JOHN 20:1-20

20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.

4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.

8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

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.

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.”

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

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.

Woman, why are you weeping?  That’s the question that was posed to Mary Magdalene when she went to the tomb on that first Easter morning. Woman, why are you weeping?

There are lots of reasons why people cry.   The most common reason is because you’re sad but that’s not the only reason. Sometimes you cry because you’re happy or you feel sorry for someone who is suffering and in pain.   Sometimes you cry because you’re really angry or afraid.

One woman shed a lot of after her husband died.  An insurance agent saw a few of those tears when he stopped by with a check to cover her husband’s life insurance policy.  The check was for $50,000.  The woman looked at the $50,000 check, then looked at the agent.  Then with tears in her eyes she said, “You know I miss him so much, I’d gladly give $25,000 from this check to have him back.” 

Everyone cries from time to time.  Even Jesus cried.  You can see that by looking at the shortest verse in the Bible.  It’s right there in John’s Gospel. The verse consists of just two words and those words are “Jesus wept.”  He wept as he was standing at the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus.

When was the last time you shed a few tears?  Dr. William Frey has done extensive research on the subject of crying. His research at the Ramsey Medical Center in St. Paul, Minnesota reveals that while women cry more often than men, men and women are alike in one respect. According to Dr. Frey, in his interviews 85% of women and 73% of men said that they felt better after having a good cry and getting it out of their system.

There are lots of reasons why people cry and what happened on Easter morning won’t take away your tears but it will change them. Just look at Mary Magdalene. We know why Mary Magdalene was crying that morning. She was crying because her heart was broken.  On Good Friday she watched Jesus suffer as he was nailed to the Cross.  Then she watched as he died a slow agonizing death.  Then she watched as his lifeless body was put into that stone cold tomb.  Now it’s Sunday morning and when she goes back to the tomb she discovered that it’s empty!   The body is gone!   Mary is convinced that someone has stolen the body.

At this point she can’t take it anymore!   So, she breaks down and begins to cry.   After everything she’d been through my guess is that it wasn’t just a few sniffles and sobs.  My guess is that Mary Magdalene let loose with a loud gut wrenching wail.

Ah but then a voice behind her asks her a question. “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Mary doesn’t realize that it’s Jesus.  She thinks he’s the gardener. So she says to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”  Jesus then says, “Mary.”  As soon as Mary hears her name she realizes that it’s Jesus.  She realizes that he’s alive.  So, she falls to her knees and shouts, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

What happened in that sacred grace filled moment is hard to put into words.  The only way I can describe it is by suggesting that it’s the difference between Truman Capote and Billy Graham.  Truman Capote once said that “Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.” 

Isn’t that sad?  Isn’t that discouraging?  “Life is a moderately good play with a badly written third act.”  Billy Graham wouldn’t agree with that. Billy Graham would tell you that there’s nothing wrong with the third at all.  You can see that by looking at something he said a few years ago.

When Billy Graham celebrated his 90^th birthday the Chamber of Commerce in Charlotte, North Carolina decided to honor him.   The president of the Chamber of Commerce got in touch with him and said, “We want to have a dinner to celebrate your 90^th birthday.  Would you allow us to do this?”  Rev. Graham refused at first saying he didn’t want to give a speech on such an occasion.  After a little coaxing though he agreed.

That night when they gathered for the banquet many wonderful things were said to honor the great evangelist.  Then the moment came for Rev. Graham to step to the podium.  He looked at the crowd and said, “I’m reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist who this month has been honored by Time magazine as the Man of the Century. Einstein was once traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle, punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn’t find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn’t there. So he looked in his briefcase but couldn’t find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn’t find it.

The conductor said, "Dr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it." At that point Einstein looked at him and said, "Young man, I too, know who I am. What I don’t know is where I’m going.’"

After the laughter died down, Billy Graham paused for a moment and then said,  "See the suit I’m wearing? It’s a brand new suit. My wife, my children, and my grandchildren are telling me I’ve gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I used to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and one more occasion.  You know what that other occasion is? This is the suit in which I’ll be buried. But when you hear I’m dead, I don’t want you to immediately remember the suit I’m wearing. I want you to remember this:  I not only know who I am ... I also know where I’m going."

So, it’s really simple.  When tears well up in your eyes take them to the tomb.  Take them to the tomb where the risen Christ is waiting for you.  Take them to the tomb where you’ll find the answer to those two incredibly important questions.  Who are you?  You are a child of the living God.  Where are you going?  You’re going to spend eternity with the Christ who loves you.  

The psalmist was right when he said, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”   The time for sad tears is over.  The time for glad tears has come.  The tomb is empty.  Christ has risen!  And the time has come for all of God’s people to say it.  The time has come for all of God’s people to say it like they mean it.  So, let the choir say, “He has risen indeed!”  And let all of God’s people say, “He has risen indeed!” Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

March 31, 2013 – Easter Sunday