Theological Status: FAITHFUL (Sound)
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Philadelphia
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel
Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: A powerful invitation to move from the paralysis of guilt to the freedom of the resurrection, urging believers to run to Jesus who calls them by name.
Pastoral Analysis: This sermon offers a compelling, imaginative exploration of John 20, effectively using the contrast between John and Peter to illustrate the difference between joyful faith and burdened faith. The core Gospel message is intact, emphasizing that Jesus cancels sin and establishes family. While the homiletical application is strong, minor adjustments in language and theological precision regarding the Ark of the Covenant analogy will enhance the clarity and impact of the message.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Philadelphia — The sermon faithfully proclaims the resurrection and the personal call of Christ, maintaining a strong focus on Gospel grace and the assurance of forgiveness. It avoids doctrinal error and cultural compromise, reflecting a church that keeps the Word of Christ without denial.
Big Idea: Because Jesus is risen, we must run to him, for he cancels our sin, calls us by name, and makes us family. [00:26:52 ▶️ 📄]
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: John 20:1-18
- Usage Classification: Narrative
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: High
- Pulpit Decorum: ⚠️ CAUTION - Minor use of colloquial language ('eat your feelings later') was noted, which slightly detracts from the solemnity of the resurrection theme.
✝️ Christological Focus: Redemptive-Historical
"Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of the Old Testament types (Ark of the Covenant) and the central figure of the resurrection narrative."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 18 | Referenced: 3 | Alluded: 0
📖 View 1 Passages Read Aloud
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John 20:1-18
[00:17:55 ▶️ 📄]
"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've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they put him. So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, Woman, why are you crying? They've taken my Lord away, she said, and I don't know where they've put him. At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you're looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've put him and I will get him. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. 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. 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."
Key References: John 10, John 1:12, Genesis 1
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 5,440 words
📌 View 11 Key Topics Addressed
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The Resurrection and Running to Jesus
[00:26:52 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that the correct response to the resurrection is to 'run to' Jesus, contrasting this with the cultural idea of setting one's own course. -
Sin and Guilt
[00:27:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor identifies the first reason to run to Jesus: 'Jesus cancels our sin,' using Peter's guilt over his denial as an illustration of what hinders believers. -
Understanding the Resurrection
[00:32:24 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor distinguishes between believing the fact of the resurrection and understanding its significance ('the so what'), noting that the disciples initially lacked this understanding. -
The Necessity of the Resurrection for Forgiveness
[00:37:31 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that the two angels at the tomb signify a shift from the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant to Jesus as the new place of forgiveness, verifying that sin is cancelled through His resurrection. -
Spiritual Face Blindness
[00:42:14 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses the analogy of prosopagnosia (face blindness) to explain that humans are spiritually blind to Jesus' true identity until He initiates contact. -
The Threefold Nature of Jesus' Call
[00:40:35 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor categorizes Jesus' call as clarifying (revealing who He is), comforting (understanding the individual's story), and compelling (leading to submission of lordship). -
Easter Traditions vs. Theological Reality
[00:46:06 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts cultural Easter elements (candy, photos, clothes) with the core spiritual reality of Jesus' resurrection and family inclusion. -
Divine Intimacy and Naming
[00:48:20 ▶️ 📄]
> An analysis of John 20, focusing on Jesus calling Mary by name, which signifies a shift from servant to family/child status. -
Adoption into God's Family
[00:50:31 ▶️ 📄]
> Explaining that through the resurrection, believers are no longer just servants or strangers but are adopted as children of God with access to His fatherhood. -
Gospel Contemplation
[00:53:17 ▶️ 📄]
> Introduction of Ignatian contemplation as a method to visualize oneself in the biblical narrative to experience the personal call of Jesus. -
The Resurrection and Christ's Authority
[00:59:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor asserts that the resurrection validates Jesus' truthfulness and his ultimate authority over sin, death, and evil.
🖼️ View 10 Illustrations & Stories
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Sermon Illustration
[00:24:27 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor tells a story about the U.S. Women's Half Marathon Championship where the pace car took a wrong turn, causing the leading runners to follow it off-course and finish poorly, illustrating how people often run the 'race of life' on the wrong course. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:28:53 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor uses an imaginative narrative of Peter and John running to the empty tomb. He contrasts John's 'unfettered excitement' with Peter's slow, heavy run burdened by 'ankle weights' labeled 'unresolved sin' and 'unresolved guilt' due to his denial of Jesus. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:35:41 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor compares the two angels at the tomb to the two cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, referencing the movie 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' to explain that just as the Ark was the place of mercy, Jesus is now the new location for forgiveness. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:41:11 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor cites Brad Pitt and Steve Wozniak as having prosopagnosia (face blindness) to illustrate the spiritual condition of being unable to recognize Jesus without His clarifying call. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:41:27 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his friend Larry, a pastor with face blindness, who failed to recognize him after multiple meals, to further illustrate the concept of spiritual blindness. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:43:56 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor quotes C.S. Lewis: 'God whispers to us in our pleasures and he shouts to us in our pain,' to explain that hitting rock bottom often precedes hearing Jesus' voice. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:46:38 ▶️ 📄]
> A second speaker shares a story about his daughter Kinsey, a tomboy who is saving dresses for Easter specifically to wear them for the mandatory family photo, illustrating the cultural expectations of the holiday. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:46:54 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a story about his tomboy daughter holding onto dresses for Easter photos, illustrating how she associates the holiday with family pictures rather than the theological meaning, leading to a negotiation for cake. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:51:19 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recounts losing his son in Penn Station for three minutes, using the panic and relief of finding him to illustrate how God feels when the lost are found. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:54:26 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor describes a guided visualization exercise where the congregation imagines standing at the empty tomb, hearing Jesus ask 'Who are you looking for?', and experiencing Him calling their name.
🚀 View 4 Calls to Action
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Pastoral Charge
[00:39:17 ▶️ 📄]
> To verbally surrender sin to Jesus and acknowledge Him as the source of forgiveness. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:58:27 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor leads the congregation in a closing prayer, asking them to seek God's presence and love amidst their current life circumstances. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:59:16 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor instructs the congregation to stand and sing the hymn 'Crown Him With Many Crowns'. -
Pastoral Charge
[00:59:16 ▶️ 📄]
> Stand and sing the hymn 'Crown Him With Many Crowns'.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Sound & Commendable
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ✅ PASS | The Gospel Engine is fully intact. |
| Soteriology | ✅ PASS | The sermon correctly attributes salvation and forgiveness to Christ's work, not human effort. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | Scripture is treated as the authoritative basis for the resurrection and the call to faith. |
| Hermeneutic | ✅ PASS | The text is interpreted through a Christ-centered lens, connecting the tomb narrative to the person of Jesus. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | Christ's authority and divinity are affirmed through His power over death and sin. |
| Sacramentology | ✅ PASS | No sacramental errors detected; the Ark analogy is used illustratively rather than sacramentally. |
| Confessional Depth | ⚠️ MODERATE | The sermon balances accessible illustration with solid doctrinal truth, though some analogies require slight refinement for precision. |
⚙️ The Core Gospel Framework
What is this? This section checks if the sermon contains the essential building blocks of the Gospel. We look for explicit, substantive mentions of God's holy standard, human inability, and Christ's finished work on the cross.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
Why it matters for the final verdict: A complete Gospel framework protects a sermon from becoming man-centered. If a preacher gives commands for good behavior but leaves out the grace and atonement of the Gospel, it often results in a 🔴 Critical or 🟠 Major error for Moralism (teaching human self-improvement rather than reliance on Christ). However, if these Gospel elements are missing simply because the pastor is preaching a highly focused, practical message to mature believers (e.g., instructions on biblical marriage), our system applies a "Safe Harbor" pardon, graciously reducing the omission to a 🟡 Minor error.
❌ The Law And Wrath: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ Total Depravity And Inability:
"The Bible says that there's this condition called face blindness, and how prevalent is it? It impacts everyone who's born into this world, because when we come into this world, we're blind to who Jesus really is. We can't really see him for who he is" [00:42:14 ▶️ 📄]
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ The Cross And Atonement:
"Jesus cancels our sin." [00:27:16 ▶️ 📄]
🛡️ Verified Orthodox Mechanics
✅ The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
✅ The Authority of Christ
✅ The Forgiveness of Sins
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟡 Minor Colloquial Language (Informal Phrasing)
Root Cause: Casualism
"if it's horrible, eat your feelings later." [00:54:30 ▶️ 📄]
The Belief/Behavior: The pastor states, 'if it's horrible, eat your feelings later.'
Why It's Dangerous: This phrasing is overly casual and potentially dismissive of the gravity of suffering, which can undermine the pastoral tone of the sermon.
Biblical Correction: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7
🟡 Minor Typological Analogy (Ark of the Covenant)
Root Cause: Typological Simplification
"Jesus is now the new location for forgiveness... just as the Ark was the place of mercy" [00:26:52 ▶️ 📄]
The Belief/Behavior: The pastor suggests Jesus is the 'new location for forgiveness' akin to the Ark.
Why It's Dangerous: While illustrative, this risks confusing the person of Christ with the object of the Old Covenant, potentially implying a change in location rather than a change in the mediator.
Biblical Correction: For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands, the true copy of the true, but heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. Hebrews 9:24
✅ Commendations
Homiletical Creativity | Imaginative Visualization
The guided visualization exercise inviting the congregation to stand at the tomb and hear Jesus call their name is a powerful pastoral tool that personalizes the Gospel.
Theological Clarity | Assurance of Forgiveness
The clear connection between the resurrection and the cancellation of sin provides strong assurance to believers struggling with guilt.
Pastoral Sensitivity | Addressing Guilt and Shame
The distinction between John's excitement and Peter's burdened state is a sensitive and accurate pastoral diagnosis of different spiritual conditions.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:03:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:03:54] On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
[00:04:01] They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright, the women bowed
[00:04:16] their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead?
[00:04:24] Church, something was true 2,000 years ago, and the same thing is true today.
[00:04:28] And if it is news to you, let me tell you it is incredibly good news.
[00:04:31] If it is familiar to you, I invite you to join me in proclaiming what we know to be true, and that is Christ is risen. Amen to that.
[00:04:41] Welcome to Corinth, where our mission is to proclaim and worship the risen Jesus as Lord.
[00:04:45] If you're seated along our center aisle, we've got a black friendship pad.
[00:04:48] We would love for you to sign that and let us know that you were here today.
[00:04:52] Inside of that, you're going to find blue Visitor Connect cards.
[00:04:55] You can fill those out in a hard copy or online.
[00:04:57] If you're visiting with us today, we would love to get some information about you and give you some information and a special goodie bag from us.
[00:05:04] If we didn't catch you on your way in the door, we do have a special gift bag for our visitors, so make sure you grab one on your way out.
[00:05:11] There are just a couple of quick announcements I want to make for you this morning.
[00:05:14] The first is that starting next Sunday, we're going to have a new worship schedule.
[00:05:18] this service is going to start 15 minutes earlier at 8 15 sunday school is going to start at 9 30 traditional is going to start at 10 45 and contemporary is going to start at 11 we would
[00:05:28] love to see you next week just on a slightly different schedule 8 15 for this service 9 30 for sunday school 10 45 traditional 11 o'clock contemporary this week at corinth most of our groups are not meeting we're taking the easter holiday off if you're already in a group and
[00:05:42] you're not sure exactly what your group's plans are check with your leader they'll be able to let you know over the next couple of weeks there are a bunch of other ways that you can connect and
[00:05:50] serve if you want to get plugged into a group here. If you've got your family and you are looking all beautiful in your Easter clothes, which so many of you are, I want to let you know we've got our
[00:05:58] Easter backdrop set up over in the Rauw Welcome Center. If you want to stop by there, you can take a really nice family photo. There'll be people there who can also help you if mom ever wants to
[00:06:06] be in one of the photos because mom's usually the one taking the photo. Also coming up, I want to tell you that our Easter lilies were a special gift from our congregation. So if you gave one of those
[00:06:15] or one was given in your honor, feel free to take them with you.
[00:06:18] There are some extras in the Welcome Center.
[00:06:20] Again, thanks for being with us at Corinth to proclaim and worship the risen Jesus.
[00:06:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:06:32] Good morning.
[00:06:33] As we begin our time, I just want to set some expectations.
[00:06:36] Here's what is going to happen over the next 55 minutes or so.
[00:06:40] We are going to have times where we participate together.
[00:06:43] You're going to do stuff.
[00:06:44] We're going to sing.
[00:06:45] We're going to say some words together.
[00:06:48] There will be times where you just sit and you listen.
[00:06:51] This service is an intentional mix between kind of a traditional church setting.
[00:06:56] We've got stained glass windows.
[00:06:58] You notice this is a pretty old-looking sanctuary, but then we'll use screens to help us with the words.
[00:07:05] We'll do things like sing hymns.
[00:07:07] Jesus Christ is risen today.
[00:07:09] We've been singing that for a long time.
[00:07:12] Generations of Christians have been singing that song.
[00:07:14] And then we'll sing some newer songs, too, to guitar and piano.
[00:07:17] The idea is we're mixing old and new.
[00:07:20] traditional and more modern contemporary kind of things with one purpose, and it's to celebrate the risen Jesus. 2,000 years ago, Jesus came, was raised again, and we're still singing about it.
[00:07:33] We're still meeting together. We're still getting dressed up and taking picture for mom about it, like Pastor Amy said. This morning, I want to pray and then invite you to worship by singing with me. So please pray with me. God, thank you for gathering these people this morning.
[00:07:49] this has never happened before never will happen again this the same people in this place on easter sunday so we say thank you for the gift that today is meet us while we worship while we pray
[00:08:02] while we listen to your word in the smile and welcome of a friend meet us this morning in jesus name amen please stand
[00:08:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:08:13] it's so good to be in your house on easter sunday we love you and praise you we thank you so much for this season and all the many things that it means we lift you high in this place today god
[00:17:03] pray that each soul he would be touched by you today in a special way bless this service may it bring honor and glory to you we pray in jesus name amen hey this is time
[00:17:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:17:16] and service, I'm going to ask you to do two things. The instructions about how to give an offering are on the screen if you want to celebrate Easter that way. Also, would you turn to someone around you
[00:17:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:17:24] and wish them a happy Easter? Good morning. Happy Easter. He is risen. Welcome to Corinth Reformed Church Online. This is Easter Sunday, the biggest day of the year. Today we'll be looking at John chapter 20, where John tells his story of the Easter story. You might believe in the fact
[00:17:45] of the resurrection. But it's not enough to know about the fact of the resurrection. Come listen to something different, the difference that the resurrection can make in your life. Thanks for
[00:17:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:17:55] being with us this morning. Scripture reading this morning comes from John chapter 20, beginning in verse 1. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
[00:18:26] 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've taken the Lord out of the tomb,
[00:18:36] and we don't know where they put him. So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and
[00:18:47] looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the cloth
[00:18:58] that had been wrapped around Jesus' head.
[00:19:00] The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
[00:19:04] Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside.
[00:19:09] He saw and believed.
[00:19:11] They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
[00:19:15] Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
[00:19:18] Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying.
[00:19:21] As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, Woman, why are you crying?
[00:19:35] They've taken my Lord away, she said, and I don't know where they've put him.
[00:19:40] At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
[00:19:46] He asked her, Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you're looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've put him and I will get
[00:19:58] him. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus said, Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead
[00:20:14] to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
[00:20:21] Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news.
[00:20:24] I have seen the Lord.
[00:20:26] And she told them that he had said these things to her.
[00:20:29] This is the word of God for the people of God.
[00:20:33] Thanks be to God.
[00:20:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:20:34] In a moment, Pastor Kevin and I together will be bringing the sermon.
[00:20:44] But before we do that, we are going to sing a Charles Wesley hymn.
[00:20:48] If you don't know who Charles Wesley is, he is one of God's greatest gifts to modern-day hymnody.
[00:20:53] and one of my favorite Charles Wesley hymns is this one.
[00:20:57] Hymn number 167, Christ the Lord is Risen Today.
[00:21:01] Let's rise and sing that.
[00:21:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:21:03] You may be seated.
[00:24:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:24:27] I want to tell you about something extraordinary that happened last month at the U.S. Women's Half Marathon Championship.
[00:24:40] Big race with big stakes, giving opportunity to the top three women runners to represent the U.S. to the world.
[00:24:50] Now, for the better part of the race, for the first 12 out of the 13 miles, everything was going on as normal.
[00:24:58] In first place was a woman named Jess McLean.
[00:25:01] She was a comfortable lead over the second-place runner and then the third-place runner.
[00:25:05] And then, with about a mile left in the race, something unexpected happened.
[00:25:12] The pace car that was meant to guide the runners, instead of going straight like it was supposed to, took a left.
[00:25:20] and the three runners followed the pace car.
[00:25:24] And it wasn't until a third of the mile down the road that they realized that they had been on a wild goose chase and that the course was actually straight ahead.
[00:25:32] And so they had to circle back around, get back on the course, and long story short, the person who was the presumptive winner and the predictive favor all along came in not first, but ninth,
[00:25:45] and who had been in second place and third place came in 12th and 13th place respectively. Now, despite the protests, the race organizers said a decision is a decision. That's it. You know, when it comes to the race of life, it's interesting
[00:26:03] that so many people have so many different ways of running their race of life, don't they?
[00:26:10] And it's almost as if from the day we're born in our culture, we're told that you get to set your own course. You get to pick your own pace car, and just run it with sincerity, and just
[00:26:22] run it as fast and as effectively as you can. And I wonder, as I'm looking at our passage this morning, what the gospel writer, what the author John would say about that, whether that's really
[00:26:36] true. I think for John, what he would tell us this morning is actually, it really matters what course you run, and it really matters who you run to. Don't just pick any pace car. You have to know
[00:26:52] where you're running. And if there's a message that he has for us this morning, it's this. It's because Jesus really is risen, we must run to him. So what I want to do, and I'm going to pick up the
[00:27:06] first two points, and Kevin's going to take the third point. What we want to do is talk about why should we run to him. And let me give you the first reason. The reason why we should run to
[00:27:16] Jesus is this. Jesus cancels our sin. Jesus cancels our sin. We must run to Jesus because he cancels our sin. Now, the story picks up on Sunday morning. It's before dawn. It's a couple days after Jesus has been crucified and buried. And as far as anyone knows, this would-be Messiah
[00:27:38] now lays cold and bloodied in this dark tomb.
[00:27:45] But Mary Magdalene, Jesus' friend, just wants to be with her friend one more time.
[00:27:50] And so she goes to the tomb before dawn.
[00:27:54] And when she gets there, she encounters something completely unexpected.
[00:28:01] The stone that was supposed to be covering the tomb entrance was rolled away.
[00:28:08] And so, bam, she's off, and she's running back to find Peter and John, two disciples of Jesus.
[00:28:15] And here's what she says to them.
[00:28:17] She says, they've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him.
[00:28:24] Now let's go to verse 3.
[00:28:27] So Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb.
[00:28:31] Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
[00:28:37] He bent over, looked into the strips of linen, but did not go in.
[00:28:43] Now, Mary had been doing some running from the tomb back to Peter and John.
[00:28:49] And now it was Peter and John's turn to do some running.
[00:28:53] And for whatever reason, John, who's telling the story, John is the other disciple.
[00:28:59] For whatever reason, he says, I got there first.
[00:29:05] Does that bother you at all?
[00:29:07] I mean, why does, why do we care? Why does John say, I got there first? Is it because he wants everyone to know that he's really giga chad and in great shape and just for the record?
[00:29:22] Or is something else going on? So I want you to imagine that you're Peter. Mary has woken you up from your sleep and some business about the body not being there. So you groggily wake up, you
[00:29:37] throw on some clothes. You find John, and you're putting it all together, and then you guys go off running together, and you're running neck and neck, and you're thinking, you're thinking back to those strange noises that Jesus made, these predictions about him rising from the dead,
[00:29:53] and you're like, is this that? Is it really possible that he actually rose from the dead?
[00:30:03] And so you're running, and you're running, and you're wondering whether he really was risen.
[00:30:10] But then your mind goes to something else.
[00:30:13] More immediately, you're thinking back to the wee hours of Friday morning when you were in the courtyard and a servant girl was questioning you about your association with Jesus.
[00:30:24] And you denied him not once, not twice, but three times.
[00:30:30] And when you denied him that third time, Jesus, from the other side of the courtyard, just looks in your way and it's as if his eyes were saying, why, Peter? I have been faithful to you from day one.
[00:30:47] Why have you denied me now? And Peter's thinking about that and now he's running more slowly.
[00:30:57] He's excited to see Jesus, but it's a mixed excitement. He sort of wants to see Jesus, but he sort of doesn't so why did Peter outrun John let's put it this way John read with John
[00:31:18] ran to the tomb with unfettered excitement Peter on the other hand it's like he had these ankle weights on and if you were to write anything on those ankle weights one ankle weight would say
[00:31:32] unresolved sin and the other would say unresolved guilt and that's because while John was all in Peter was mixed. Now, here's what happens next. Verse 6. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. Finally, the other disciple had reached the tomb first,
[00:31:53] also went inside. He saw and believed. They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Okay, so the two
[00:32:08] men come to the tomb, they see the empty tomb, and they saw and they believed on the basis of the empty tomb. But verse 9 gives us a big but. But they still did not understand from scriptures
[00:32:24] that Jesus had to rise from the dead. They believed the fact of the resurrection, but they didn't understand the so what. They didn't understand the difference resurrection made for them.
[00:32:39] And then, verse 10, it says they went back home where they were staying.
[00:32:46] They don't stick around because they don't understand.
[00:32:52] Now, if you're here this morning, then I would submit that you're in one, maybe two of three categories.
[00:32:59] You might be here, and you're all in, and you're just like John, running to the tomb.
[00:33:04] And when you woke up this morning, you said, hot dog, it's Easter.
[00:33:07] I can't wait to get to church.
[00:33:09] And you're the first one in the car, and you're driving out of the driveway.
[00:33:12] It's like you ran to get here.
[00:33:14] because you're so excited to meet your risen Lord this morning. Others of you more closely identify with Peter. I mean, it's not like you're unhappy to be here, but you're not at 100% excitement. You're more at 50% excitement and 50% of unresolved business. And the problem is,
[00:33:40] is you've got this issues of unresolved guilt and unresolved shame that's just vaguely lingering in your head, and that's why you're not super excited. Excited enough to be here, but you're mixed.
[00:33:55] There's others of you here who believe in the fact of the resurrection, but you're unclear as to why it even matters. For you, it's like a neat trick, but so what? Well, here's the thing. If you're
[00:34:13] unclear at the resurrection, you know what's going to happen? You're going to do just what Peter and John did, you're not going to stick around. We'll see you at the candlelight service. You need to
[00:34:27] understand the why. So, if you're either on the mixed category or the unclear category, let me direct your attention to verses 11 and 13. Let's go there now. Mary stood outside the tomb, and as
[00:34:40] she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, woman, why are you crying?
[00:34:54] They've taken my Lord away. And she said, and I don't know where they put him.
[00:35:01] Okay. There's two details I want to draw your attention to. I encourage people, when you read the scripture, details always matter. Pay close attention to the details. There's two details I want to draw your attention to here. First detail is that there are two angels. And that's unusual
[00:35:19] because almost always in the Bible, when there's an angelic encounter, it's usually one angel.
[00:35:26] The second detail is one angel is sitting at the foot of the bench where Jesus was lay. It was like the stone box inside the tomb. And the other was sitting at the head where Jesus lay. Now, let me
[00:35:41] comment on those two details. First of all, the only place I can clearly think in Scripture where two angels show up is on the Ark of the Covenant. Now, if you've seen the old movie Raiders of the
[00:35:53] Lost Ark, you know what the Ark of the Covenant is. It was this box, say four feet by two feet by two feet, overlaid with gold. And then there were these brass, these gold hoops that poles were
[00:36:06] permanently placed into. And the purpose of the poles was so that the priests and only the priests could take up the ark and put it down.
[00:36:22] Take it up and put it down.
[00:36:29] Here's two more things you need to know about the Ark of the Covenant.
[00:36:32] The Ark of the Covenant was the special place where God was present to forgive sins.
[00:36:39] That's why they sometimes call it the mercy seat.
[00:36:44] And that's why they put it in the most holy place in the temple.
[00:36:47] And if you wanted forgiveness, you go to the Ark of the Covenant back in Judaism. Here's the second last thing you need to know about the Ark of the Covenant. On either end of that box, there are two handcrafted angels.
[00:37:02] Do you remember what Mary said to Peter and John when she woke him up? She said, they have taken up the Lord and I don't know where they've put him down. They've taken up the Lord
[00:37:16] and I don't know where they've put him down. Using the exact same language that the Bible uses to describe the picking up and putting down of the Ark of the Covenant. Do you know why God
[00:37:31] sent two angels to the tomb that day? Because he wanted to let the world know, he wanted to let the first century Jews know that when you went to the temple, you need to go somewhere else.
[00:37:45] If you needed forgiveness, that forgiveness was now found in Jesus. It's almost like on Easter Sunday, God hung up a sign on the temple that said, we've moved. Please visit us at our new location. And that location is the body of Jesus, and that body of Jesus still provides us for our
[00:38:07] sins. This is why Jesus had to be raised. He had to be raised in order for my forgiveness and for your forgiveness. Now, you might be saying, pastor, you don't know how badly I've gotten off the rails.
[00:38:22] You don't know how serious my sin is.
[00:38:25] And you're right, I don't, but Jesus does.
[00:38:28] And here's the deal.
[00:38:31] Is Jesus, because your sin is so serious and was so serious, that's why he had to be raised.
[00:38:38] Because it had to be absolutely positively verified that whoever the high priest was forgiving their sins, he had to have the confirmation from God.
[00:38:47] And what better confirmation from God could we have than a risen Jesus?
[00:38:51] Why do we run to Jesus?
[00:38:53] Because he cancels our sins.
[00:38:55] I don't know where you are this morning.
[00:38:57] Maybe you've got those ankle weights of shame and guilt, and you just need Jesus to rip those off.
[00:39:03] Or maybe you're here this morning, and you've been unclear about this resurrection business.
[00:39:07] Well, I'm telling you, Jesus was raised in order that he might deal with your sin.
[00:39:12] And so the question for you is, will you allow Jesus to deal with your sin?
[00:39:17] Will you give that to him and say, Lord, I'm done and I need to come to this new ark of the covenant and give you my sin. And when it's gone, it's gone. Past, present, and future. Here's the second reason we need to run to Jesus
[00:39:33] is because Jesus calls our name. We need to run to Jesus because he calls our name. At this, verse 14, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
[00:39:46] He asked her, woman, why are you crying?
[00:39:51] Who are you looking for?
[00:39:54] Thinking he was a gardener, she said, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.
[00:40:02] Jesus said to her, Mary.
[00:40:06] Now, Jesus is the good shepherd.
[00:40:10] And Jesus' sheep know his voice.
[00:40:15] Mary knows his voice.
[00:40:18] Do you know the voice of Jesus?
[00:40:20] How do you know?
[00:40:21] if you've heard the voice of Jesus? Well, it kind of depends on the kind of call. What kind of call is Jesus' call? So, there's three things I quickly want to say about Jesus' call. First, that it's a
[00:40:35] clarifying call. Let's go back to these verses in John 20, verses 14 to 16. Focus now on verse 14.
[00:40:44] At this, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn't know that it was Jesus.
[00:40:51] Now, this is curious because Mary knows Jesus really well.
[00:40:56] And yet, that day, she's staring at him right in the face, and she didn't recognize that it was him.
[00:41:04] It's kind of curious.
[00:41:07] Have you ever heard of the condition prosopagnosia?
[00:41:11] Prosopagnosia, also more commonly known as face blindness, it means this inability or this limited cognitive ability to recognize even the most familiar faces.
[00:41:20] Brad Pitt suffers from prosopagnosia, as does Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
[00:41:27] In fact, I have a friend named Larry who's pastor of one of the largest churches in Southern California.
[00:41:35] Around the fourth or fifth time we got together, ran into each other, he said, do I know you?
[00:41:41] I said, yeah, Larry.
[00:41:42] In fact, we've had two meals together, but that's okay.
[00:41:48] And Larry has face blindness.
[00:41:51] and sometimes I wonder if I have face blindness. Does Mary suffer from face blindness? Not technical, but spiritually she does. Here's the truth about there's physical face blindness, and then there's spiritual face blindness. You know what the Bible says? The Bible says that there's this condition
[00:42:14] called face blindness, and how prevalent is it? It impacts everyone who's born into this world, because when we come into this world, we're blind to who Jesus really is.
[00:42:25] We can't really see him for who he is and there's only one cure for face blindness and you know what that cure is?
[00:42:31] It's the clarifying call of Jesus.
[00:42:34] When Jesus calls you and you hear him call you, suddenly you see Jesus for who he really is.
[00:42:43] Now you might be sitting here and someone just dragged you to church and you don't really believe this stuff and you're saying, well, that doesn't really seem fair.
[00:42:52] So what you're saying is I have to wait to Jesus to call me before I can respond to him?
[00:42:57] I mean, so it's just totally out of my control.
[00:43:02] Let me say yes and no.
[00:43:05] We do have to wait for Jesus' call before we respond to him.
[00:43:09] He calls first.
[00:43:11] If you're here today and you know him, it's not because you picked him.
[00:43:14] He called you.
[00:43:15] Here's the second thing you need to know.
[00:43:18] Is that even though that's true, notice what Mary's doing.
[00:43:23] She's weeping beside the tomb.
[00:43:25] Why is she weeping beside the tomb? Because she's confused and she's hit rock bottom.
[00:43:33] You know, there's something about it. When Jesus appears to Mary, he appears to her through her tears. And maybe the reason you're not hearing Jesus' voice is you still have answers and you haven't hit rock bottom. Jesus has a wave coming to us, especially when we've hit rock bottom.
[00:43:56] A great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, put it this way.
[00:43:59] He said, God whispers to us in our pleasures and he shouts to us in our pain.
[00:44:07] If you're in a place of pain right now, friend, that's an opportunity.
[00:44:13] Let me describe this call two other ways very quickly.
[00:44:15] It's not just a clarifying call.
[00:44:17] It's a comforting call.
[00:44:18] Jesus said to her, Mary, verse 16, Mary had a problem.
[00:44:24] She was confused.
[00:44:25] She didn't know what was going on.
[00:44:27] She needed comforting. How do you solve a problem like Mary? Here's what you do. You have Jesus speak a word of her, a word that says, I understand who you are. I understand your story. I get you. And
[00:44:41] in life, we don't need to know everything that's going on. We don't have to have all the answers.
[00:44:45] We just need to know the one who understands us and who gets us. And when we know Jesus calls us, it's a comforting call. The last thing, it's a compelling call. Mary, Jesus said to her, Mary,
[00:44:58] and she turned to him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher.
[00:45:02] And then skip down to verse 18.
[00:45:04] Mary Magdalene goes to the disciples and said, I've seen the Lord.
[00:45:09] Notice that Mary calls Jesus teacher and Lord.
[00:45:15] Now, if you're here this morning and you said, you know what, I've been forgiven by Jesus and I've been comforted by him.
[00:45:24] But if you're still in the driver's seat, he's not really your Lord, is he?
[00:45:29] You know that you've been called by Jesus when it's a compelling call that leads you to call him not just teacher, but the Lord.
[00:45:40] Is he the Lord of your life?
[00:45:41] If he's not, you have not heard his compelling call.
[00:45:45] Kevin?
[00:45:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:45:46] There are lots of great parts of Easter.
[00:45:58] At least one part of it is the food.
[00:46:00] I don't know when Hawaiian rolls became essential at Easter, but it is for me and my family, and I hope you enjoy some too today.
[00:46:06] family and friends often this is a weekend that's usually extended maybe there's a nap coming your way probably not today but maybe yesterday or tomorrow or something we joked about this like when I was a kid I couldn't wait to wake up on Easter because I knew there would be a basket of
[00:46:26] candy at the table where my spot was I couldn't wait for that but as a parent now it really is the family photo. As silly as that sounds, we joked about it, but it's true. A few weeks ago,
[00:46:38] my wife, Christy, and our six-year-old daughter, Kinsey, were switching from like warm or cold weather clothes to warm weather clothes. She has enough clothes where she has to switch them out completely. And she's growing and all the things. And Kinsey, during that time, she holds up two
[00:46:54] dresses. And you got to know this about my daughter. She's very much a tomboy. Her favorite thing to wear is whatever her brothers had on the day before. We try to like, you know, make sure
[00:47:02] the clothes are clean. But she loves, like, she has her choice. She's wearing athletic shorts and a t-shirt. She probably has some kind of temporary tattoo on her arm, like serious kind of tomboy thing. But she was holding up two dresses and she said to Christy, hey, I know that day's coming up
[00:47:20] where you like for me to wear a dress and we take a picture. So I'm going to hold on to these for that day. She doesn't know the holiday of Easter. All she knows is that's the day mom wants her to
[00:47:31] wear a dress and take a picture. That's what she knows. And right now, if you think about it, you can pray for my wife because my daughter is probably renegotiating the terms of our agreement.
[00:47:42] Yesterday, we went to Publix and we bought a little cake. Do what you got to do. I'm not writing a parenting book. We bought a little cake and this is your reward for wearing at least a
[00:47:53] skirt today. And right now they're renegotiating. I hope you get the food and the nap and the candy and the family picture you want, because all of those are great parts of Easter. But I also hope
[00:48:06] you get Jesus too. Because Jesus is alive. We get to run to him. He cancels our sin. He calls us by name and he considers us family. When, as Pastor Nick said, when Jesus called Mary's name, it
[00:48:20] changed her whole world. Because there's nothing like hearing Jesus call your name. In John 10, Jesus compared himself to the good shepherd. When the good shepherd calls his sheep, he calls them by name and they answer. Jesus knew Mary. He loved Mary. And upon hearing her name, she turned to him.
[00:48:41] She cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, just my teacher. Imagine when she realizes him, she runs and says, my teacher, and Jesus says this in verse 17, do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended
[00:48:56] to the Father. I imagine that she saw Jesus, she just wanted to hold him, just like you would if you saw somebody you hadn't seen in ages. If one of your loved one died and they were back here on
[00:49:07] earth, would you ever let them go? I wouldn't. And Jesus says, no, no, you can't hold on to me.
[00:49:15] Things are going to be different now. I'm not going to be with you in the same way. But here's the thing too, Mary, you're not going to lose me ever again. But now you can't stay here and hold me. I
[00:49:25] know you want to. You can't stay here and hold me because there's something you got to go tell your brothers back home. This is what it says. Go instead to my brothers and tell them.
[00:49:33] I'm ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God. This is my, I think my 40th Easter on the planet. And I've heard this story a lot. And I never understood how important those
[00:49:49] words were. If you can put them back on the screen. Up until this point, John, when he's telling the story of Jesus, Jesus has only ever called his disciples, disciples, servants, or friends.
[00:50:04] Beautiful things. Here he calls them brothers. And Jesus, when he talked about God, he talked about it as the Father, my Father, my Father who sent me. But here he says, your Father and your God.
[00:50:18] Because in light of Jesus' death and resurrection, it wasn't just that Jesus is different, it's that what is available to us as regular human beings and disciples of Jesus is fundamentally different.
[00:50:31] We can know God like Jesus knows God. We are not just servants of God, not just people, but family.
[00:50:39] We can become a real family with God as our Father and live under his protection and his care and his love, both now and forever. John told us this would happen. All the way back in chapter
[00:50:52] 1, verse 12, he said this, yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. We're not strangers to God, but children. And that was
[00:51:06] always the plan. You can go back to Genesis 1 and see it there from the beginning. He always intended people to be family with him. And we are or can be like lost children who find their way
[00:51:19] home. I told you I'm not writing a parenting book. I lost my son in Penn Station for three minutes the other weekend, and it was horrible. And when I saw him again, he was actually sitting down where
[00:51:31] we had just been. I just didn't think to look in the place that he would most likely be. That's on me. What it is like when the lost is found, that's how God feels about us. We can be fully known in
[00:51:46] love. Jesus is alive, and we can become children of God, and so we can become Jesus' family.
[00:51:54] The story closes in verse 18. Mary went to the disciples with the news, I've seen the Lord, and she told them that he had said these things to her. And Mary's the first witness to the
[00:52:03] resurrection. She's the one who tells people that Jesus is alive for the first time, and I've seen them. And 2,000 years later, we still meet. You guys get dressed up. We sing the same old songs.
[00:52:14] They wouldn't have it any other way. And then we eat Hawaiian rolls. It's beautiful. As we move into thinking, how do we apply this sermon, this text to our lives? I was reminded this week of
[00:52:27] what my wife said after I preached the Christmas Eve sermon. This is what she said. She's like, that was pretty good for a Christmas sermon. Why is she like that? Actually, if you know her,
[00:52:39] that was a legitimate compliment and you take that. You take that. What she meant to say is it's actually kind of hard to preach and teach these same old stories because we know them and we kind
[00:52:50] of nod our way through like, yeah, I know. I know. It can be hard to have fresh ears to hear these old words in a new way. And so I actually want to invite you to try something new today. Well,
[00:53:04] it's actually very old. It's 500 years old, but it's likely very new to you. So the practice that we're going to practice in just a second together is called gospel contemplation, and it goes all
[00:53:17] the way back to a Spanish priest in the time of the Reformation. So his name is Ignatius, and he's one of those faithful pastors who stayed in the Catholic church and said, you know what, I'm not
[00:53:28] going to leave this place. I'm going to try to renew it from the inside out and help these people rediscover the goodness of the gospel of Jesus. I'm going to stay, and we're going to find out
[00:53:37] the goodness of God here together. That's what he said. And one way he chose to do that, he found that would help people rediscover the beauty and goodness of Jesus was by visualizing themselves in the story and letting Jesus and the events of Jesus' life be present to them all over again.
[00:53:56] So here's what we're going to do together. In a moment, I'm going to invite you to close your eyes and I'm going to give you verbal prompts to imagine yourself in this story, just the short
[00:54:06] part of it. You're going to imagine that you stood where Mary stood and saw what she saw and met Jesus. Now, this may seem strange to you. I promise to never ask you to do something like this again.
[00:54:21] But for today, let's use our imaginations together. God can redeem absolutely anything.
[00:54:26] We can do this together. Again, if it's horrible, eat your feelings later.
[00:54:30] but for now I want to invite you right now to close your eyes and imagine like Mary you are standing next to a stone mound with a small opening about waist high it's cool the day
[00:54:59] smells fresh and it's dark but the sun is just beginning to light up the sky then from behind you you hear someone approaching and you turn away from the stone grave to look and you see
[00:55:22] a man approaching from a distance. He looks familiar to you, but you can't see him clearly.
[00:55:35] And as the man comes closer, he asks you these two questions. Why are you crying? And who is it you are looking for? And just like Mary in the story, so her answer was she was looking for
[00:55:51] Jesus' body, but your answer will be different. But really, in your mind, to that man, answer these questions. What's painful to you right now? What are you worrying about? What do you want most in the world? And tell them to that man. And now in response, imagine Jesus calling you by name.
[00:56:41] You can open your eyes. Just a question for you and something for you to process today. And when you imagined hearing Jesus say your name, how did you respond? Was there joy? Was there relief?
[00:56:58] Did you feel some version of like, oh, he shouldn't be talking to me, or I don't really know him?
[00:57:05] That exercise, imagining myself in this story, was the most impactful thing I did this week, the most meaningful thing to me as I went through this scripture this week, because to imagine Jesus calling my name, it was both familiar and fresh.
[00:57:21] Mary's whole life changed.
[00:57:22] She heard Jesus call her name, and I can't help but think, for you and me, the greatest moments of our lives are and will be when we first hear Jesus call our name somehow, some way in our
[00:57:33] everyday lives here, and then when we see Jesus face to face, and he will call us again by name.
[00:57:39] And there will be some part of how he says it where we've never heard it before, and it is the most familiar voice in all the world. Whatever and wherever you are in your relationship with
[00:57:53] God, you just got to know this. Jesus is alive and he knows you and he is calling you by name. He will call you by name one day and he wants you to be a part of his family and your sin and whatever
[00:58:07] mistakes you make can't get in the way. In the resurrection, we find out that forgiveness is real and new life is possible and we're still celebrating that together. Please pray with me. Jesus, thank you. Thank you for going through what you had to go through so that you could be with Mary in this
[00:58:27] moment and the disciples coming up and here with us 2,000 years later. In the midst of our grief and our pain and the things going on in our lives, would we hear from you? Would you call us by name
[00:58:41] and will we come to love you and being with you more than anything else? I pray for Easter day.
[00:58:52] I pray for family and friends and good music and rest and joy and delight would there be awe and wonder for us again today would you make today fresh for us thank you again for these people
[00:59:03] in this place in Jesus name amen one of the things the resurrection proves is that Jesus really was telling the truth and he really is in charge and there's nothing sin death and evil can
[00:59:16] do about it and we're going to close our service this morning by singing about that so would you stand and sing, crown him with many crowns. Tate of time. That's so good. Also, we don't talk like
[01:02:40] that anymore, but you guys sing it and I'm proud of you. A couple things. If you are a visitor, we do have guest bag, visitor bags, gift bags we'd love to give to you on the way out. If you want to
[01:02:51] get a family picture, we have that backdrop set in the Welcome Center. And now as you go to your life, whatever you have for the rest of the day, today, this week, go in the power of the resurrected
[01:03:02] to Jesus. There is now a life available to you in the family of God and under the power of Jesus, more powerful than even death. Go in peace. Amen.
[00:03:54] On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.
[00:04:01] They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright, the women bowed
[00:04:16] their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead?
[00:04:24] Church, something was true 2,000 years ago, and the same thing is true today.
[00:04:28] And if it is news to you, let me tell you it is incredibly good news.
[00:04:31] If it is familiar to you, I invite you to join me in proclaiming what we know to be true, and that is Christ is risen. Amen to that.
[00:04:41] Welcome to Corinth, where our mission is to proclaim and worship the risen Jesus as Lord.
[00:04:45] If you're seated along our center aisle, we've got a black friendship pad.
[00:04:48] We would love for you to sign that and let us know that you were here today.
[00:04:52] Inside of that, you're going to find blue Visitor Connect cards.
[00:04:55] You can fill those out in a hard copy or online.
[00:04:57] If you're visiting with us today, we would love to get some information about you and give you some information and a special goodie bag from us.
[00:05:04] If we didn't catch you on your way in the door, we do have a special gift bag for our visitors, so make sure you grab one on your way out.
[00:05:11] There are just a couple of quick announcements I want to make for you this morning.
[00:05:14] The first is that starting next Sunday, we're going to have a new worship schedule.
[00:05:18] this service is going to start 15 minutes earlier at 8 15 sunday school is going to start at 9 30 traditional is going to start at 10 45 and contemporary is going to start at 11 we would
[00:05:28] love to see you next week just on a slightly different schedule 8 15 for this service 9 30 for sunday school 10 45 traditional 11 o'clock contemporary this week at corinth most of our groups are not meeting we're taking the easter holiday off if you're already in a group and
[00:05:42] you're not sure exactly what your group's plans are check with your leader they'll be able to let you know over the next couple of weeks there are a bunch of other ways that you can connect and
[00:05:50] serve if you want to get plugged into a group here. If you've got your family and you are looking all beautiful in your Easter clothes, which so many of you are, I want to let you know we've got our
[00:05:58] Easter backdrop set up over in the Rauw Welcome Center. If you want to stop by there, you can take a really nice family photo. There'll be people there who can also help you if mom ever wants to
[00:06:06] be in one of the photos because mom's usually the one taking the photo. Also coming up, I want to tell you that our Easter lilies were a special gift from our congregation. So if you gave one of those
[00:06:15] or one was given in your honor, feel free to take them with you.
[00:06:18] There are some extras in the Welcome Center.
[00:06:20] Again, thanks for being with us at Corinth to proclaim and worship the risen Jesus.
[00:06:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:06:32] Good morning.
[00:06:33] As we begin our time, I just want to set some expectations.
[00:06:36] Here's what is going to happen over the next 55 minutes or so.
[00:06:40] We are going to have times where we participate together.
[00:06:43] You're going to do stuff.
[00:06:44] We're going to sing.
[00:06:45] We're going to say some words together.
[00:06:48] There will be times where you just sit and you listen.
[00:06:51] This service is an intentional mix between kind of a traditional church setting.
[00:06:56] We've got stained glass windows.
[00:06:58] You notice this is a pretty old-looking sanctuary, but then we'll use screens to help us with the words.
[00:07:05] We'll do things like sing hymns.
[00:07:07] Jesus Christ is risen today.
[00:07:09] We've been singing that for a long time.
[00:07:12] Generations of Christians have been singing that song.
[00:07:14] And then we'll sing some newer songs, too, to guitar and piano.
[00:07:17] The idea is we're mixing old and new.
[00:07:20] traditional and more modern contemporary kind of things with one purpose, and it's to celebrate the risen Jesus. 2,000 years ago, Jesus came, was raised again, and we're still singing about it.
[00:07:33] We're still meeting together. We're still getting dressed up and taking picture for mom about it, like Pastor Amy said. This morning, I want to pray and then invite you to worship by singing with me. So please pray with me. God, thank you for gathering these people this morning.
[00:07:49] this has never happened before never will happen again this the same people in this place on easter sunday so we say thank you for the gift that today is meet us while we worship while we pray
[00:08:02] while we listen to your word in the smile and welcome of a friend meet us this morning in jesus name amen please stand
[00:08:13] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:08:13] it's so good to be in your house on easter sunday we love you and praise you we thank you so much for this season and all the many things that it means we lift you high in this place today god
[00:17:03] pray that each soul he would be touched by you today in a special way bless this service may it bring honor and glory to you we pray in jesus name amen hey this is time
[00:17:16] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:17:16] and service, I'm going to ask you to do two things. The instructions about how to give an offering are on the screen if you want to celebrate Easter that way. Also, would you turn to someone around you
[00:17:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:17:24] and wish them a happy Easter? Good morning. Happy Easter. He is risen. Welcome to Corinth Reformed Church Online. This is Easter Sunday, the biggest day of the year. Today we'll be looking at John chapter 20, where John tells his story of the Easter story. You might believe in the fact
[00:17:45] of the resurrection. But it's not enough to know about the fact of the resurrection. Come listen to something different, the difference that the resurrection can make in your life. Thanks for
[00:17:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:17:55] being with us this morning. Scripture reading this morning comes from John chapter 20, beginning in verse 1. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
[00:18:26] 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've taken the Lord out of the tomb,
[00:18:36] and we don't know where they put him. So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and
[00:18:47] looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the cloth
[00:18:58] that had been wrapped around Jesus' head.
[00:19:00] The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.
[00:19:04] Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside.
[00:19:09] He saw and believed.
[00:19:11] They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
[00:19:15] Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
[00:19:18] Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying.
[00:19:21] As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, Woman, why are you crying?
[00:19:35] They've taken my Lord away, she said, and I don't know where they've put him.
[00:19:40] At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
[00:19:46] He asked her, Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you're looking for? Thinking he was the gardener, she said, Sir, if you've carried him away, tell me where you've put him and I will get
[00:19:58] him. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. Jesus said, Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead
[00:20:14] to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
[00:20:21] Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news.
[00:20:24] I have seen the Lord.
[00:20:26] And she told them that he had said these things to her.
[00:20:29] This is the word of God for the people of God.
[00:20:33] Thanks be to God.
[00:20:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:20:34] In a moment, Pastor Kevin and I together will be bringing the sermon.
[00:20:44] But before we do that, we are going to sing a Charles Wesley hymn.
[00:20:48] If you don't know who Charles Wesley is, he is one of God's greatest gifts to modern-day hymnody.
[00:20:53] and one of my favorite Charles Wesley hymns is this one.
[00:20:57] Hymn number 167, Christ the Lord is Risen Today.
[00:21:01] Let's rise and sing that.
[00:21:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:21:03] You may be seated.
[00:24:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:24:27] I want to tell you about something extraordinary that happened last month at the U.S. Women's Half Marathon Championship.
[00:24:40] Big race with big stakes, giving opportunity to the top three women runners to represent the U.S. to the world.
[00:24:50] Now, for the better part of the race, for the first 12 out of the 13 miles, everything was going on as normal.
[00:24:58] In first place was a woman named Jess McLean.
[00:25:01] She was a comfortable lead over the second-place runner and then the third-place runner.
[00:25:05] And then, with about a mile left in the race, something unexpected happened.
[00:25:12] The pace car that was meant to guide the runners, instead of going straight like it was supposed to, took a left.
[00:25:20] and the three runners followed the pace car.
[00:25:24] And it wasn't until a third of the mile down the road that they realized that they had been on a wild goose chase and that the course was actually straight ahead.
[00:25:32] And so they had to circle back around, get back on the course, and long story short, the person who was the presumptive winner and the predictive favor all along came in not first, but ninth,
[00:25:45] and who had been in second place and third place came in 12th and 13th place respectively. Now, despite the protests, the race organizers said a decision is a decision. That's it. You know, when it comes to the race of life, it's interesting
[00:26:03] that so many people have so many different ways of running their race of life, don't they?
[00:26:10] And it's almost as if from the day we're born in our culture, we're told that you get to set your own course. You get to pick your own pace car, and just run it with sincerity, and just
[00:26:22] run it as fast and as effectively as you can. And I wonder, as I'm looking at our passage this morning, what the gospel writer, what the author John would say about that, whether that's really
[00:26:36] true. I think for John, what he would tell us this morning is actually, it really matters what course you run, and it really matters who you run to. Don't just pick any pace car. You have to know
[00:26:52] where you're running. And if there's a message that he has for us this morning, it's this. It's because Jesus really is risen, we must run to him. So what I want to do, and I'm going to pick up the
[00:27:06] first two points, and Kevin's going to take the third point. What we want to do is talk about why should we run to him. And let me give you the first reason. The reason why we should run to
[00:27:16] Jesus is this. Jesus cancels our sin. Jesus cancels our sin. We must run to Jesus because he cancels our sin. Now, the story picks up on Sunday morning. It's before dawn. It's a couple days after Jesus has been crucified and buried. And as far as anyone knows, this would-be Messiah
[00:27:38] now lays cold and bloodied in this dark tomb.
[00:27:45] But Mary Magdalene, Jesus' friend, just wants to be with her friend one more time.
[00:27:50] And so she goes to the tomb before dawn.
[00:27:54] And when she gets there, she encounters something completely unexpected.
[00:28:01] The stone that was supposed to be covering the tomb entrance was rolled away.
[00:28:08] And so, bam, she's off, and she's running back to find Peter and John, two disciples of Jesus.
[00:28:15] And here's what she says to them.
[00:28:17] She says, they've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him.
[00:28:24] Now let's go to verse 3.
[00:28:27] So Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb.
[00:28:31] Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
[00:28:37] He bent over, looked into the strips of linen, but did not go in.
[00:28:43] Now, Mary had been doing some running from the tomb back to Peter and John.
[00:28:49] And now it was Peter and John's turn to do some running.
[00:28:53] And for whatever reason, John, who's telling the story, John is the other disciple.
[00:28:59] For whatever reason, he says, I got there first.
[00:29:05] Does that bother you at all?
[00:29:07] I mean, why does, why do we care? Why does John say, I got there first? Is it because he wants everyone to know that he's really giga chad and in great shape and just for the record?
[00:29:22] Or is something else going on? So I want you to imagine that you're Peter. Mary has woken you up from your sleep and some business about the body not being there. So you groggily wake up, you
[00:29:37] throw on some clothes. You find John, and you're putting it all together, and then you guys go off running together, and you're running neck and neck, and you're thinking, you're thinking back to those strange noises that Jesus made, these predictions about him rising from the dead,
[00:29:53] and you're like, is this that? Is it really possible that he actually rose from the dead?
[00:30:03] And so you're running, and you're running, and you're wondering whether he really was risen.
[00:30:10] But then your mind goes to something else.
[00:30:13] More immediately, you're thinking back to the wee hours of Friday morning when you were in the courtyard and a servant girl was questioning you about your association with Jesus.
[00:30:24] And you denied him not once, not twice, but three times.
[00:30:30] And when you denied him that third time, Jesus, from the other side of the courtyard, just looks in your way and it's as if his eyes were saying, why, Peter? I have been faithful to you from day one.
[00:30:47] Why have you denied me now? And Peter's thinking about that and now he's running more slowly.
[00:30:57] He's excited to see Jesus, but it's a mixed excitement. He sort of wants to see Jesus, but he sort of doesn't so why did Peter outrun John let's put it this way John read with John
[00:31:18] ran to the tomb with unfettered excitement Peter on the other hand it's like he had these ankle weights on and if you were to write anything on those ankle weights one ankle weight would say
[00:31:32] unresolved sin and the other would say unresolved guilt and that's because while John was all in Peter was mixed. Now, here's what happens next. Verse 6. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. Finally, the other disciple had reached the tomb first,
[00:31:53] also went inside. He saw and believed. They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Okay, so the two
[00:32:08] men come to the tomb, they see the empty tomb, and they saw and they believed on the basis of the empty tomb. But verse 9 gives us a big but. But they still did not understand from scriptures
[00:32:24] that Jesus had to rise from the dead. They believed the fact of the resurrection, but they didn't understand the so what. They didn't understand the difference resurrection made for them.
[00:32:39] And then, verse 10, it says they went back home where they were staying.
[00:32:46] They don't stick around because they don't understand.
[00:32:52] Now, if you're here this morning, then I would submit that you're in one, maybe two of three categories.
[00:32:59] You might be here, and you're all in, and you're just like John, running to the tomb.
[00:33:04] And when you woke up this morning, you said, hot dog, it's Easter.
[00:33:07] I can't wait to get to church.
[00:33:09] And you're the first one in the car, and you're driving out of the driveway.
[00:33:12] It's like you ran to get here.
[00:33:14] because you're so excited to meet your risen Lord this morning. Others of you more closely identify with Peter. I mean, it's not like you're unhappy to be here, but you're not at 100% excitement. You're more at 50% excitement and 50% of unresolved business. And the problem is,
[00:33:40] is you've got this issues of unresolved guilt and unresolved shame that's just vaguely lingering in your head, and that's why you're not super excited. Excited enough to be here, but you're mixed.
[00:33:55] There's others of you here who believe in the fact of the resurrection, but you're unclear as to why it even matters. For you, it's like a neat trick, but so what? Well, here's the thing. If you're
[00:34:13] unclear at the resurrection, you know what's going to happen? You're going to do just what Peter and John did, you're not going to stick around. We'll see you at the candlelight service. You need to
[00:34:27] understand the why. So, if you're either on the mixed category or the unclear category, let me direct your attention to verses 11 and 13. Let's go there now. Mary stood outside the tomb, and as
[00:34:40] she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, woman, why are you crying?
[00:34:54] They've taken my Lord away. And she said, and I don't know where they put him.
[00:35:01] Okay. There's two details I want to draw your attention to. I encourage people, when you read the scripture, details always matter. Pay close attention to the details. There's two details I want to draw your attention to here. First detail is that there are two angels. And that's unusual
[00:35:19] because almost always in the Bible, when there's an angelic encounter, it's usually one angel.
[00:35:26] The second detail is one angel is sitting at the foot of the bench where Jesus was lay. It was like the stone box inside the tomb. And the other was sitting at the head where Jesus lay. Now, let me
[00:35:41] comment on those two details. First of all, the only place I can clearly think in Scripture where two angels show up is on the Ark of the Covenant. Now, if you've seen the old movie Raiders of the
[00:35:53] Lost Ark, you know what the Ark of the Covenant is. It was this box, say four feet by two feet by two feet, overlaid with gold. And then there were these brass, these gold hoops that poles were
[00:36:06] permanently placed into. And the purpose of the poles was so that the priests and only the priests could take up the ark and put it down.
[00:36:22] Take it up and put it down.
[00:36:29] Here's two more things you need to know about the Ark of the Covenant.
[00:36:32] The Ark of the Covenant was the special place where God was present to forgive sins.
[00:36:39] That's why they sometimes call it the mercy seat.
[00:36:44] And that's why they put it in the most holy place in the temple.
[00:36:47] And if you wanted forgiveness, you go to the Ark of the Covenant back in Judaism. Here's the second last thing you need to know about the Ark of the Covenant. On either end of that box, there are two handcrafted angels.
[00:37:02] Do you remember what Mary said to Peter and John when she woke him up? She said, they have taken up the Lord and I don't know where they've put him down. They've taken up the Lord
[00:37:16] and I don't know where they've put him down. Using the exact same language that the Bible uses to describe the picking up and putting down of the Ark of the Covenant. Do you know why God
[00:37:31] sent two angels to the tomb that day? Because he wanted to let the world know, he wanted to let the first century Jews know that when you went to the temple, you need to go somewhere else.
[00:37:45] If you needed forgiveness, that forgiveness was now found in Jesus. It's almost like on Easter Sunday, God hung up a sign on the temple that said, we've moved. Please visit us at our new location. And that location is the body of Jesus, and that body of Jesus still provides us for our
[00:38:07] sins. This is why Jesus had to be raised. He had to be raised in order for my forgiveness and for your forgiveness. Now, you might be saying, pastor, you don't know how badly I've gotten off the rails.
[00:38:22] You don't know how serious my sin is.
[00:38:25] And you're right, I don't, but Jesus does.
[00:38:28] And here's the deal.
[00:38:31] Is Jesus, because your sin is so serious and was so serious, that's why he had to be raised.
[00:38:38] Because it had to be absolutely positively verified that whoever the high priest was forgiving their sins, he had to have the confirmation from God.
[00:38:47] And what better confirmation from God could we have than a risen Jesus?
[00:38:51] Why do we run to Jesus?
[00:38:53] Because he cancels our sins.
[00:38:55] I don't know where you are this morning.
[00:38:57] Maybe you've got those ankle weights of shame and guilt, and you just need Jesus to rip those off.
[00:39:03] Or maybe you're here this morning, and you've been unclear about this resurrection business.
[00:39:07] Well, I'm telling you, Jesus was raised in order that he might deal with your sin.
[00:39:12] And so the question for you is, will you allow Jesus to deal with your sin?
[00:39:17] Will you give that to him and say, Lord, I'm done and I need to come to this new ark of the covenant and give you my sin. And when it's gone, it's gone. Past, present, and future. Here's the second reason we need to run to Jesus
[00:39:33] is because Jesus calls our name. We need to run to Jesus because he calls our name. At this, verse 14, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
[00:39:46] He asked her, woman, why are you crying?
[00:39:51] Who are you looking for?
[00:39:54] Thinking he was a gardener, she said, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.
[00:40:02] Jesus said to her, Mary.
[00:40:06] Now, Jesus is the good shepherd.
[00:40:10] And Jesus' sheep know his voice.
[00:40:15] Mary knows his voice.
[00:40:18] Do you know the voice of Jesus?
[00:40:20] How do you know?
[00:40:21] if you've heard the voice of Jesus? Well, it kind of depends on the kind of call. What kind of call is Jesus' call? So, there's three things I quickly want to say about Jesus' call. First, that it's a
[00:40:35] clarifying call. Let's go back to these verses in John 20, verses 14 to 16. Focus now on verse 14.
[00:40:44] At this, Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn't know that it was Jesus.
[00:40:51] Now, this is curious because Mary knows Jesus really well.
[00:40:56] And yet, that day, she's staring at him right in the face, and she didn't recognize that it was him.
[00:41:04] It's kind of curious.
[00:41:07] Have you ever heard of the condition prosopagnosia?
[00:41:11] Prosopagnosia, also more commonly known as face blindness, it means this inability or this limited cognitive ability to recognize even the most familiar faces.
[00:41:20] Brad Pitt suffers from prosopagnosia, as does Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.
[00:41:27] In fact, I have a friend named Larry who's pastor of one of the largest churches in Southern California.
[00:41:35] Around the fourth or fifth time we got together, ran into each other, he said, do I know you?
[00:41:41] I said, yeah, Larry.
[00:41:42] In fact, we've had two meals together, but that's okay.
[00:41:48] And Larry has face blindness.
[00:41:51] and sometimes I wonder if I have face blindness. Does Mary suffer from face blindness? Not technical, but spiritually she does. Here's the truth about there's physical face blindness, and then there's spiritual face blindness. You know what the Bible says? The Bible says that there's this condition
[00:42:14] called face blindness, and how prevalent is it? It impacts everyone who's born into this world, because when we come into this world, we're blind to who Jesus really is.
[00:42:25] We can't really see him for who he is and there's only one cure for face blindness and you know what that cure is?
[00:42:31] It's the clarifying call of Jesus.
[00:42:34] When Jesus calls you and you hear him call you, suddenly you see Jesus for who he really is.
[00:42:43] Now you might be sitting here and someone just dragged you to church and you don't really believe this stuff and you're saying, well, that doesn't really seem fair.
[00:42:52] So what you're saying is I have to wait to Jesus to call me before I can respond to him?
[00:42:57] I mean, so it's just totally out of my control.
[00:43:02] Let me say yes and no.
[00:43:05] We do have to wait for Jesus' call before we respond to him.
[00:43:09] He calls first.
[00:43:11] If you're here today and you know him, it's not because you picked him.
[00:43:14] He called you.
[00:43:15] Here's the second thing you need to know.
[00:43:18] Is that even though that's true, notice what Mary's doing.
[00:43:23] She's weeping beside the tomb.
[00:43:25] Why is she weeping beside the tomb? Because she's confused and she's hit rock bottom.
[00:43:33] You know, there's something about it. When Jesus appears to Mary, he appears to her through her tears. And maybe the reason you're not hearing Jesus' voice is you still have answers and you haven't hit rock bottom. Jesus has a wave coming to us, especially when we've hit rock bottom.
[00:43:56] A great Christian writer, C.S. Lewis, put it this way.
[00:43:59] He said, God whispers to us in our pleasures and he shouts to us in our pain.
[00:44:07] If you're in a place of pain right now, friend, that's an opportunity.
[00:44:13] Let me describe this call two other ways very quickly.
[00:44:15] It's not just a clarifying call.
[00:44:17] It's a comforting call.
[00:44:18] Jesus said to her, Mary, verse 16, Mary had a problem.
[00:44:24] She was confused.
[00:44:25] She didn't know what was going on.
[00:44:27] She needed comforting. How do you solve a problem like Mary? Here's what you do. You have Jesus speak a word of her, a word that says, I understand who you are. I understand your story. I get you. And
[00:44:41] in life, we don't need to know everything that's going on. We don't have to have all the answers.
[00:44:45] We just need to know the one who understands us and who gets us. And when we know Jesus calls us, it's a comforting call. The last thing, it's a compelling call. Mary, Jesus said to her, Mary,
[00:44:58] and she turned to him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher.
[00:45:02] And then skip down to verse 18.
[00:45:04] Mary Magdalene goes to the disciples and said, I've seen the Lord.
[00:45:09] Notice that Mary calls Jesus teacher and Lord.
[00:45:15] Now, if you're here this morning and you said, you know what, I've been forgiven by Jesus and I've been comforted by him.
[00:45:24] But if you're still in the driver's seat, he's not really your Lord, is he?
[00:45:29] You know that you've been called by Jesus when it's a compelling call that leads you to call him not just teacher, but the Lord.
[00:45:40] Is he the Lord of your life?
[00:45:41] If he's not, you have not heard his compelling call.
[00:45:45] Kevin?
[00:45:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:45:46] There are lots of great parts of Easter.
[00:45:58] At least one part of it is the food.
[00:46:00] I don't know when Hawaiian rolls became essential at Easter, but it is for me and my family, and I hope you enjoy some too today.
[00:46:06] family and friends often this is a weekend that's usually extended maybe there's a nap coming your way probably not today but maybe yesterday or tomorrow or something we joked about this like when I was a kid I couldn't wait to wake up on Easter because I knew there would be a basket of
[00:46:26] candy at the table where my spot was I couldn't wait for that but as a parent now it really is the family photo. As silly as that sounds, we joked about it, but it's true. A few weeks ago,
[00:46:38] my wife, Christy, and our six-year-old daughter, Kinsey, were switching from like warm or cold weather clothes to warm weather clothes. She has enough clothes where she has to switch them out completely. And she's growing and all the things. And Kinsey, during that time, she holds up two
[00:46:54] dresses. And you got to know this about my daughter. She's very much a tomboy. Her favorite thing to wear is whatever her brothers had on the day before. We try to like, you know, make sure
[00:47:02] the clothes are clean. But she loves, like, she has her choice. She's wearing athletic shorts and a t-shirt. She probably has some kind of temporary tattoo on her arm, like serious kind of tomboy thing. But she was holding up two dresses and she said to Christy, hey, I know that day's coming up
[00:47:20] where you like for me to wear a dress and we take a picture. So I'm going to hold on to these for that day. She doesn't know the holiday of Easter. All she knows is that's the day mom wants her to
[00:47:31] wear a dress and take a picture. That's what she knows. And right now, if you think about it, you can pray for my wife because my daughter is probably renegotiating the terms of our agreement.
[00:47:42] Yesterday, we went to Publix and we bought a little cake. Do what you got to do. I'm not writing a parenting book. We bought a little cake and this is your reward for wearing at least a
[00:47:53] skirt today. And right now they're renegotiating. I hope you get the food and the nap and the candy and the family picture you want, because all of those are great parts of Easter. But I also hope
[00:48:06] you get Jesus too. Because Jesus is alive. We get to run to him. He cancels our sin. He calls us by name and he considers us family. When, as Pastor Nick said, when Jesus called Mary's name, it
[00:48:20] changed her whole world. Because there's nothing like hearing Jesus call your name. In John 10, Jesus compared himself to the good shepherd. When the good shepherd calls his sheep, he calls them by name and they answer. Jesus knew Mary. He loved Mary. And upon hearing her name, she turned to him.
[00:48:41] She cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, just my teacher. Imagine when she realizes him, she runs and says, my teacher, and Jesus says this in verse 17, do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended
[00:48:56] to the Father. I imagine that she saw Jesus, she just wanted to hold him, just like you would if you saw somebody you hadn't seen in ages. If one of your loved one died and they were back here on
[00:49:07] earth, would you ever let them go? I wouldn't. And Jesus says, no, no, you can't hold on to me.
[00:49:15] Things are going to be different now. I'm not going to be with you in the same way. But here's the thing too, Mary, you're not going to lose me ever again. But now you can't stay here and hold me. I
[00:49:25] know you want to. You can't stay here and hold me because there's something you got to go tell your brothers back home. This is what it says. Go instead to my brothers and tell them.
[00:49:33] I'm ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God. This is my, I think my 40th Easter on the planet. And I've heard this story a lot. And I never understood how important those
[00:49:49] words were. If you can put them back on the screen. Up until this point, John, when he's telling the story of Jesus, Jesus has only ever called his disciples, disciples, servants, or friends.
[00:50:04] Beautiful things. Here he calls them brothers. And Jesus, when he talked about God, he talked about it as the Father, my Father, my Father who sent me. But here he says, your Father and your God.
[00:50:18] Because in light of Jesus' death and resurrection, it wasn't just that Jesus is different, it's that what is available to us as regular human beings and disciples of Jesus is fundamentally different.
[00:50:31] We can know God like Jesus knows God. We are not just servants of God, not just people, but family.
[00:50:39] We can become a real family with God as our Father and live under his protection and his care and his love, both now and forever. John told us this would happen. All the way back in chapter
[00:50:52] 1, verse 12, he said this, yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. We're not strangers to God, but children. And that was
[00:51:06] always the plan. You can go back to Genesis 1 and see it there from the beginning. He always intended people to be family with him. And we are or can be like lost children who find their way
[00:51:19] home. I told you I'm not writing a parenting book. I lost my son in Penn Station for three minutes the other weekend, and it was horrible. And when I saw him again, he was actually sitting down where
[00:51:31] we had just been. I just didn't think to look in the place that he would most likely be. That's on me. What it is like when the lost is found, that's how God feels about us. We can be fully known in
[00:51:46] love. Jesus is alive, and we can become children of God, and so we can become Jesus' family.
[00:51:54] The story closes in verse 18. Mary went to the disciples with the news, I've seen the Lord, and she told them that he had said these things to her. And Mary's the first witness to the
[00:52:03] resurrection. She's the one who tells people that Jesus is alive for the first time, and I've seen them. And 2,000 years later, we still meet. You guys get dressed up. We sing the same old songs.
[00:52:14] They wouldn't have it any other way. And then we eat Hawaiian rolls. It's beautiful. As we move into thinking, how do we apply this sermon, this text to our lives? I was reminded this week of
[00:52:27] what my wife said after I preached the Christmas Eve sermon. This is what she said. She's like, that was pretty good for a Christmas sermon. Why is she like that? Actually, if you know her,
[00:52:39] that was a legitimate compliment and you take that. You take that. What she meant to say is it's actually kind of hard to preach and teach these same old stories because we know them and we kind
[00:52:50] of nod our way through like, yeah, I know. I know. It can be hard to have fresh ears to hear these old words in a new way. And so I actually want to invite you to try something new today. Well,
[00:53:04] it's actually very old. It's 500 years old, but it's likely very new to you. So the practice that we're going to practice in just a second together is called gospel contemplation, and it goes all
[00:53:17] the way back to a Spanish priest in the time of the Reformation. So his name is Ignatius, and he's one of those faithful pastors who stayed in the Catholic church and said, you know what, I'm not
[00:53:28] going to leave this place. I'm going to try to renew it from the inside out and help these people rediscover the goodness of the gospel of Jesus. I'm going to stay, and we're going to find out
[00:53:37] the goodness of God here together. That's what he said. And one way he chose to do that, he found that would help people rediscover the beauty and goodness of Jesus was by visualizing themselves in the story and letting Jesus and the events of Jesus' life be present to them all over again.
[00:53:56] So here's what we're going to do together. In a moment, I'm going to invite you to close your eyes and I'm going to give you verbal prompts to imagine yourself in this story, just the short
[00:54:06] part of it. You're going to imagine that you stood where Mary stood and saw what she saw and met Jesus. Now, this may seem strange to you. I promise to never ask you to do something like this again.
[00:54:21] But for today, let's use our imaginations together. God can redeem absolutely anything.
[00:54:26] We can do this together. Again, if it's horrible, eat your feelings later.
[00:54:30] but for now I want to invite you right now to close your eyes and imagine like Mary you are standing next to a stone mound with a small opening about waist high it's cool the day
[00:54:59] smells fresh and it's dark but the sun is just beginning to light up the sky then from behind you you hear someone approaching and you turn away from the stone grave to look and you see
[00:55:22] a man approaching from a distance. He looks familiar to you, but you can't see him clearly.
[00:55:35] And as the man comes closer, he asks you these two questions. Why are you crying? And who is it you are looking for? And just like Mary in the story, so her answer was she was looking for
[00:55:51] Jesus' body, but your answer will be different. But really, in your mind, to that man, answer these questions. What's painful to you right now? What are you worrying about? What do you want most in the world? And tell them to that man. And now in response, imagine Jesus calling you by name.
[00:56:41] You can open your eyes. Just a question for you and something for you to process today. And when you imagined hearing Jesus say your name, how did you respond? Was there joy? Was there relief?
[00:56:58] Did you feel some version of like, oh, he shouldn't be talking to me, or I don't really know him?
[00:57:05] That exercise, imagining myself in this story, was the most impactful thing I did this week, the most meaningful thing to me as I went through this scripture this week, because to imagine Jesus calling my name, it was both familiar and fresh.
[00:57:21] Mary's whole life changed.
[00:57:22] She heard Jesus call her name, and I can't help but think, for you and me, the greatest moments of our lives are and will be when we first hear Jesus call our name somehow, some way in our
[00:57:33] everyday lives here, and then when we see Jesus face to face, and he will call us again by name.
[00:57:39] And there will be some part of how he says it where we've never heard it before, and it is the most familiar voice in all the world. Whatever and wherever you are in your relationship with
[00:57:53] God, you just got to know this. Jesus is alive and he knows you and he is calling you by name. He will call you by name one day and he wants you to be a part of his family and your sin and whatever
[00:58:07] mistakes you make can't get in the way. In the resurrection, we find out that forgiveness is real and new life is possible and we're still celebrating that together. Please pray with me. Jesus, thank you. Thank you for going through what you had to go through so that you could be with Mary in this
[00:58:27] moment and the disciples coming up and here with us 2,000 years later. In the midst of our grief and our pain and the things going on in our lives, would we hear from you? Would you call us by name
[00:58:41] and will we come to love you and being with you more than anything else? I pray for Easter day.
[00:58:52] I pray for family and friends and good music and rest and joy and delight would there be awe and wonder for us again today would you make today fresh for us thank you again for these people
[00:59:03] in this place in Jesus name amen one of the things the resurrection proves is that Jesus really was telling the truth and he really is in charge and there's nothing sin death and evil can
[00:59:16] do about it and we're going to close our service this morning by singing about that so would you stand and sing, crown him with many crowns. Tate of time. That's so good. Also, we don't talk like
[01:02:40] that anymore, but you guys sing it and I'm proud of you. A couple things. If you are a visitor, we do have guest bag, visitor bags, gift bags we'd love to give to you on the way out. If you want to
[01:02:51] get a family picture, we have that backdrop set in the Welcome Center. And now as you go to your life, whatever you have for the rest of the day, today, this week, go in the power of the resurrected
[01:03:02] to Jesus. There is now a life available to you in the family of God and under the power of Jesus, more powerful than even death. Go in peace. Amen.
