Easter Blindness

John 20:10-18

Then the disciples went back to their homes,  ¹¹ but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb  ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  ¹³ 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."  ¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  ¹⁵ 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."  ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Mary."  She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).  ¹⁷ 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.'"  ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. 

Do you see yourself anywhere in this picture?

          A) Do you ever feel alone, abandoned and wonder if anyone feels things as deeply and as sharply as you do?  Mary Magdalene did.

¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to their homes,  11 but Mary stood outside the tomb crying.

          Jesus did also. In the garden of Gethsemane, or oil press, he entrusted his desiples to pray at His hour of greatest need,

Mark 14:37-38

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Simon," he said to Peter, "are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." 

          B) Do you despair and wonder where God is?  Mary Magdalene did.

 ¹³ "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."

Jesus did also.  Hanging on the cross for our sins in obedience to the Father:

Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?"

          C) Have you seen angels but are so wrapped up in your grief that it doesn’t alleviate your pain?  Mary Magdalene did.

¹¹ As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb  ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  ¹³ They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

          Jesus did also. Back in the garden of Gethsemane he was drowning in pain and despair:

Luke 22:41-44

He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."  43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.  

          D) Is God speaking to you, but you are so blinded by pain and sorrow that you mistake Him for someone else?  Mary Magdalene did.

¹⁴ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.  ¹⁵ Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"  Thinking he was the gardener

          E) Do you ever offer to help God when things don't go quite the way you think they ought to?  Mary Magdalene did.

¹⁵ "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

He knows his Master's voice.  (RCA logo with dog and speaker)

 ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, "Mary."  She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 

          A) God knows that we are like children.  When we don't hear him or recognize him He calls us by our name.

          B) There is recognition when our name is called.  We pay attention because we know that only someone who knows us would call us by name.

          C) When we are in despair and feeling alone, just hearing our name spoken by a friendly voice is reassuring and helps us to feel safe.

God is speaking your name this Easter morning.

Ø When others you depend on fail.....He speaks your name!

Ø When those you count on abandon you.....He speaks your name!

Ø When plans blow up in your face.....He speaks your name!

Ø When people speak evil about you.....He speaks your name!

Ø When sickness weakens you.....He speaks your name!

Ø When bills pile up and money is short.....He speaks your name!

Ø When depression crowds around you.....He speaks your name!

Ø When addictions overrun you.....He speaks your name!

Listen to His voice, He is speaking to you and He is speaking your name!

Luke 24:30-32

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"

Luke 24:36-44

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." 

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."