John 20:1-29  THE FIRST SEVEN WORDS OF THE RISEN SAVIOR

      Today on this Easter Sunday, we remember the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.  Many years in the past I have talked about the historical reality of the resurrection.  Jesus literally, actually, historically rose from the dead.  But today I want to look in another direction.  Not merely did the resurrection happen, but what does it mean?  And what does the resurrection mean for me and my life?   There are many sermons and books on the seven last sentences of Jesus on the Cross. These words explain the purpose of the cross and the character of Christ.   But today I want to look at something different.  I want to look at he first seven sentences Jesus spoke after the resurrection.  His first words arisen from the grave tell us what the resurrection means to me.  
       We see the very first words of Jesus spoken to Mary Magdalene in vs. 15.   “Woman, why are you weeping?”   The first words of Christ after the Resurrection is to a woman in a garden. The woman is weeping.   When I think of that poor woman weeping in that garden, I think of all the women who have wept through the centuries.  This woman had watched her friend Jesus die on a cross on Friday.  She watched as a cruel government sentenced him to death.  She watched as callous men beat him.  She watched as by-standers laughed at him.  She watched as he bled and died.  How many times through the centuries and how often even today do women and men stand and watch and suffer and weep?  History is filled with the stories of suffering.  But Jesus’ first words from the grave are: why do you weep.  Rev 21:4 says that one day, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.  There will be a day when all weeping will cease.  But until that day, Jesus stands with us.  Just as he stood in the garden with Mary.  Jesus stands with our tears.  
     Now Mary did not immediately recognize Jesus.  She certainly did not expect to see him.  And so Jesus spoke his second words.   “Mary.”   Jesus called Mary by name.  You know, it is great when someone remembers my name.  It makes us feel important.  It makes us feel like somebody.   Jesus called Mary by name.  Christ knows his disciples individually.  He knows you this morning.  Whatever your tears and fears and frustrations, Jesus knows you deeply and personally and calls you by name.  He knows us and we are to know him and his voice calling to us.

     Now perhaps you are thinking, “But I do not hear him calling to me by name.”  Then you need to know him better.   Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice.”  Are you among his sheep?  Are you one of the flock of God?  Have you called on him to enter your life and make you one of his own people?  His sheep do hear his voice.  If you have not heard, then seek him today.  Be filled with His spirit.

       Now if you are filled with His spirit and when you hear him calling your name, you will want to tell others.  In vs 17, Jesus said to Mary, “GO TELL MY BROTHERS.’  The Resurrection gives us a message to tell to the world.  The Easter message is one of hope and joy.   The suffering and sin and fear of the world have been defeated on the cross of Jesus Christ.  And we can have new life in His resurrection.   There is a new world coming and we can glimpse that today.   When you truly understand the resurrection of Jesus, you will be a message to the world.  By your life and actions.  By the words you speak.  By the person you are.  Your whole being will become a message of hope for a world that is so lost.    
      What is our message of hope?   Jesus said in vs. 19-21, PEACE BE WITH YOU.   Last Sunday, we looked at this word peace.  It is shalom in the Bible and means well being, health, prosperity, security, satisfaction, and joy.  This peace is the blessing that comes only from God.   It is the message that Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to give this world.   You know, so often in Christian churches, we speak of people being lost.  We ask them if they are saved.  We often use those words in such a cheap fashion that they become trivialized.  But in the deepest, realest sense, we do live in a world that is so lost.  Like the prodigal son, we have drifted so far from our home.  And we do so need to be saved.  Less than two weeks ago, some of the highest and smartest and most powerful people on our planet met for an economic conference.  Many words were spoken.  But few answers were found.  We try and try to find the answers to our problems.  I bet so many of you have tried and tried to find the answer to your own problems.  But Jesus has said it all.  Peace be with you.  Do you know His peace?  The peace that passes all our human understanding?  The peace that comes from God? 

       If you would like to know that peace, Jesus’ next words tell us how.   Jesus says in vs 22, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”    This peace is not something of our own making.  It does not come when we fix all our problems because there will just be more problems.  This peace is not found out sailing on calm waters.  No.  It is available in the midst of the storm.  It is the peace that fills us.  It comes from the Holy Spirit of Jesus himself.  He comes to live within us.  We receive him into our hearts.  Jesus once asked a woman for a drink of water from a well and she rebuked him for bothering her.  And he said to her, “If you knew who I am, you would ask me for water and I would give you living water and you would never thirst again.”  This is the Holy Spirit that lives in us and springs up like a fountain of joy.  It is peace in our souls even when everyone around us is in panic.  
      Now if we want hat peace and that spirit in our lives, then Jesus says in vs 27, REACH OUT HERE…..BE NOT FAITHLESS BUT BELIEVING.   One of the disciples, Thomas had trouble with this whole resurrection and Jesus thing.  Maybe you do too.  Maybe you just cannot get your mind around the whole idea of Jesus.  You struggle and struggle with it.  Jesus said to Thomas, “Stop struggling.  Just reach out and touch me.”  He is here this very morning.  Put aside your lack of faith and believe.  You can choose to believe.    You say, “But how can I know for sure?”   Friends, we do not know anything for sure.  You do not know if you will make it home alive today.  You do not know what tomorrow will bring.  Physicists tell us that we do not even know what makes up this table top.  We live all our lives by faith.  And you can have faith in this Jesus.  You can choose.  You can decide.  You know, as a young person, I struggled deeply with what to believe.  I had so many doubts.  But I decided that more important than what to believe was who to believe.  I have decided to believe Jesus.  
        The great English writer and poet John Masefield produced a drama entitled “Good Friday.”  There is a striking passage in which the Roman centurion in command of the soldiers of the cross comes back to Pilate to hand in his report of the day’s work. After the report is given, Pilate’s wife beckons to the centurion and begs him to tell how the prisoner died. When the story had been told, she suddenly asks,"Do you think He is dead?" "No, lady" answers the centurion, "I don’t." "Then where is He?" to which the Roman replies, "He is let loose in the world, where...no one can stop His truth."  I pray this day that you know this Jesus who is still alive this day.  He is risen from the dead.  And his message of hope is let loose in the world.  May that hope be let loose in you.   Amen.