Easter at Special Event Center

Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:1-8

Restoration of Everything!

CIT: The Tomb is empty

CIS: Restoration of Mary Magdalene 

SO: The hearer will accept Christ as Savior

Are you enjoying service so far?

Intro:  Easter is all about the resurrection of Christ. 

Resurrection means that new beginnings are possible. That what is dead can come back to life. 

Everything that we will ever need was accomplished on the Cross. Jesus bore our pain, removed our sins, and healed our infirmities with the work that was done on the Cross. The Stamp of approval is when he conquers death and the grave by his resurrection on the 3rd day. 

Good Friday service was awesome, and we were intentional about leaving Jesus in the tomb. The word says to mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice. Friday, we mourned as his disciples did, and Today, we rejoice as the world does because it has a savior. 

I once had a friend who was in an accident in his jeep. He was t-boned by a lady on his way back from church and the jeep rolled over and he flew out and he landed safely but the jeep was not so lucky. He described it as leaking fluids all over the road. The jeep was obviously totaled, it was an old red jeep he had for 20 plus years. If you just dented it then it was probably mathematically totaled. The jeep and him had many adventures and experiences but none that ended like this. A couple of weeks later he bought the jeep back from the insurance company and instead of buying a new car, he spent the better part of the next year fixing each issue and was able to get the jeep back to being his daily driver. He did it because he believed that Jesus was about restoring things. That Jesus was not scared of the damage that has been done or what others evaluated us as. His greatest desire is for all of us to be restored to a relationship with him. 

My friend said the jeep was never 100% restored. It pulled to the right some, it leaked oil everywhere it was parked and had a few things that only the former owner would notice. But it had a story. A story that included an awesome day where it was changed forever. 

When we have an encounter with Jesus it should wreck us. A lot. But God will begin the process of restoring us piece by piece. Our life should be a little different than we were. We may not walk the same, we might leak some oil, but being redeemed is not about being perfect, it is about the process of being restored to a relationship with God.

When Christ died on the Cross on Friday he purchased us all. The world changed. Nothing would ever be the same again. But when he died, it left his friends with a sense of loss. Their world was like the flipped over jeep. Nothing made sense. but then the story continues.

Let’s get into the story…I want to start with a woman named Mary.

If you have a Bible, tablet, or phone, turn to Matthew 28. You can go to d1.church/notes, and the scriptures and key points will be there.

1. Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:1-3)

 Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. 

EXP: The Bible tells us that Jesus walked from town to town preaching the Good News! What good news? That the Kingdom of God had come. Because of his presence the world was changed and now we could have a personal relationship with God. God personally wants to be our King and he wants us (all of us) to be his people. He traveled with the 12 disciples who were all men, but he also had female disciples who were just as close. One of them mentioned here was named Mary Magdalene. 

ILL: Who is Mary Magdalene? Some people say she is actually Mary of Magdala and that it was an area of land around the Sea of Galilee. Others say that magdala means High Tower, and conclude that she lived in a tower or high place. To give you some context about Mary, the word Magdalene in the English language usually refers to a prostitute. Our bible tells us that Mary had been cursed and diseased and had seven demons come out when Jesus healed her. 

Mary is a person that many of us would believe could not be restored. She had voices in her head that convinced her to do things she did not want to. She was most likely full of lust and anger. She was tough and had seen things she wished she could forget. But one day she met Jesus. She did not clean up before coming to church, she ran into God and he changed her life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

APP: Mary had an encounter with Jesus. She was changed in just a moment. Now she is traveling with God and his disciples. Spreading the good news. Oh what good news it was for her. She was finally free and had found her place in the world.

T.S.: Mary walked with Jesus, ate with Jesus, we see her in our bible at the Last Supper, at the Cross, wherever her redeemer goes she goes. Until he dies and is buried. Now she is lost! This is where we find Mary this morning…

2. Mary finds the Empty tomb (John 20:1-2)

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

EXP: Mary went to the tomb with a group of women to do the burial spices performed on the dead bodies. This practice could not be done on the day Jesus died, because he was laid to rest at sundown and the Sabbath day had already began. So they had to wait until there was a sunrise on Sunday to come and do it. In Matthew’s Gospel we learn that when they arrived the stone had been rolled away by an earthquake caused by angels who told them that Jesus was risen and they were encouraged to go and tell the others. Mary tells them that she knows the tomb is empty, we don’t know what happened. She could not believe it. 

ILL: While Jesus was alive, Mary walked with him, She ate with him, there are not many stories in our bible that Mary was not with him in life. Now in his death she would be the first to see him. Except he was gone. Her devotion was unfulfilled.  

ILL: I want to be real about Christianity for a moment; About life for a moment. Sometimes we can find our anchor in a person. As long as that person is around we are safe, we feel secure, we know nothing bad can happen. And then there is the day when that person is no longer with us, they passed away, they moved away. We feel alone and never the same again. Mary is having a very reaction to the loss of Jesus as a friend.

Some of us have had experiences where it feels like Jesus has left us or we might have walked away from the faith and know that we are alone. This is a real moment in each of our lives. The one where we feel alone in our life and trouble without Jesus. Mary is feeling all of it. Her person, her savior is nowhere to be found. 

APP: To Mary at this moment, it does not matter if he was stolen or if he was in heaven, He is not directly with her and the disciples. She feels alone and vulnerable for the first time in a long time.

T.S: Whether you were Mary, Peter, John, or any other disciple, you were experiencing grief at the highest level. Jesus, the man, your friend, did not just die but everything you have built for three years and everything you had in mind for your future. All Hope had died. 

3. Jesus comes to Mary (John 20:11-16).

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 have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have 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 are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

EXP: The Bible tells us that after she told the disciples, then Peter and John had verified the empty tomb. Mary was still there in the garden. She came back to where Jesus was supposed to be. She needed more. If she could just find something that would give her hope. Then it happened, two angels were in the tomb with her and asked “Why are you crying?” She knew exactly why. They had taken Jesus away. Then Jesus came to her and asked her the same question. Except this time it was more sarcastic, I believe: “If you are crying because I am not here? Then what now? What else are you looking for?” She does not appreciate the sarcasm and demands this person give him back Jesus as she turns to him in emotion he calls her name.”Mary” she knew immediately it was Jesus. “Teacher!” 

ILL: I grew up in church. Not the same church I now attend. I learned the Ten Commandments, I learned God loved me, I gave my life to him, I prayed and believed. I remember fighting for him among non believers in my school. Then one day I became disillusioned with Christ. Maybe you did too. The world's ways and his ways did not align. I made a choice. Someone I loved died for no good reason. I made a choice. I fell out of love with Jesus and in love with a person. A choice had to be made. So I made one. Perhaps you made the same choice? Maybe it was your choice, maybe the choice was made for you. Whatever it was, you and God became separated. Once that happens it is just more reason to continue to choose your own way instead of his. 

Then one day I found myself sitting at the place where my God was laid to rest. Where I watched him hang on a cross and die. Others told he was still alive, but I just could not see it. I was there broken and beaten up and cried. Inside I heard the voice “Why are you crying?” I answered you know why I am crying, I feel nothing, I am dead inside. I am alone. Then a different voice showed up. When he asked what I was looking for, I told him. I needed a savior, I needed Jesus. I need the God of heaven to show up. As I was shouting at the moon, he called my name and embraced me. 

APP: You see in the Jeep Story, I am the Jeep. Me and Jesus once had it good. Until the crash. But He redeemed me. He bought me back with a price. He chose me even when I could not see him. He came to me and embraced me when I finally figured out I could not do it alone. Truth is I never wanted to be alone. I always needed a savior. In this moment because he showed up, not because I found him, he showed up. The same thing happened to me that happened to Mary. This is when Mary was completely restored. Not perfect, but restored to a relationship with God.

TS: The point of the resurrection is not just that we get to follow Jesus in being raised from the dead. Although it is a pretty good perk. The point is that God never left us. No matter how broken we are, no matter how bad the circumstance is, Jesus is coming for us. Even if we abandoned him, he will be right there when you call on his name. Today could be that day. The day the sadness ends and new life begins. 

Prayer teams:

 If you believe Jesus is the son of God, today you can pray, and he will be your savior. He will never leave or forsake you; he will not leave you without his word or a future. Your eternal life can begin today. If this message was for you, I want you to say this prayer to me. As a matter of fact, will you repeat after me?

Heavenly Father, /I want you to be the Lord of my life. /Thank you for your death, burial, and resurrection. /Today, I confess that I am a sinner and need forgiveness. /Forgive me. /I give my life to you. /Help me walk in your way. /In your name, I pray. Amen.

Would you raise your hand if you prayed that prayer for the first time? Will you then come forward and let the prayer team pray individually with you and give you some next steps? 

We also want to pray for needs today:

 If you need healing in your body,

 Suppose you need restoration in your relationship,

if you want to be closer to God.

The prayer teams are aligned all along the stage in front. We are going to play a worship song. This is your chance. 

I came to get you, so come on now.