Message by Josh Mutter – August 4, 2024
BIG IDEA: Jesus is God’s presence with us in the crisis of loss.
John 20:11-18 (NIV) 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”). 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.
Observation 1: Mary’s grief puts her in a position to experience something that the others did not.
Observation 2: The crisis of loss keeps Mary from seeing the reality of the situation.
John 10:27 (NIV) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
Observation 3: Jesus gives Mary a new perspective on her experience of loss.
CLOSING THOUGHT 1: Jesus transforms our experiences of loss by “being God with us.”
Psalm 34:18 (NIV) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Matthew 5:4 (NIV) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
CLOSING THOUGHT 2: Consider what we can do to put ourselves in a position to experience Jesus.
You can listen to the sermon on YouTube here.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | RSS