Sermon Nuggets Tues Dec 23
Theme- Resurrection
Verses- John 20:1-2 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. 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!"
Two Marys
This week we celebrate Christmas. We hear much about the choosing of Mary to be the woman to deliver birth to Jesus Christ. We see appropriately God chose a young virgin who was upstanding and virtuous. Unlike the teaching of the Roman Catholic church, Mary was not sinless. She prayed also in need of a savior. Someone without sin does not need a savior.
But at the beginning of Jesus life on earth and at the end of Jesus life on earth Mary was there for her son. But beside her was another Mary who could be contrasted with Jesus’ mother. One might represent the celebration God coming into the world. The other how God saves the world from sin.
Mary Magdalene was from the area of Magdala. John records Mary’s story when she came to the tomb that Easter morning. Mary Magdalene was plagued with 7 demons. Although the Bible does not say so, some think this Mary was the same woman who was caught in adultery and later washed Jesus feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
There certainly was a dramatic change in her character once she was free of her demons. Along with some other women Mary was part of a group who ministered to Jesus with offerings, meals and whatever help they could give in their travels. They were faithful in their following of the Christ. It made no difference what type of woman she was any longer now that she had been forgiven. She was free from demonic oppression and she was free from scorn of sin. She was one also heard Christ’s teaching. She believed Him to be the Messiah.
When word came that Christ was arrested during all the events we discussed she, along with Mary, his Mother and the other Mary, were all there witnessing his false trial, beatings, walk to Golgotha and crucifixion. She would not leave regardless how horrible it was. She wept with the others as she witnessed his anguish and heard Jesus cries, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” She heard the cry, “Father into thy hands I commit my spirit", and drop his dead with “It is finished.”
Mary was there when Jesus was taken down from the cross and among the last one who was with Joseph and Armathea and Nicodemus when Jesus was placed in the tomb. She was among the last to leave and the first to be there early Sunday morning
Her passion and devotion were recognized by all the gospel writers. Was it any wonder that she was the first to whom Jesus revealed Himself that resurrection morning? He didn’t look at her past, or sin, or the things in her life for which she should be ashamed. All of the past remains in the past and what we witness is her new heart. That is the wonderful thing about being born again. That is the wonderful things about resurrections. We no longer need to worry about the past wrongs in our lives, they are made right when we confess and are forgiven. Mary was clean because of the touch of Jesus Christ on her life. Now there is revealed even a better relationship.
The resurrection allows all our past to be wiped clean for the asking if you trust in Jesus to be your Savior. Friends, when we see our past and all that is unholy and prideful, sinful and selfish, when we are lazy, and have improper lusts. When we lie and give over to anger or cheat and think evil, when we gossip and back bite or hate and harbor grudges, we can put all that in the past because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Satan no longer has any power over us. The resurrection points to His power to forgive.
No one seemed to love him as much as Mary did. She owed so much to Christ. There is nothing better to see a young person grow up in the church accept Christ and live for him all their lives. But it also seems that the one saved from sinful background has a deeper appreciation and commitment to Christ knowing the length from which they came. One of the fun things to see in prison ministry is the zeal and passion of some of the believers. It is a hard place to live for Christ, but to be free from the past is also wonderful freeing experience. There is wonderful news. We don’t have to be carrying the past any more, but rather a renewed passion.
Pastor Dale
