For our Scripture reading tonight, turn with me to John chapter 20. John chapter 20, where we find again a setting of the Easter story and some of the events that took place on that first Easter Sunday. I had indicated that I would read verses 10 through 18, but I'd like to start at the beginning of the chapter. Verse 1 of chapter 20, reading through verses 18, and our focus tonight will be primarily verses 11 through 18. Hear now the Word of the Lord. 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. 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, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, 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 their homes. But 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. Woman, he said, 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 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. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news, I have seen the Lord. And she told him that he had said these things to her. Dear congregation, beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ, we all know from experience that things change. Situations in life change. Relationships change. People change. And sometimes when change occurs, we say, things aren't the way they used to be. And of course, we find that to be true in our families as the children grow up or as parents and grandparents go to be with the Lord. We find this to be true in the church when there is a change from one pastor to the next. And sometimes, changes are easy and seem to be for the better, but at other times, changes are hard and seem to be for the worse. But whatever the case may be, whether hard or easy, whether good or bad, with change, the truth is, things aren't the way they used to be. Now on this first Easter Sunday, what a change had taken place, of course, after the crucifixion of Jesus. The scribes and the Pharisees and the other religious leaders, no doubt, were sighing sighs of relief. He's gone. This troublemaker. Now we can proceed with our own agendas and whip these people back into our own shape. There's peace once again. But of course, as we considered this morning, they found that that wasn't necessarily the case. But even with Christ's disciples and His loyal followers already, right after the crucifixion, they had to say things aren't the way they used to be. And of course, as we have read, we know from the testimony of Scripture that they as of yet didn't understand everything. Again, verse 9 says, they still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. They did not yet see the full picture. On the road to Emmaus, the risen Lord said to the two men, O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken, ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? They just didn't understand. And as we consider this text tonight, we see another of Christ's faithful followers, Mary Magdalene, standing by the tomb where His body had been laid. She's crying, weeping, literally sobbing because she is brokenhearted. She is crying because Jesus has died. And she knows that now, as we confessed a little bit earlier, Jesus had been crucified, dead, and buried. Stop. That's where she had to stop. She knows that things will never be the same. They will never be the way they used to be. She does not yet understand the beauty of what has taken place and how much better things will now be. As we consider this text tonight, I preach to you, the risen Lord reveals the necessity of a new relationship. We notice, first of all, the cry of disbelief. Secondly, the call of love. And then third, the correction of ignorance. Mary, you know, had a special relationship with Jesus. You may recall that as Mark records in his Gospel, Jesus had cast seven demons out of her. He had delivered her from the hell that had been living inside of her. And since that time, she had been a faithful follower of His. She helped to support Him, to provide for Him physically during His ministry. She was there to witness His horrible crucifixion and death. And now, three days later, because of her love and devotion for Christ, she was at His tomb to attend to His body with the other women. And now, of course, she had returned after reporting to Peter and John that the stone was rolled away in Christ's body as she thought had been stolen, had been taken away. This was a devastating moment for Mary. And, of course, we can somewhat sympathize with her. After all, she, unlike us, did not have the full picture. She did not know the rest of the story. As verse 11 says, But Mary, after the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb. She checks the cave-like tomb again, and sure enough, no body. It's no wonder she was crying. After all that had taken place, and now this, he couldn't even have a decent burial. He couldn't even rest in peace. She weeps from sorrow, beloved, but her weeping is also a cry of disbelief. I just cannot believe this is happening. Christ's body was not where she thought it was supposed to be. As someone once said with regard to Mary, what we see here is an example of what it would be like to be a saint without a Savior. What sorrow there would be. What hopelessness would rule our lives without Jesus. End of quote. Yet, beloved, we see God's grace poured out on Mary because of what she does see in the tomb. Let's continue. Verse 11 again, 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. Boys and girls, the tomb was not empty at all. In fact, with these messengers of God, the tomb empty of the body of the Savior was filled to the full with the Word of God. even in the silence, the presence of the angels and the absence of Christ's body preached, He is not here. He is risen, as He said. But Mary didn't understand that. And she, for whatever reason we're not told, was not moved, we're not given any indication that she was even moved in the slightest by the sight of the angels in white. But you see, they themselves were proof that this was a divine work. It was not the work of man. It was not the work of human hands. It was the work of God. In fact, we get the idea here that she didn't even pay any attention to them until they questioned her. Woman, why are you crying? Now on the one hand, we might say, what a question. Think about what she's just been through. She has just in the past few days seen her Lord and Master crucified and died. And now it seems like something else terrible has gone wrong. Of course she is weeping. But on the other hand, because of where we are today in redemptive history, we understand the angel's point of view because we have the Scripture. This question, woman, why are you crying? is consistent with the silent message preached from the empty tomb. He is not here. He is risen, as He said. You see, they are suggesting to Mary that this is not the time for weeping, but the time for rejoicing. Don't you see, Mary? He is not here. Was all of His teaching for nothing? Don't you remember what He said? This is a day of grace and eternal glory for all of the saints of God. Why are you crying? You see, boys and girls, if Mary really would have found to the dead body of Jesus still lying in the tomb, then she would have had and we would have had the greatest reason to weep. Because apart from Christ's atoning death and resurrection, it's a package deal. The two go together. Don't forget that. You cannot have one without the other. Apart from His atoning death and resurrection, she and we would have wept for eternity where there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth. But this tomb, Without His body should have been the cause of her rejoicing because again, if Christ's body had been there, it would have meant that His promises failed. It would have meant that His work on the cross was in vain. It would have meant that she and again we would still be in our sins with that eternal debt hanging over our heads. But you see, Mary's disbelief is rooted in unbelief, a lack of faith. I'm not suggesting at all that she was an unbeliever. Not at all. She was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but there was so much that she needed to learn yet. Her faith was dependent on Christ's physical presence and the way things used to be. She, like Thomas and so many others even today, won't believe what they cannot see. If I can't see it, taste it, touch it, hear it, feel it, smell it, it must not be real. They would not believe what they cannot see, And therefore, what a blessing Mary receives as Jesus Himself comes to her. In fact, comes to her first of all of His post-resurrection appearances. Notice verses 14 and 15 again. At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. Woman, He said, 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. What a coincidence. Mary is looking for the dead body of Jesus, but here his very much alive body finds her. But we know it's not a coincidence at all. And of course, as we just read, in her disbelief, she failed to recognize him. Now some would tell us that while her eyes were filled with tears, her tears kept her from recognizing Jesus, but notice her ears didn't recognize his voice either, his voice which she had grown to love. She knew all too well. But Jesus, just like with the men on the road to Emmaus for a moment, kept Mary from recognizing Him. And it's clear that she wasn't looking for Him to be alive. Her words to the angels and now to Jesus, whom she thought was the gardener, prove that she isn't looking for someone, but something, just a body. But again, there are some today who claim to be theologians who would tell you and me that it really doesn't matter if Christ really physically rose again from the dead. It really doesn't matter if He truly came to life once again. What really matters is that you believe He did for you. That's all that matters. For whatever reason, she finds some hope in this gardener. But little did she know that this gardener would fulfill her hope for much more than she had expected. But notice too how our Lord's question to her is meant to begin to lift her from disbelief to belief. To strengthen her faith as only He can do, He asks her, who is it you are looking for? He doesn't ask, what are you looking for? She had been looking for a corpse, not a person. But Jesus leads her with this question to begin to see that she is looking for the wrong thing in the wrong places. Just as so many today continue to look for the meaning of life in all the wrong places instead of looking to the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But at this moment, Mary did not realize that this gardener was the one of whom Isaiah prophesied when he said in Isaiah 61, the Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted. This was the one of whom John heard about in Revelation 21, verse 4, when the voice said, And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. This very time in Mary's life was pointing to that great and final day, beloved, when things will not ever be the way they used to be. Yet Mary makes it clear that at this time, the way she thinks things are supposed to be is that the body of Jesus is supposed to be dead and it's supposed to be in this tomb. That's where His dead body belongs. Mary, like many today, failed to recognize Jesus for who He truly is as the eternal Savior and as the only one who secures forgiveness for the sins of His people by His death and resurrection. And as Jesus then demonstrated here with Mary, He is the only one who is able to remove the blinders so that His people will see Him clearly. You see, He opens Mary's eyes as He issues in the second place His call of love. Notice verse 16. Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, Rabboni, which means teacher. With one word from His compassionate voice, Jesus opened Mary's eyes and ears to behold her resurrected Lord. With one word, the very sound of her name, Jesus transforms her from a weeper into a worshiper. The same voice that called her to new life by casting out the demons warms her heart by speaking her name. And congregation, what a beautiful example of Christ's teaching of the Good Shepherd and His sheep that we find recorded in John chapter 10. Jesus says there that the Good Shepherd calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them and the sheep follow Him for they know His voice. And then Jesus also said, I am the Good Shepherd and I know My sheep and am known by My own. My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me. Notice. Mary did not know Him until He called her by name. This is significant. We can only know the Savior when He first knows our name. And beloved, what a comfort that is, because those whom He calls by name, He also claims ownership of them. Isaiah 43 verse 1 says, But now thus says the Lord who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, fear not, For I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name, you are mine. What a comforting picture God gives to His people here with Mary as the Good Shepherd calls one of His sheep. And what a wonderful example and reminder for us of how our salvation is accomplished. First, our Lord knows us before we know Him. Then He calls us, He seeks us first. Then He opens our ears so that we will recognize His voice as He calls us by name. Then His people respond in faith, the faith which He has given by His grace. And only by His grace do we answer Him and confess, He moved my soul to seek Him seeking me. Our God knows us first. He has chosen his people from before the foundation of the world. He has known his people by name long before we even wanted to know him. Mary responded to his voice by calling him Rabboni, which means teacher or master. Now this, of course, was a title of honor and respect, which Jesus deserved. But you see, it was also a symbol of their former relationship, the way things used to be as, again, her actions make clear that she wanted. And therefore, as the risen Lord reveals the necessity of a new relationship, He demonstrates in the third place the correction of ignorance. Now, no doubt for Mary, this was way better than finding the dead body of Christ. Her master and teacher was standing right in front of her, very much alive. And all of her fears and sorrows were gone in an instant because now things could be the way they used to be. which is what she wants. Yes, this weeper had been by the calling of her name by Jesus been turned into a worshiper, but she worshipped him as he was before, her teacher and master, not as he now is, her Savior, her Lord, her Christ. Beloved, she was ignorant to the fact that for her eternal benefit, there was now the necessity of a new relationship with the Lord, her Savior, the One who paid for her sins. But by her actions, Mary reveals that what she believes to be important for her is Christ's physical presence. For that reason, Jesus says, do not hold on to Me. Or as another version says, stop clinging to Me. The Greek word means to touch, to grasp, to hold on to. Now why did Jesus say this? Was there something about Him that couldn't be touched? Was He just an apparition or a ghost type of figure? No, not at all. In Luke 24, verse 39, we read, when Jesus appeared to His disciples, that He said, Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have. And a few verses later, in John 20, verse 27, Jesus says to Thomas, put your finger here. See my hands? Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. The difference is that the disciples would not believe that Jesus had physically rose from the dead. So Jesus commands them to touch Him to remove their doubts. But Mary had no trouble believing the resurrection. She had no trouble believing that He was alive. In fact, she wanted to hang on to Him and never let Him go again. She thought that things would be the way they used to be. Not realizing that it was to her eternal benefit that she now had a new relationship with her Lord. Jesus explains this new relationship when He says, For I have not returned to the Father. Yes, Jesus had committed His Spirit into the hands of the Father for three days in the paradise of heaven, but the reason He rose again was to conquer death in the grave, to ascend to His Father in His glorified body, to take His throne and rule with the authority given to Him in heaven and on earth, to take away the sting of death and the grave for you and me, that we too might be able to confess with Paul that we look forward to being raised again like unto Christ's glorified body. And therefore, beloved, as we stand at the graveside of a loved one, even though there may be tears, there ought to be tears of joy. Because Christ lives. His grave is empty. Mary must understand that things are not ever going to be the way they used to be, but for God's people, way better than it ever was. Jesus Christ would ascend to the Father and send His Holy Spirit to apply His victory to the hearts and lives of His people. He would ascend so that all of His people in all the nations of the earth would be blessed in Him, not just those who enjoyed His physical presence in a particular location. He would ascend and send His Spirit so that you and I as believers would have the assurance of the forgiveness of all of our sins and life everlasting. Jesus knew the motives of Mary's heart. That's why He forbade her to cling to Him. She didn't see any other way of having communion with Him than through His bodily presence. and she didn't see any other way of enjoying Him than by conversing with Him here on earth. But He did not rise again to triumph in the world over a particular nation. But He rose again to ascend and enter into the possession of the kingdom which had been promised to Him to possess the authority that had been given to Him in heaven and on earth. He rose again to be seated at the Father's right hand and to govern His church by His Spirit. You see, Christ's state of resurrection would not be complete until He ascended to the Father. His work on earth was finished, but His work for earth would continue as even today He continues to prepare you and me as believers for the life to come. And Jesus teaches Mary here that by hanging on to her, by hanging on to Him, by clinging to Him so firmly, she is still not going to be able to keep Him with her always in this way. She never wanted her fellowship with Him to be interrupted again, but she didn't realize that by ascending to the Father and reigning in the hearts of His people, that He would be closer to Mary than her clinging to His feet. He would reign in her heart by the Holy Spirit. That is the only way to enjoy uninterrupted fellowship with God. By Jesus Christ living in your heart through the Holy Spirit. Only by His ascension would His people never be separated from Him again because He would always be with His church by divine power. He said, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Mary needed to learn that this new relationship would be a relationship of intimacy because our Lord's presence with the Father, His very presence with the Father brings His brothers and sisters into the Father's presence and into communion with Him. Did you hear that? That's the new relationship. Brothers and sisters of the Lord. Jesus commissions Mary in the second part of verse 17, Go instead to My brothers and tell them, I am returning to My Father and your Father to My God and your God. You see, this is the first time that Jesus refers to His disciples and followers as brothers. His death and resurrection and coming ascension have secured a new relationship with His people, those for whom He died, brothers and sisters of Christ. And therefore, children of the Heavenly Father. Believers are in the family of God for Jesus' sake. And as believers, we are joint heirs with Jesus. He is one with the Heavenly Father by nature, and we are one with God the Father by grace. Jesus corrected Mary's ignorance that He must ascend to the Father because His work as the Savior, her Savior, as the intercessor, as the one who brings His sacrifice on your behalf and my behalf into God's presence, it must continue. He was telling Mary that He must ascend to take His seat at the Father's right hand. He must ascend to pour out His Spirit on the church to apply His saving work. He must ascend to prepare a place for His brothers and sisters with the Father. No, Mary, things cannot ever again be the way they used to be. Beloved, it was the Word of the Lord that struck the heart of Mary. And it is still the Word of the Lord, applied by the Holy Spirit, that transforms hearts when people hear. When the Spirit of God takes that outward call and brings it inside and removes the blinders, removes the ignorance, and causes one to be born again. Paul says, How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? Mary did not believe because she saw Him, but because He called her. And because of that new relationship that He earned for her with Him, she and we, Now enjoy forever fellowship with the Father. Yes, Mary must cling to Jesus, but not to His feet. She must hold on tight to Him by faith. And to those who do not know that new relationship of the Savior, apart from repentance and faith in Him, they will know the relationship of His judgment. For them there will be an eternal reason to weep as they are cast into the outer darkness where there is only weeping and gnashing of teeth. Beloved, does the risen Savior know you by name? Is He calling you by your name? Do you hear His voice? You can only find Him by the grace of God through repentance and faith. And you and I, beloved, are called to cling to Him by faith. He is not dead. He is risen as He said. And beloved, that means a new relationship, an eternal relationship for His people with the Father and with His people as our Savior and Lord. And we enjoy that new relationship by God's grace today. Even in the midst of a sinful world, even in the midst of sorrow and pain and sickness and death and difficulty. But one day there shall be no more pain for the former things have passed away. Jesus Christ is risen. He lives today. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that things aren't the way they used to be, but instead that His grace abounds for eternity. Amen. Shall we pray? Dear Heavenly Father, as Your people You have given to us a knowledge of our sin and misery and of our great need for salvation. As well, You have given to us a Savior and You have caused us to recognize our Savior, Jesus Christ, who has taken care of the past so things will never be like that for us. The way has now been opened into Your presence for Your people even today as we come before You in prayer. But one day when our life is required of us here that we might enjoy Your presence forever and ever. Father, may we understand even the young children here that this is not simply some dream that we hope for with some degree of uncertainty. But all of this is true. And we are certain we have the assurance that we have salvation forevermore because of the work of Jesus Christ and because He lives and reigns today. And He will come again to take us to be where He is. Father, make us ready. And until that day, may we rejoice and may we give to You all the praise and honor and glory. Amen.