Introduction
In this reading there are two stories. Mary’s story, her discovery of an empty tomb and then finding Jesus. Peter and particularly John’s story, no less profound but very different. We can hear and learn and see so much in this few minutes of ‘real time’ it’s difficult to fit into the time we have, do my best.
John’s story
There was darkness, chaos, void, emptiness there was no order.
There was wind and word, God’s breath, God’s speech.
Things came into being that were never seen before, light, life.
This is creation, but, think again.
John begins his gospel (like Genesis) with, “In the beginning was the Word….”
The ‘Word’ became flesh – Pilate declares “Here’s the man…” (Jn19:5).
Like creation all over again, and as in Genesis creation was complete with the arrival of Adam, this new creation was complete with the arrival of Jesus.
Pilate announces Him with, ‘Here’s the man’.
Unlike the first creation, this man wouldn’t fail under pressure.
The first Adam rebelled, this Adam (Jesus) would triumph.
Paul writes to the Corinthians,
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1Cor 15:22)
A few verses later he writes,
“The first man Adam became a living being;
the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.” (1Cor 15:45)
Adam became alive, Jesus (second Adam) gives life!
Mary ran back to find Peter in his hiding place, also finding John who stood with her at the cross.
They ran to the tomb – a lot of running, resemble a episode of Dr Who!
John (being younger) got there first and peered in – not crossing the threshold.
Peter arrived, and as brash as ever in he goes.
Mary was right, it’s empty, but odd.
The graveclothes are left strewn around.
If someone had stolen the body, why unwrap it first?
Why were some parts neatly folded, and others just left?
As they look it seems more that the body hadn’t been moved and unwrapped, more just disappeared?!
John now enters the tomb (v8).
The idea of the body being stolen looks more and more ridiculous.
Something happens within the heart of young John. (Mishnah Law/Midrash interp – Black fire/White fire – reading between the lines)
A realisation grows, wells up…no SURGES through him, a wild crazy wave of delight sweeps over him at God’s creative power.
We see in his gospel and later writings he never forgot this moment.
This realisation was hard to describe, a bit like falling in love, like seeing the sunrise, like the sound of rain after a long drought.
A bit like awakening faith.
John had faith before this, he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, that God had sent Him, that Jesus was God’s man for God’s people and God’s world.
This was different, this wasn’t intellectual acceptance.
He saw and BELIEVED.
Believed that a ‘new creation’ had just begun, that the world had somehow ‘turned a corner’ leaving a long period of spiritual winter and entering into spiritual spring.
He believed that God had said ‘YES’ to all that Jesus had said, done, and been – he believed Jesus was ALIVE, nothing would/could be the same.
Mary
What about Mary’s story?
If John’s was about the ‘big picture’ of a new creation and new beginning, then Mary’s is more intimate, personal, relational.
In Germany (my wife and other German speakers will attest) they have two ways of addressing one-another.
‘Zie’ is the adult form. And, ‘Du’ is the address to children.
They are also seen as the formal and familiar.
In English the equivalent would be addressing someone by their title, e.g. Mr, Dr, Prof, Revd, Sir, or using the persons forename.
Of course you could only use the forename, or familiar address if the person invites you to.
It signals a change in the relationship, from acquaintance to friendship.
Mary is the first to experience this moment of changed relationship.
Until this pivotal moment where Mary stands distraught before Jesus, Jesus has always spoken of God as, ‘THE Father’, or, ‘THE Father who sent me’, or ‘My Father’.
He referred to those around Him as, ‘disciples’, ‘servants’, ‘friends’.
They are all descriptions, impersonal.
Now He says to Mary,
“Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (v17)
Did you see what happened?
“Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and yourGod.’”
Jesus is saying…..we are now family!!!
Jesus uses the word ‘Adelphos’ (ad-el-faas) to describe us.
It’s a particular word.
(Adelphos) Ad-el-faas – not brother but BRETHEREN = a sibling (usually brother), whether they are born of the same two parents, or only of the same father or mother.
WOW. Jesus uses the exact word that describes us. Born of different earthly mothers, and the same Heavenly Father – just like Him.
I had a half-brother, my father was also his father, but we had different mothers.
This is what Jesus is saying, we have the same father, we are siblings, brother/sister to Jesus…..and to each other.
There is one other thing here I would like us to consider this morning.
Among the chaos, the running, the heart-wrenching happenings Mary (almost literally) bumps into the risen Jesus.
Her first intuitive response is that He is the gardener.
We often wonder how she could be so wrong.
But there is also a sense where she is so RIGHT.
Remember the background theme running through this event? Creation.
At the pinnacle of creation was Adam, commissioned to tend the garden and make it grow.
To bring the initial chaos of God’s new creation into order, into growth, into flower, into fruitfulness – that was Adam’s job.
After the fall it remained, he now had to uproot the thistles, thorns and weeds, and replace them with blossoms and harvest.
Jesus as the latter/second Adam has the same task, albeit a spiritual version of the task.
Starting from a place of darkness and chaos caused by millennia of earth being ruled over by satan and the powers of darkness.
Jesus has now planted a new growth, the Church.
Like Adam in the garden Jesus now cares for, feeds, nurtures, prunes the Church in the hope that we as individuals and corporately get to the point where we reproduce of ourselves working together with Him.
He still feeds, nurtures, prunes etc, but if we are healthy and grow, we will reproduce as any healthy organism does.
Mary got it wrong, but she also got it very right.
To close, one last thing stands out in Mary’s conversation.
She is convinced she is speaking to the gardener, until Jesus uses her name (v16).
INSTANTLY, Mary recognises that voice, it is HIM!
What did John record earlier in his gospel?
“…and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (Jn 10:3)
What did Jesus Himself say?
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
(Jn 10:27)
What has the Father always said?
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!” (Is 43:1)
Mary, heard her name called, heard the voice of her shepherd and followed Him.
This Easter, let us allow our faith to be invigorated and rise up within us as we look at the graveclothes in an empty tomb recognising what it means.
Let’s look to a future which is burning bright because we walk into it beside Him.
Let’s rejoice that we are not merely disciples, servants or friends of the King Jesus, but by His invitation we are brothers/sisters who share the same story, heritage, and Heavenly Father.
This Easter, let us revel in the joy and wonder of knowing the King of Creation in our midst, and in our hearts.