Jn. 20:10-18 - Mary, Apostle to the Apostles

    
     The story of Mary Magdalene is one of the most touching in the New Testament. And this is likely why John focuses on her experience in his Resurrection account.
     In the Gospels we meet Mary as a woman who has been delivered from seven demons (Lk. 8:2; Mk. 16:9) and as one so deeply grateful for Jesus' forgiveness and liberating ministry to her, she spends all her savings to anoint Him as King, she supposes. Only, He explains, she has actually anointed Him for His death (Lk. 7:36-50).
     After that, Mary follows Jesus as a devoted disciple helping other women who have also been delivered or healed of disease, to care for his needs.     
     Luke pictures her sitting in rapt attention at the feet of Jesus, drinking in His words as her sister Martha "slaves" in the kitchen and complains that Mary isn't helping her (Lk. 10:38). Jesus replies that Mary has chosen what is better, a devotional spirit and a hunger for truth which cannot be taken away from her. Food, clothing, and shelter can be lost, but a heart for God cannot be stolen.
     As I mentioned yesterday, Mary is a prime example of those Jesus came to help. Isaiah 61 describes how Messiah would deliver the captives of Satan and restore them to wholeness. When the Pharisees criticized His work, Jesus said the prostitutes and tax collectors, who felt their need of His grace, were entering the Kingdom before them (Mt. 21:31-32).
     Mary may have been one of those He referred to. She is always identified in the Gospels as Mary Magdalene, or Mary from Magdala, a town near the Sea of Galilee on the ancient Roman road, the Via Maris, which linked Egypt to Syria and Mesopotamia.    The population there was made up of many cultures and Roman soldiers who were garrisoned there. Like modern crossroad towns or tourist destinations, it would have been a place frequented by prostitutes and others seeking to lose themselves in pleasure. Interestingly, archeologists are currently excavating Magdala in Israel (follow at webblog: http://magdalaisrael.wordpress.com/page/2/
     Later in the Gospels, we find Mary living with her brother Lazarus and sister Martha in Bethany. Had Jesus found her Magdala, freed her and restored her to her family?
     One more powerful story of Mary is told by John, which explain her devotion to Jesus. Her brother Lazarus had died, but Jesus traveled to Bethany and raised him from the dead (Jn. 11), declaring, “I am the resurrection and the life!” No wonder Mary was a dedicated follower of Jesus!
     Mary is at the cross when Jesus is crucified, and she stays through His agony until He dies. After His death she accompanies His body with other women to the tomb and then goes home with them to prepare spices for his burial.
     Now, in John 20, she is among the first (while it is still dark) to arrive at the tomb on Sunday morning..
     When she and the other women (John mentions only Mary, but the other Gospels make it clear other women are with her), see the stone has been rolled away, and the body is gone, Mary runs back to the city to tell John and Peter, who race back to the tomb. They look in, but see only the grave cloths, the head covering folded up neatly by itself (clearly not the work of grave robbers).
     Mary cannot bear to be separated from her Savior and Friend either in life or death. After Peter and John leave, Mary lingers at the tomb, crying. The memory of His life and death overwhelming her, she weeps.
     In her grief and tears, she stoops over and looks in again at this place where she last saw her Lord. But this time sees "two angels in white seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot" (v. 12). They ask, "Woman, why are you crying?"
     "They have taken my Lord away," Mary answers, "and I don't know where they have put Him" (v. 13).
    Mary is not thinking clearly. If you have ever grieved deeply, you know the fog that settles over one’s mind. Though John mentions the men in white are angels that probably doesn’t dawn on Mary at first, just like what happened next.
     Turning, she sees another figure through her tears, who says, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
     Thinking the man was the gardener, Mary answered, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him" (v. 15). At that, the unknown individual said, in a familiar tone, "Mary."
     Immediately, Mary recognizes that voice that had set her free and reassured her spiritually a thousand times. She cried out "Rabboni!" (Aramaic for Teacher) and fell in worship, clasping His feet in her hands" (see also Mt. 28:9).
     Jesus words are deeply meaningful: "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (v. 17).
     Mary was holding onto Jesus as if to never let Him go, but He explains He as to make a quick trip to heaven to see His Father Whom He had been separated from for so long. Then He would return again to take up ministry to His grieving disciples that afternoon.
     Through Mary, Jesus sends an encouraging message to His disciples: "My Father is also your Father. You abandoned Me and denied Me, but your sins have not caused Him to reject you; He still loves you. Do not despair and think you are discarded as too sinful for Him. Though you failed, you did not turn your back on me completely, and my death provided the grace that will cover your sins and keep you as God’s children. If you confess your sins, He will be faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9). His love is not easily turned away.” What a heartening message for those beleaguered disciples!
     Friend, do you think your sins and failings cause God to reject you? Receive these words of Jesus as spoken to you too.
     Ancient Christian teaching called Mary "The Apostle to the Apostles." Apostle means "sent," and Mary was the first person sent by Jesus to announce His resurrection. It was her grateful devotion to Him that gave her that wonderful privilege. Because she refused to be separated from Him in life or death, Jesus revealed Himself to her first and then sent her to proclaim the good news of His resurrection.
     That is always the way the Christian message is carried. Those who receive it gratefully are the first to herald it to others, whether they are rich or poor, male or female, slave or free. Grace, gratefully received and motivated by love, makes one a witness for Christ.

Pastor Michael Brownfield

Lk. 24:13-35 - Encounter on the Road to Emmaus

     I love the account of Jesus' first post-Resurrection appearance in Luke where He appears to two lesser-known disciples who had left the Eleven and are heading to their homes in Emmaus, a small town about seven miles from Jerusalem. (Actually, this may have been Jesus' second or third appearance, since He appeared to Mary first (John 20) and possibly next to Peter (1 Cor. 15:5). However, Luke chooses to report this appearance first.)

     I love the story because these two Emmaus disciples are relative unknowns in the New Testament. Luke knows the name of only one, Cleopas. They have been with the Eleven, but they are not apostles. Yet Jesus takes time to reveal Himself to them early on Resurrection Day.
     I have mentioned before that Jesus seems to triage those who are in greatest need and appears to them first. These men are in deep grief and confusion.
     In my office, I have a picture of Jesus with these two Emmaus bound disciples. I purchased it during a time of loss in my life to remind me that Jesus really cared about me personally. From this story, we learn that Jesus comes to us, walks with us, comforts us, and reveals things that will heal our hearts and souls.
     As these two disciples walked along, they were tearfully discussing everything that had happened that Passion weekend, when Jesus caught up with them. Luke tells us "They were kept from recognizing Him" (v. 15). Mark tells us, referring to the same account, that Jesus "appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country" (Mk. 16:12).
     Jesus had a reason for hiding His identity initially. If He revealed Himself immediately, these men's grief would have flipped quickly to ecstatic joy, and they would have had a hard time hearing the Biblical evidence Jesus wanted to share with them--the evidence of the prophets that He was indeed the Messiah and that everything had happened just as God predicted in Scripture.
     Sometimes in life, Jesus' first effort is to help us focus on what His word says so our faith will be established. Sometimes He hides Himself while He points us to the Bible because God's word is the only true foundation for faith.
     Jesus entered the men's conversation by asking what they were discussing as they walked along.
     Luke says "They stood still, their faces downcast." Then Cleopas asked, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened here in these days?" How is is possible you don't know what has happened?
     "What things," Jesus asked?
     "About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied, "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and the rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place" (vs. 18-21).
     These disciples express the deep longing and belief all Jesus' disciples' had cherished, that He was the long looked-for Messiah. But, they say, their hopes are dashed.
     The two go on to report incredulously that some of the women had described seeing angels and other disciples had seen the empty tomb, but they didn't know what it all meant.
     Then come, in this narrative, some of the most powerful words in the New Testament: "He said to them, 'How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scripture concerning Himself" (vs. 25-27).
     Jesus' death and resurrection had been clearly foretold, He told them, in the Hebrew Scriptures. He had tried often to explain these this, but the disciples' minds were clouded with popular beliefs that contradicted the messianic prophecies, beliefs that turned the Messiah into a powerful earthly ruler who would conquer kingdoms and lead Israel to national glory.
     So now Jesus gives Cleopas and his friend a Bible study. Beginning with the writings of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy), and continuing through the writings of the Hebrew prophets, Jesus points out the Scriptures that foretold His ministry, suffering, death, and resurrection.
     I would love to have heard that Bible study! Later the men said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (v. 32). Can you imagine the earnestness in Jesus' voice as He took them, perhaps, through Genesis 3:15, Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Psalm 22 and 69, Isaiah 9:6-9, 53 and 61, and Zechariah 12 and 13?
     Isaiah 53 not only predicted the manner of Jesus' death, but clearly described His resurrection too: "After the sufferings of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied" (v. 11). "Though the Lord makes His life a guilt offering, He will see His offspring and prolong His days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in His hand" (v. 10).
     Daniel said the Messiah, "the Anointed One," (v. 26) would be "cut off " (killed) in the middle of the final week (7 years) of the 70 Week Prophecy, but after His death, He would confirm the covenant with many" (9:27). In other words, He would die, then be resurrected to continue His covenant establishing work with His people.
     Cleopas and his friend had been mournfully nursing their dashed hopes, but as this Stranger helped them understand that what had happened was exactly what God predicted, they begin to feel an amazing hope.
     How long Jesus walked and talked with them, we don't know, but as they neared Emmaus, it was late in the evening, and concerned for their friend's safety, they urged Him to stay with them for the night. Luke says, "Jesus acted as if He were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them" (vs. 28-29).
     They brought out food for dinner, and when Jesus took the bread and broke it, "Their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and He disappeared from their sight" (v. 31).

      Imagine their shock and amazement. They have just been walking and talking with the resurrected Christ! They can't contain their excitement and joy, and in the gathering darkness, they rush back the seven miles to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples their story.
     There are many lessons in this beautiful story for us today. Jesus cares for all His followers. There are no "insignificant" disciples to Him. Never feel you are unimportant to God or Heaven. He gives equal care to all His children, and special care to those who are in greatest need.
     Jesus wants to ground our faith in His word, the Scriptures, even more than giving us the emotions of joy. An old children's song says, "Feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving. Trust alone in the word of God; nothing else is worth believing." Real happiness is based on God's word. Jesus may reveal Himself to you in special ways, but never contrary to what His word teaches.
     Lastly, I wonder what would have happened if the two disciples from Emmaus had not urged Jesus to stay with them. Would they have missed the opportunity to know it was Jesus who had been talking to them? Jesus agreed to stay only when they urged Him to do so. Do we need to urge Jesus to be with us more than we do? Not because He is unwilling, but because He never forces Himself on anyone? How many blessings have we missed because we haven't been more serious about seeking God, because we haven't urged Him to stay with us?

Pastor Michael Brownfield