Mary Magdalene, the Witness of the Resurrection (Jn. 20:1-18)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” We pray that the same amount of grace will be upon the regions of Yakima, Seattle, Alabama, and Mongolia.
The title of today’s message is, “Mary Magdalene, the Witness of the Resurrection.” Mary Magdalene is just a representative, but this Word is applicable to us. There are a lot of religions in this world, and they are formed in order for people to live a good and upright life. But Christinaity is the one unique religion that talks about a being Who has died and resurrected. All other religions don’t have a being who has died and resurrected and who works even now. So what do we believe in? We believe in the fact that Jesus Christ has died, and resurrected. So the other things aren’t something you believe, they’re just things you value and you live with. So the correct works will arise from the correct faith. What do I believe in right now? That’s what you need to think about. Am I believing in myself? Do I believe in my own righteousness? Or do I believe in the words of the 66 books of the Bible. We need to believe in only the Jesus Christ Who has died and resurrected, because all things will be resolved and arise from this.
1. First day after the Sabbath (Jn. 20:1)
A lot of the problems that you’re facing can’t be solved on your own, instead it will be contorted and twisted. Only when you believe in the Jesus Christ Who has died on the cross, finished everything, and has resurrected is when the darkness and void will disappear. In the Word today, it says, “The first day after the Sabbath,” so the day after Jesus resurrected. In the Old Testament, it said, “Keep the Sabbath,” and the Sabbath is technically on Saturday. There are some religions that say, “Why don’t you keep the Sabbath?” but they don’t believe in Jesus. They might say, “But I do believe in Jesus.”
1) Sabbath
(1) Worship
(2) Lord of the Sabbath – Jesus Christ (Mt. 12:8)
(3) Worshiped Jesus the first day after the Sabbath
The Sabbath, the feasts, and the Tabernacle were all foreshadowings of Jesus Christ, so once Jesus Chirst has come, we need to worship Him. So that is why we worship Jesus Christ on the day He resurrected, which is the first day after Sabbath. Worshipping HIm means we worship Him as our ruler and as our King. Then what results from that is rest. So people might emphasize the Sabbath, but they don’t have any rest. In other words, they’re giving worship, but they don’t have rest. Worship means you are saying to the Lord, “You are my Lord and my Master.” So worshiping the Lord gives you peace.
2) Empty tomb
(1) Mary told two disciples (Jn. 20:2)
So Mary Magdalene goes to the Tomb to see if Jesus is there, but they remove the stone, and she sees it is empty. Because she is so surprised, she goes to the two disciples and tells them about it.
(2) 2 disciples confirmed the empty tomb (Jn. 20:6-8)
The two disciples go to see for themselves, and it says that they believed.
(3) Did not know that Jesus will rise from the dead (9)
But in Jn. 20:9, it says they did not believe from the scriptures that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Jesus had been continuously telling His disciples that He needed to die and resurrect, but they did not understand, why? Because the disciples had been focusing on the things of the earth. If you focus on the things of the earth, then you can’t hear the things of heaven. If you’re obsessed with the problems of materials and people, then you cannot hear the Words of Heaven. Jesus said, “My Words are life and spirit.” You can only hear the Word through the working of the Holy Spirit, and that is when you are liberated.
3) Mary
(1) 2 angels were sitting in the tomb(Jn. 20:12)
It says that Mary bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels, one at the head and one at the foot.
(2) Angels asked (13)
The angels ask her, “Why are you crying?” Mary says, “I know the Lord has died, but I don’t know where He is.”
(3) Saw Jesus but did not realize (14)
After she said that, Jesus was standing there, but she didn’t realize it was Jesus. The Lord Who has died and resurrected is with us now. But Mary was just sad about the physical appearance of what had happened, but the Jessu Who was invisibly with her, she was unable to believe in. If you’re overly invested in your emotions, you won’t believe that Jesus is with you. You need to believe in the words that we have been liberated from the law of sin and death and have now come into the law of Spirit and Life, but because you don’t feel it, you don’t believe it. People continuously try to follow after their feelings, but you can’t feel this at all. You can only be freed if you believe in this proclaimed Word. If you are obsessed with the problems and chaos you are facing, then you won’t be able to believe this. You have to believe in the words of Jesus Christ Who has resurrected.
So what are you sad about as we look and ponder about what Mary is sad about? What are you happy about? If it has nothing to do with the Lord, it is nothing. If you have a problem, you are so full of concerns and worries, and you don’t believe or see that the resurrected Lord is with you through that, and that is why you are afraid. That is the Word the Lord is giving us through Mary. Don’t believe in your thoughts or emotions, but instead believe in God’s Word. Don’t believe in the symptoms, but believe in God’s Word. Because the Lord has promised that He will be with us until the ends of the earth. You might be depressed, but if you believe that the resurrected Lord is with you, you can overcome your depression. Christ is the One Who can conquer your powerlessness. What is the standard of this? It appears to those who believe in the fact that the Resurrected Lord is with them.
2. Jesus who resurrected
1) Said to Mary (Jn. 20:15)
(1) Mary thought he was the gardener (15)
Jesus speaks to Mary, but Mary thinks He is the gardener. So these gardeners take care of the gardens, and in the Garden of Eden, Adam the first man and his wife died because of sin. Adam wasn’t able to save his wife, but this second Adam, Jessu Christ, is able to save Mary through His death. In other words, Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, is able to save the church.
(2) Jesus said to her, “Mary” (16)
Jesus speaks to her, but she is unable to understand. When Jesus says her name, “Mary,” that is when Mary is able to recognize Him.
(3) Mary realized it was Jesus (16)
The sheep are able to recognize and follow the voice of their shepherd. The Lord is our Lord and Shepherd, and that is why we react to His voice. That is when you know He is the Resurrected Lord, and you react to that.
2) Resurrected Jesus
(1) Two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24:15-16)
There are similar verses to this in Lk. 24:15-16. There are two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The Resurrected Lord is standing right next to them, but they’re unable to recognize Him; they’re even conversing with Him but they don’t recognize Him. When are they able to recognize Jesus?
(2) Explained that the Old Testament concerned Jesus (27)
It is when Jesus starts to explain the Word to them. You can’t recognize Jesus through your feelings, and you don’t feel Jesus because your work is prosperous or abundant.
(3) Recognized resurrected Jesus (31)
In Jn. 1:1, when God works upon you with His Word, Which is Jesus Christ, is when you are able to experience Him. Jesus’ Words are life. The Word is Spirit and it is what gives us life. We are able to realize and understand this Word through the Holy spirit. But those who fail at this have their feelings as their standard. They say, “I can’t feel Jesus. I’m ill but I can’t feel Jesus. I’m facing a problem but I can’t feel Jesus.” That is the characteristic of the people who fail in their walk of faith. Jesus is Spirit, so how could we feel Him? Jesus is His Word, and when you believe in this Word of Jesus Christ through the working of the Holy Spirit is when you can believe and know and enjoy the fact that Jesus Christ has died and resurrected.
So do you believe that God is with you and that He has overcome the authority of Satan, sin, and hell, curses and disasters? The 12 disciples and Mary know Jesus ,but they don’t believe that He has resurrected. There might be some of you who are like that; you believe in Jesus, but you don’t believe the fact that He has resurrected and He is with you. Then who are they loyal to? They’re loyal to their emotions, and when their emotions are good, they feel Jesus is with them. But when they face a problem, because their feelings are their standard, they feel like Jesus is no longer with them.
But one day, through the working of the Holy Spirit, when you personally meet Jesus’ Word, that is when you are able to believe in Him. Your children have come to church ever since they were young, so they know the doctrines, but they’ve never met this Resurrected Jesus. There are people like the disciples and Mary, but we don’t need to worry because God will give the ones He has called the grace to believe this. We don’t need to be discouraged because once we receive grace, we will be able to believe the fact that Jesus has resurrected.
3) Told them he was going to ascend
Then, Jesus says to Mary, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”
(1) My brothers (Jn. 20:17)
So Jesus is calling us His brothers. He is the first fruit of the resurrection, and that means we will also resurrect as the second and third fruits. He has overcome the authority of death, hell and Satan, and we will also resurrect with His authority.
(2) Your Father, your God (17)
Jesus is saying now that He’s returning to the Father, so He’s ascending back to heaven. He is saying that He will be at the right hand of God, seated at the thorne. Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit even now, this is what you must relay. The Lord of the Resurrection must rule within me in order for this void to go away. All of us are filled with the worldly things. In other words, inside of us, we don’t have the things of God; instead, we have the things of darkness of the world that have been rooted and natured into us. But it doesn’t matter because if the Lord of the Resurrection is with us, we will be able to conquer that. When the Lord rules over our weakness, then it turns into our strength. Even if we have a problem with addiction or mental illness, when the Lord rules over us, it will turn into peace. The first thing we must do is seek out His kingdom and His righteousness, then all of the physical things will be added onto you. Then what must we be focused on? Don’t focus on the physical things; instead focus on the Jesus Christ Who is the ruler over everything you own. Then all of the forces of darkness that are working upon you will break down. Even our scars will be broken before the Lord. Even if you try to endure it or get rid of it yourself, you can’t. When Christ rules over you is when you will experience this, and it is God’s plan for you to continuously spread this wherever you go. You’re not the main figure, but it is Jesus, and through you, it will be spread to your family, your field, and all nations.
(3) Tell them that I am ascending (17)
All things come from Jesus Christ. If you try to change multiple things at once, you’ll lose hold of all of them. Psalms 1:1 says the one who mediates on the Word day and night will bear fruit. Christ is the Word. When you focus and meditate on the Christ Who has died and resurrected, then you will bear fruit, and even your children who may be of the world will change too. But if you flip this order, then the emptiness, chaos, and darkness will continue to arise. Then the problem of addiction, homelessness, and mental illness in America can’t be changed through the government. The Resurrected Lord must be in the midst of that in order for them to be restored. The president’s rules won’t be able to change our inner things. Even if they give us a lot of money, our inner things would not change. When you believe and give over the reign of your life to Jesus Christ Who is your Lord, will the works arise.
Jesus is our wisdom. You don’t need to look for wisdom, because if you believe in Jesus, He will give it to you. You don’t need to fight, because Jesus Christ is victory. When you hold onto Jesus, then you will overcome. So physically if you yield to others, Jesus is the One Who will overcome. Don’t try to surround yourself with people, in order to protect yourself, instead believe that Jesus Christ is your shield and fortress. He is your healer. Through this one being, everything will be restored, and that is what you need to be a witness of. When this Word comes into you, that is when you will be restored. Instead of trying to change yourself to be better, you will automatically be restored. You’l think, “Why was I even like that in the past?” Then even your physical body will be restored. If our thoughts and heart are in darkness, then it will lead to illness because our body is connected to our brain through the nervous system. So when Jesus Christ rules over our brain and mental state, that is when it will spread to our bodies. When Jesus Christ rules over your body. When you completely entrust your life to Jesus Christ, that is when your life will change.
3. Witness of the resurrection, Mary Magdalene
1) Witness who has seen the Lord (Jn. 20:18)
(1) Relayed the word that that he will ascend (18)
Mary who has seen the Resurrected Lord, Jesus instructs her to tell His disciples.
(2) Jesus appeared before his disciples (1Cor. 15:4-5)
In 1 Cor. 15:4-5, it says Jesus appeared before His disciples.
(3) Appeared to more than 500 of the brothers and sisters (1Cor. 15:6)
In 1 Cor. 15:6, it says He appeared to more than 500 people. And in Matthew, it says the people who were buried in the tombs also resurrected and began to move and work. That means the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us victory, and when the life of Jesus Christ goes into our heart, that is when our hearts will be revived. Even if you try to instruct your children about what is right or wrong, you cannot save them, because that only allows us to maintain physical order, it can’t save our spirits. So the church must have these kinds of standards as well, but we need to first and foremost focus on the Lord. So when this life goes into your family and children, then according to God’s time schedule, they will begin to change. But if you use the law to nitpick people in your family and workplace, that will lead to darkness; that is hell because the legalistic actions lead to sin and death. But you need to relay the life that has been given to you. Instead of emphasizing what the other person has done right or wrong, instead give them the life, and if the life has been given to them, then one day they will understand. That’s why you’re working at your workplace.
So what is God doing even now? It says that God created the world for 6 days and on the 7th day, He rested. Was He just playing? No, even now the Lord is working. In Jn. 5:17, it says the Lord is continuing to work. What is the work that He is doing? In Jn. 5:21 it says, … Even now the Lord is continuously raising people from the dead, and that’s why He gives the Word and the filling of the Holy Spirit. What is the work that Jesus is oding in your workplace? He is doing the work of raising the dead, even in the church. This work will continue to arise in your workplace and field.
2) Paul and us
(1) Met the spirit of resurrection, Jesus (Ac. 9:3-8)
So these 500 disciples and people are people who saw Jesus Christ after the resurrection, but Apostle Paul didn’t see the Resurrected Lord. He saw Jessu after He ascended into heaven. Jesus said to His disciples, “It is better for you that I ascend to heaven,” because the disciples couldn’t even understand what He was telling them. But then when you meet Jesus in spirit, He will give you the Holy Spirit, which will remind you of His Word.
(2) Met the resurrected Jesus through the Word (Rom. 10:8-15)
That is why the Apostle Pual was given a greater revelation than the disciples. It’s not because He knew more, but it’s because He went deeply into the Word for several days. The Lord continues to teach and remind us of His Word, that is worship. When you are victorious in worship, that means He is ruling over you as your King. But if you haven’t entrusted it to Him, then you will continue to face worries, concerns, and fears. It is only by God’s grace that you will be able to let go of what you are holding onto.
(3) With the Lord of life (Gal. 2:20)
That is why the Lord says He is grace and truth, and when that grace comes upon us, then you will be able to let it go. That is what we must testify. The peace of the world is different from this, and that’s why we need to relay this. How do you relay it? “I am with you.” When you’re filled with this life, then it will overflow and spread to others.
3) Law of the spirit of life (Rom. 8:2)
(1) Law that saves me
So when you are completely filled with this spirit, then it will spread to your fields. That’s why in Romans 8:2, it says this is the law of spirit and life. There is no one who can overcome this law. No matter how strong you are, you cannot overcome the law of gravity. The nonbelievers are dragged around by this law of sin and death, it’s because they don’t believe in Jesus. But because we believe in Jesus, we are able to kneel before this law of spirit and life. When you receive God’s grace, you will be able to kneel down; then you will receive life. In Jn. 54, it says that Jesus is the second Adam, and He is the One Who gives us Life. That is why your good works and mental uprightness can’t save you, but that’s what we continue to rely on. We try to rely on our correct thoughts and actions, but that is darkness and lies. We must rely on the Jesus Christ Who gives us life. Then you can save yourself and save everyone.
(2) Law that saves the world
There are a lot of churches and Christinas, but there are a few number of Christians who believe in this Resurrected Lord. But the Early Church was filled with people who believed in this, and that’s why the Roman emperor could not block this gospelization. Not even our weakness can block this. That’s why the Lord is with us with the Spirit that saves. Do you believe in the Word or do you believe in your feelings? Do not rely on your feelings, because those feelings can be what you are accustomed to from the world or are given to you by Satan.
(3) Filling of the Holy Spirit – Witness (Ac. 1:8)
So I hope you will have the grace to believe in the Word and not your feelings; then you will surely receive the works of saving. You need to receive the Word of being guided; you need to be guided by the Spirit. Then you will receive the works of saving and evangelizing and I hope you will stand as a witness of the resurrection.
Let us pray together about the Word that we have received. “God, may the Resurrected Lord reign over me, and may this spread to my family, my region, my workplace, and all nations.” Let us pray together.
Offering Prayer
God, we thank You. You have died on the cross, resurrected, and overcome the authority of sin, death, hell, and Satan. We thank You for ruling and reigning over us from the Throne of Heaven as our Lord and King. May the Kingdom of God come upon us, and may this Kingdom be spread to our family, our field, our workplace, and the entire world. We return our material blessings to You; may this offering be used to establish God’s Kingdom; may the curses, disasters, and poverty be broken down; may all people be healed; may the demons flee from those who are demon-possessed; may the people who are addicted, obsessed, and mentally ill come to life through the work and power of Jesus Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Conclusion
1. With the spirit that saves even now
2. Guidance by the spirit that saves
3. Work, fruits by the spirit that saves
Announcements
1. Online zoom early morning prayer (Mon.-Fri. 5:30, Sat. 6AM) – Raise the bartizan of prayer
2. Church officer’s message every Sunday at 1:30PM in Church officer’s room.
3. LA College Retreat on 3rd week of June, Southern California College Retreat on 4th week
4. Navajo Mission Camp tentative on 4th week of June
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Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of our Father God, and the indwelling, guidance, fellowship, and working of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to hold onto the Jesus Christ Who has overcome sin, Satan, and death and have decided to spread this to others, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.