Witness to Christ – Mary Magdalene 

 

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 

 

Grace, mercy and peace be with you, from God our Father, and our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

 

Witnesses to Christ was the theme of our Lenten services this year. 

 

This morning we look to the witness of Mary on Easter morning.

 

Mary was an extremely common name in first century Palestine, and so there are a lot of Marys mentioned in the New Testament.

 

But it’s the Mary from Magdala, called Mary Magdalene, who is most frequently mentioned, even more than Mary, the mother of Jesus.

 

Mary Magdalene was a misfit; her life was a mess when Jesus found her.

 

We were all a mess before Jesus found and baptized us. 

 

And even now our lives are a mess in some ways, but Jesus helps us to pull things together, and carry on in this journey of life and joy with Him.

 

Luke tells us that Jesus cast out 7 evil spirits from Mary. She may have been a prostitute or a thief or homeless or a beggar, but she was she surely a changed person after Jesus healed her. 

 

From then on Mary was one of the women who followed Jesus in His ministry, and cared for him, kind of like Danielle takes care of me and the house. 

 

It’s going to be a big adjustment for me when she gets married next month. 

Some have speculated that Mary Magdalene had romantic feelings for Jesus, but the Gospels don’t give us even a hint of that.

 

We do know she was deeply loyal to Him. 

 

She was one of the three Marys, along with Jesus’ mother, and His aunt, Mary, wife of Clopas, who followed Him to the cross, and cried as He died.

 

And Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus was taken down from the cross and buried. She followed Him faithfully even in death.

 

Matthew tells us that Mary Magdalene, along with the other Mary, probably Mary the mother of James and Joses, who may have been the same person as Mary, the wife of Clopas, were both at the tomb, and saw where Jesus was buried. 

 

After awhile the two Marys left to go buy spices to anoint Jesus’ body, and be back home before sunset so they would keep the Sabbath.

 

But their time at the tomb wasn’t done. 

 

Very early Sunday morning, when the Sabbath was over, before the sun had come up, John says, Mary Magdalene went back to the tomb. 

 

Matthew tells us that the other Mary went with her. 

 

Mark tells us that us that Salome, the mother of the disciples, James and John, also went to the tomb.

 

Luke tells us, Jesus’ mother, and his aunt, Mary of Clopas, were also at the tomb. 

 

And one more person, Joanna, who Luke tells us was the wife of Chuza, who was the manager of King Herod’s palace, so Joanna was a woman of some affluence.

 

So at one time or another on Easter morning, 5 or maybe 6 women were at the tomb, and saw that it was empty. 

 

And it’s very possible that more people came throughout the day, seeing for themselves that the tomb was empty.

 

But of all the people, of all the witnesses at the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene stands out. 

 

It’s interesting that even though John’s mother, Salome, was one of the women at the tomb, it’s Mary Magdalene he focuses on in His account of what happened on Easter morning.

 

John says, 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. 

2 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!”

 

Mark tells us that the women went inside and saw a young man, an angel, who said to them, “Don’t be alarmed…You’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.:

 

Mark says, Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were so afraid.

 

It seems that Mary ran back right away to tell Peter and John, while the others were too afraid and confused to tell anyone what they’d seen, probably thinking no one would believe them anyway.

 

Peter and John then ran to the tomb, and saw that it was empty, and saw Jesus’ grave clothes laying there, neatly folded, but no Jesus. 

 

After a while they left. But not Mary Magdalene.  

 

John says, 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 

 

So the angels didn’t reveal themselves to Peter and John, but to Mary. 

 

Jesus wanted her and the other women to tell the disciples what they had seen, and for the disciples to believe them.

 

13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 

14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 

 

She still was wanting to take care of Jesus, even in His death.

 

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 

 

Not only was Mary Magdalene blessed to the first to see Jesus alive again, she was the first to hear him speak; and she was so blessed that she even got to hear him say her name. 

 

Someday, we’ll hear Him say our name, in glory!

 

17 Jesus said to her, “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.’”

 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

 

“I have seen the Lord!” “You’re crazy”, might have been the response of some. But she wasn’t shy to say what she saw.

 

“That’s crazy. Couldn’t have happened.”, is still the response of some today. Let us not be shy to share what we know and believe, that our Redeemer lives! 

 

Mary Magdalene, whose life was such a mess, until Jesus found and saved her, was chosen to be the first witness of the miracle that’s brought us life, the resurrection of God’s Son.

 

It matters not what kind of a mess our lives may have been: Jesus died and rose to forgive our sins and make our lives new.

 

When life gets messy, it’s Jesus who can clean the mess up with His Spirit and His grace. He rose to save sinners like us whose lives are sometimes messy.

 

His resurrection proves that no matter how bad things get, God can set things right and make life new.

 

Then like the Marys at the tomb, Jesus sends us with a message that He who died for us is risen in glory for us and for all. 

 

We always have good news to share, Christ in our lives, and Christ for the lives of all. No one’s life is too messed up for Him not to save and bless it.

 

Although this life isn’t perfect, Jesus is, and He promises us a life someday that is glorious and perfect, risen and alive and happy for eternity.

 

Like Mary Magdalene, may we live in His grace and serve Him with joy. 

 

May we never be afraid of what the world might say, but be bold and excited to share the good news of our Lord always, for He is risen! He is risen indeed.

 

And He lives and reigns to give to us the peace of God that passes understanding, and guards our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus, our risen Lord. Amen.