. It was wonderful to see several people we have not seen in a long while. In the sermon I talked about the differences between Peter and the other disciple’s reaction to Jesus’ resurrection and Mary’s. Although all three saw the same empty tomb and had looked in to see Christ’s grave clothes, the men went away believing something happened, but not understanding what precisely it was. Mary, on the other hand had an encounter with the risen Jesus and became the first person to proclaim the good news of his victory over sin and death.
The lack of encounter is also why the other disciples initially thought her report was an idle tale. It was not until later in John’s gospel that they too were able to bring themselves to comprehend what had happened. This lack of personal encounter with Jesus is what often prevents people from placing their faith in Christ. As the body of Christ at work in the world, sometimes we are the ones who are able to encounter life-changing love and grace firsthand.
Carolyn Carrier described the way Debbie Ellinghouse had done exactly that for her this week when she came to spend the day with her in the hospital. They shared time, laughter, and fellowship in the middle of a challenging health care environment. Through Debbie’s action, Christ was present. Even if just for a few minutes, life was made new, and hope was restored.
What was true for Mary on that first Easter morning was true for both of them in that hospital room. In that moment they both testified that they had seen the Lord. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed!
