John 20:11-13 - ”New Creation” - Abundant Life (Gospel of John)

glory forever.

Amen.

The scripture reading this morning, the

Old Testament reading is from Daniel

7:es 9-14.

And think for a moment that Daniel has

just had a

very strange and

rather horrifying

dream, a vision.

As I looked,

thrones were placed, and the ancient of

days took his seat. His clothing was

white as snow and the hair of his head

like pure wool. His throne was fiery

flames. Its wheels were burning fire. A

stream of fire issued and came out from

before him. A thousand thousands served

him and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before

him.

The court sat in judgment and the books

were opened.

I looked then because of the sound of

the great words that the horn was

speaking. And as I looked, the beast was

killed and its body destroyed and given

over to be buried with fire, to be

burned with fire.

As for the rest of the beasts, their

dominion was taken away, but their lives

were prolonged for a season and a time.

I saw in the night visions, and behold,

with the clouds of heaven there came one

like a son of man, and he came to the

ancient of days, and was presented

before him.

And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom that all

peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

which shall not pass away, and his

kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

The New Testament reading is from the

Gospel of John 20:es

11-23.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb.

And as she wept, she stooped to look

into the tomb, and she saw two angels in

white sitting where the body of Jesus

had lain, one at the head and one at the

feet.

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."

Having said this, she turned around and

saw Jesus standing, but she did not know

that it was Jesus. 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."

Jesus said to her, "Mary."

She turned and said to him in Aramaic,

"Raboni,"

which means teacher.

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."

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the

disciples, "I have seen the Lord, and

that he had said these things to her."

On the evening of that day, the first

day of the week, the doors being locked

where the disciples were for fear of the

Jews, Jesus came and stood among them

and said to them, "Peace be with you."

When he had said this, he showed them

his hands and his side. Then the

disciples were glad when they saw the

Lord Jesus.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with

you. As the Father has sent me, even so

I am sending you." And when he had said

this, he breathed on them and said to

them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are

forgiven them. If you withhold

forgiveness from any, it is withheld.

This is the word of the Lord.

>> Easter. Everybody loves Easter.

It's a time of chocolates, right?

Everybody likes chocolates,

you know, ham meals. I get all of that.

But of course, we all know if we're

sitting here that it means so much more

than that, right?

Clearly, the main point of Easter is the

resurrection, the empty tomb. Nobody

disputes that. What's interesting though

is I've been in ministry this year will

be 25 years.

And I have asked a lot of people, what

does a resurrection mean? And I get lots

of different answers. You know, you get

some people, it means I get to go to

heaven when I die. I'll get some people

it means that well Jesus can do nice new

things in my life. For some people it

just means that that sin's been

defeated.

Well, some of those have some truth in

them. But what if I told you that the

resurrection is way more important than

all of that and that it ex more

important to you out there

that it is an actual gift like you can't

imagine and it honors you like you can

never perceive.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, we thank you. We thank

you, Father, that you have given us this

gift and these texts that John was

faithful to write them down.

And Lord, we ask you to get all glory

and honor. Open our eyes and our ears.

Give me the words to say

so that we may look more like you

in Jesus' name. Amen.

The only way I can describe how deep

this is is we have to remember that

every gospel has a different way to read

it. And in John's gospel is no

different. And the very first part of

every gospel tells you exactly the road

map to read it. It gives you the rules

on how to read. Do you guys remember the

beginning sentence in John? Anybody want

to say it? In the beginning,

>> in the beginning. In the beginning. What

other book starts off like that?

>> Genesis.

So when he writes it, he quotes word for

word out of Genesis. And what he's

saying to us is whatever is going on in

John's gospel, he wants you to realize

something. It's all about creation.

Okay? Do we agree with that? So, I

actually purposely preached the creation

story before I got into John because I

knew this would come up. And I just want

to remind you what that creation start

story says. 7-day creation, right? God

makes humanity male and female in his

image. Do we agree so far?

God then goes and he creates man in

chapter 2 in a garden.

How does he create him? He breathes upon

the dust and gives makes man a living

being. Correct? Everyone in agreement? I

just want to make sure. And then after

that, he assigns them the task to take

care of the garden and to name the

animals. Right

now, I remind you that in the ancient

world, that meant they were doing a

priestly act because the garden was the

temple for ancient gods. So, by taking

care of the garden, they're doing their

priestly acts. They're interceding

between God's goal and the world around

them. That's their job.

And then what tragically happens is this

person who is called woman or gune he

doesn't call her give her a particular

name

talks to a serpent and agrees to eat

the fruit that comes from the knowledge

of good and evil and they become idol

worshippers out of that and they end up

because they try and be like God and

then the fruit of that is emnity between

genders,

enmity between God and humanity,

and enmity between this chaos serpent

and themselves, the serpent later known

as the Satan. And the most important

component of this is they get a curse

laid upon them. Sin,

death,

and the serpent will be their lot.

That's the end of the creation story,

right? Do we agree? That's the garden

narrative.

Okay, remember that now?

Because now I'm going to take you into

the world of the first century.

Jesus has just died.

Everyone thinks he was going to be a

great militant messiah and he's failed.

Now, we just had this one little hint

that maybe something's okay. You know,

the part before this where the the one

that Jesus beloved outran Peter. I'm

sure Peter hated that he wrote those in

there.

gets to the tomb first and they flee.

And then we get to our section today,

which I think is so profound. If we read

it closely, I think you're going to

realize, wow.

But Mary is there. Who is he talking

about? Mary Magdalene, our famous

completely redeemed woman,

weeping outside the tomb. And she wept.

As she wept, she stooped to look into

the tomb. And she saw two angels in

white

sitting where the body of Jesus has

laid. So they're on each side of a slab.

One at the head and one at the feet of

this slab. What do you think that might

mean from the Old Testament?

One at the head and one at the end of

the slab.

Oh, the ark.

You remember when you look at the ark,

it has the two angels in each slab. And

what was that in the middle? That was

the mercy seat where God would sit and

bring mercy.

So the imminence of God is accessible.

And these angels are pointing that the

presence of God has been there. That's

the first thing you take out of it.

They said to her and they called her

what?

Woman. What was the name of the woman in

the garden? Woman. Same word in Greek.

Gunai and Gunai.

When he says woman in the in the when

Yahweh says woman in the garden, it's

good. The angels say good. Woman. What

is that saying?

Somehow they're connecting her with Eve.

Okay.

Giving her that exact same title.

Why are you weeping? They're asking.

They're not really asking in the sense

of I'm really curious why you're

weeping. Cuz they know she just lost.

They know as much as anyone else the

great loss that happened. So why would

they ask why are you weeping?

Because they're getting they need her to

stop thinking like this world is.

They need to get her to think, "Why am I

weeping?" Because in their world, the

weeping is because death is permanent

and they've lost the loved one. That's

why she's weeping. And before he can

give them the good news of joy, he has

to get her to understand what am I

doing? How am I seeing this world?

She said to them, "They have taken away

my Lord, and I do not know where they

have taken him."

Having said this, she turned around and

saw Jesus standing, but she did not know

it was Jesus. Ready for this?

Jesus said to her, well, same thing.

What happens when you hear two things in

Jewish writings?

Pay attention.

If it's said twice, it's a big point.

Why are you weeping? Same question. What

is it in your world view that is making

you so crushed at this point?

Why are you weeping?

And then he says a second, who are you

seeking?

See, what he's been saying the whole

time is that he is the living God,

hasn't he? Throughout John. And he's

saying, who are you really seeking?

Because if it's just a human being, then

you should be weeping. But am I really

that? Have I ever really been that? Who

are you seeking? Because if you're

seeking who I really am is the question,

then you wouldn't be in the state you're

in

supposing him to be the

what was Adam's job.

Okay, first of all, we know he it's

insane that she thinks he's a gardener.

Have you ever seen first century second

temple tombs?

They're on the side of a cliff

surrounded by desert. There are no

gardeners.

So why would he say supposing it was the

gardener? Because he's giving us a tip

of who Jesus is.

Mary,

woman, Eve,

Jesus, gardener, Adam.

There is a restoration going on here of

the genders.

Not only are both genders being

represented, they're both being restored

as imagebearers and they're both getting

their job back.

priests.

Sir, supposing in the gardener, she said

to him, "Sir, if you had carried him

away, tell me where you have laid him,

and I will take him away." She still

can't think right, can she? She can only

see the world as it is. Where she's been

weeping, she still doesn't really

understand who she's seeking.

And Jesus says to her, "Mary,"

remember that text, chapter 10, "the

sheep hear my voice and follow me."

Jesus said to her, "Mary." And she

turned and said to him in Aramaic,

"Raboni." She still doesn't get it.

That's a position on this world. That's

a position that dies. That's a position

without any divine connection.

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me."

Now, this is a tough text, but here he

is in the garden or not the garden by

the tomb looking like a gardener. She

says, "You're just a teacher." And he

says, "No,

and don't touch to me because something

is going to happen for I have not yet

ascended to the father, but go to my

brothers." He says, "And say to them, I

am ascending to my father." Says it

twice, "and your father to my God and

your God." Something's happened. The

relationship's changed. It's ever been

before. Jesus says, "My God." But

whatever happened here, it's now your

God to your father, too.

So why can't she cling on to him? Why

does she have to let go of this teacher

thing? Why does she have to let go of

Jesus as she's known him? What does she

have to seek? Well, he says it right

there. Do not cling to me for I have not

yet ascended.

You see, this is the important point.

Jesus is not just Mr. Rogers walking

around the church.

Jesus, as we're going to see in this

vision that he's pointing to, has taken

over everything. When he says, "I

ascended," he's referring back to

Daniel.

And he is the son of man. I saw in the

night visions and behold with the clouds

of heaven. This is the ascension. There

came one like a son of man. What does

Jesus call himself?

Son of man.

And he came to the what? The ancient of

days. That's God the father. And was

presented before him. Now listen to the

big change post the resurrection.

And to him was given dominion and glory

and a kingdom

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him. His dominion is an

everlasting dominion which shall not

pass away and his kingdom his kingdom

one that shall not be destroyed. Jesus

is not Mr. Sweetheart lover. He is now

post the resurrection the king of kings

and the lord of lords over the whole

cosmos.

>> That's why he says don't hold on to me

in this role of rabbi.

I am much more than that Mary and you

should be celebrating because I am going

to bring order and goodness.

Right?

>> You see how powerful that is? and he has

restored the relationship between

humanity and that's shown in the case

that she represents Eve and Jesus

represents Adam.

What does Paul call Jesus throughout

those letters? The second Adam,

the last Adam, the true Adam.

See what he did is what Adam could not

do. He truly took care and he was the

true gardener in the sense of he was the

high priest

and what he's done with Mary here and

what John wants you to see is womenhood

you are just as important and I am

restoring you to your role as

imagebearer

that's why he called her that

did you see that

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the

disciples. Mary Magdalene went announced

to the disciples. She becomes an

evangelist.

I'm telling you what really drives me

nuts. And I'm going to go on a

bit of a thing here.

Women can't be in any kind of religious

leadership.

Chapter two, she's taking care of the

garden. She's a priest.

She loses her priesthood in chapter

three. Then you get the fight of the

hierarchy of the genders,

right? Then you get all of that crap and

next thing you know, you've got a God

who has cured the curse of that chapter

3. And what's he doing? He's restoring

the woman to her role to be an

intercessory intercessor between

humanity and their God.

Mary Magdalene was ordained a priest

that day. And then she's sent out

as an evangelist.

The first one.

Okay. Calm.

Mary Magdalene went out to announce to

the disciple. And then notice she

changes it. She called him Raboni

before, but she says, "I have seen the

Lord." The Lord is this word in Greek,

curios.

Now, if you go back and translate curios

into the Hebrew, the word is Yahweh.

Who's Yahweh?

>> She just said, "I have seen God."

Do you see it?

and that he had said these things to

her. Amen. Mary, you go. You preach. I

don't care what those jerks say.

They weren't jerks.

And I love this scene. And I can see

myself all scared the Romans are going

to get you on the evening of the day,

the first day of the week. The first day

of the week. Why do we worship on

Sunday, by the way? Because the

resurrection happened on

new creation starts. You worship seven

days. You do the Sabbath on the seventh,

but if a new creation starts, you start

on day

one, which is day one, Sunday. There,

you got it figured out. On the evening

that day, the first day of the week, the

doors being locked where disciples were

for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and

stood among them. I love the fact that

doors don't block him anymore.

>> Hey.

>> Amen. You know, this isn't like some

superhero, but something's changed.

Hey,

he just shows up. And Jesus could came

and stood among them and said to them,

"Shalom.

Peace be with you." Now, most people

that's just a greeting, but keep your

eyes open because this shalom has a

deeper meaning.

When he had said this, he showed them

his hands and his side. He could he

entered this room, but he's physical.

Then the disciples were glad when they

saw

curios.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with

you." What did I say about twice?

That's the main point. And that means

guess what? the entity that happened at

the creation story. It's over. I'm no

longer mad. We're pals. Come over here

and give me a group hug.

He I'm I meant I'm adding here.

And then he says, "And as the father has

sent me, I am sending you." He is

sending them. What was Jesus' role? He

was the high priest. What are they going

to be now? Priests.

He's restoring their vocation from the

creation story.

You see that?

And now, if you don't believe me, this

has to do with Genesis. What did I say

about how man was made?

Yahweh breathed on the dirt. Correct?

And when he said this, he

breathed upon them and said, "Receive

the Holy Spirit,

new creation."

He took these dead souls and brought

them to life, but to eternal life.

Unlike the breath he gave Adam, this is

not just living life or psyche life.

This is spirit-driven life. This is

eternal life. He breathed upon him just

like he did in chapter 7. And then he

ends with this really interesting text

that can be really misunderstood.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are

forgiven them. And if you withhold forgi

withhold forgiveness from any, it is

withheld. Now, people go, "Well, that

doesn't seem right. We're supposed to

forgive everybody, right?"

It almost sounds like maybe I'm mad at

my wife and I can just say, "Well, maybe

I'm not going to forgive you

and it's withheld."

No, this is a priestly action.

We It's not about our emotions or our

desire to forgive. It's about

proclaiming the one who came to forgive.

And we have in us, he has given us the

priestly role to declare that to each

other. Can you believe that?

That you can say to each other, to the

one who's broken, who just says, "I want

life." And they come to Jesus, you say,

"You are forgiven." Isn't that amazing?

And the other side of that is the

warning side.

Part of being priests is recognizing

people will reject. And that's what he

says. If they don't receive the Christ,

you have to announce that it's withheld.

That's your priestly role.

So what I want to say here again is this

resurrection is about humanity, male and

female, becoming imagebearers of God

again, being put back into the

priesthood,

okay? And being sent out with this life.

That's incredible.

That is such a high view of you guys. I

personally know human beings and I

wouldn't make you priests

cuz I'm one of you.

That's how good he is.

So what are the things then? What is the

resurrection? First of all, it

represents a living God.

We have a God who's alive and he's in

your life whether you like it or not.

This is not a set of ideas about a god.

This isn't a philosophical god. What

this shows us as he comes to life is we

have a living God and we're called to

believe in the living God.

So many people in religious circles say,

"Well, you got to believe in an empty

tomb." My point is, well, no, I'll let

Bart say it. He's better than me.

Christians do not believe in the empty

tomb, but in the living Christ.

Of course, the tomb's empty is a living

Christ. Of course, that's true.

But the truth is we celebrate and

believe in the resurrection not oh

because there's an empty tomb. If we

spend all our time trying to argue an

empty tomb, we've missed the point

because we should be celebrating the

living Christ that came out of the tomb.

Right?

And not only that, this living God has

set things to rights between us.

Leslie Nubigan in its presence place it

leads the reader from the empty tomb to

that which is the real meaning of the

resurrection

the creation of a new relationship with

Jesus and those who believe in him.

The resurrection if it's nothing else it

gives you whether you believe it or not

the incredible truth of knowing God

intimately

in your life. The God who just said

reigns over everything, every cosmos

is your friend

because of the resurrection.

Because he's making you right.

And he's making you a new creation.

The biggest myth out there is that God's

going to destroy this creation, take us

way beyond the blue into some, I don't

know, uh,

Neverland.

Trying to think of a thing. Or this

these commercials I see where you're

sitting on the clouds and a Philadelphia

cream cheese and a really hulked man

comes and feeds you them. Now me, that

would be hell.

or this other view where you're sitting

in the clouds p playing harps you know

the ones all that imagery comes from

ready for this paganism

all of it

the truth is God wants to turn this

creation and renew it

he has never said this creation is bad

throughout the creation story says it's

good

it's ordered he made us and said it was

good hard to leave

and he is going to turn this baby around

one day and when he returns I don't know

what it's going to look like but it's

going to be physical beautiful and we

will be priests

Eugene sorry NT Wright says there's no

no square inch of the cosmos no split

second of created time which is not

desired by God claimed by God and will

one day be filled by God. This is a

great reminder of our future that what

God did for Jesus at the resurrection,

God will do for the entire creation.

Jesus is new creation.

Can't be killed again. He's part of it.

That's why he's physical. If the world

didn't matter, the tomb didn't need to

be empty. But there's a physical raising

of the dead. The tomb is empty because

God's going to restore things as tough

as it might seem.

And in we believe, what does it say

about us when we believe we are in

Christ?

And if we're in Christ, then what are we

if he is new creation? Well, let Paul

tell you. Therefore, if anyone is in

Christ, he is a new creation.

You are a new creation. You're tasting

it now cuz you got the old. But you are

the new creation. You have eternal life.

The old has gone for you.

The new has come. How could you say no

to this? By the way,

this is the greatest gift you'll ever

get. You're not going to get a better

offer. I've read every religion. They

don't come close.

And then he's given us a new vacation.

renewed priesthood. Now, I have to stop

because everyone thinks of the guys with

the big hats,

taking their little smoke.

That is not what priesthood means.

Priesthood means that we are to take

care of his creation and his people and

intercede between God and the world.

And that doesn't happen in fancy robes

and big fat hats

or smoky smoky things.

It happens when people go to work and

love their neighbor and pray for them.

It happens when you take care of your

children and love on them.

It happens when you go out with your

friend on a hike and worship the beauty

of God's creation.

It's whenever you stand up and do

something in the name of God to make

this creation better.

That's your job as a priest.

And you are a priest. And sorry ladies,

you have to be one too. And if somebody

says that you can't be a priest, go like

this. Are you ready? I've worked this

out.

This is the wonderful thing about Martin

Luther. He came up with the priesthood

of all believers. He's the one that

really gets it going. And he says, "The

priest is not made. He must be born a

priest, must inherit his office." I

refer to the new birth, the birth of

water and spirit. Thus, all Christians

must become priests, children of God,

and co-airs with Christ the most high.

You are called to be a priest born into

it by grace,

by baptism,

by love.

And in case you think I'm just making

this up, I can tell you all over the New

Testament, it says we are priests. And

I'm going to pick the one that I think

sits the most here. Revelation.

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful

witness, the firstborn of the dead, and

the ruler of the kingdoms of the earth.

to him who loves us and has freed us

from our sins by his blood. Good Friday.

And made us the result of that, a

kingdom priests

to God and father. To him be glory and

dominion forever more. My friends, you

are really more important than people in

a pew.

You are ordained priests, baptized, and

you are called. And what a great thing.

You have as much authority as this fool

of standing up here.

You know, in our tradition, they don't

call me a priest. And this is why. I'm a

teaching elder.

Because the reformed tradition has

always said the priesthood is out there.

And when you're out praying, sharing,

loving, you are doing God's work.

I finally end with how you do it. He

breathed on us, didn't he? The Holy

Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit.

Then you can live resurrection life.

See, that's the other thing. We get a

taste of it now. And in this world, we

can begin to live it.

Resurrection life described by Eugene

Peterson. The practice of resurrection

is an intentional deliberate decision to

believe and participate in resurrection

life. Life out of death. Life that

trumps death. Life that is life that is

the last word. Jesus life.

You get to begin now to practice the

future today because he has breathed

upon you the spirit.

And I have seen resurrection life in

this congregation.

I see it every time I hear about a young

couple taking in 14 students in a

building they bought so that they can go

around singing hymns together.

I just heard about that. I see it

recently, just a week ago, when a lady

puts together a therapy through horses

for the needy and the broken.

Resurrection life, priesthood.

I see it when

people in this church and they know

someone's sick and dying and they call

and they check in and they bring the

casserles. That's resurrection life.

I see it with parents loving children

who are unlovable.

Yeah. Resurrection life.

You can tell I just got through that.

I see it

when people are broken families and they

go and in the name of Jesus they suck it

up and they take it and they get

reconciliation

resurrection life.

I see it when women and men who have

having trouble in life

commit to their vows.

Resurrection life.

That's the life he wants to give. That's

us being priests.

I get to see in this place resurrection

life every day in this community.

And I get excited because I know that

the world's being changed. The world

won't even notice it,

but I know that God's doing something.

And when we're acting priests, the world

is being changed.

Sometimes we wonder in this very

difficult world

whether what we do matters.

Sometimes we wonder

if anything we've done makes a

difference.

It's normal.

Well, at the end of 1 Corinthians 15,

Paul has argued about resurrection

because they don't believe it. And he

talks about how God has died and given

us this priesthood.

And he says these words,

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be

steadfast, immovable, always abounding

in the work of the Lord, knowing that in

the Lord your labor labor is not in

vain." When you're doing that

resurrection life, when you're loving

your enemy, when you're caring for

people, when you're helping the broken,

do you know that your work is eternal?

because resurrection's eternal.

That you are being a priest and it

echoes into eternity. And even though

the world might put you down or might

ignore you or make you seem

insignificant in those little things

you're doing, what you're doing, my

friend,

in the Lord, your labor is not in vain.

And one day you're going to hear those

words, "Well done,

my good and faithful servant."

That's what the resurrection is.

I'm going to end with this wonderful

text

because it is eternal and there will be

a moment where we are resurrected.

And I want you to imagine what that

might be through the words of Tim

Keller.

But resurrection is not just

consolation.

It is restoration.

We get it all back.

The love, the loved ones,

the goods, the beauties of this life,

but in new unimaginable

degrees of glory and joy and strength.

If you believe in Jesus Christ right

now,

I got some good news.

You're part of the resurrection.

My challenge to you is be part of the

resurrection now.

And then be you will be overjoyed when

that day comes.

Let's pray.

Heavenly Father, what a gift you've

given us. You've restored us as image

bearsers. Thank you for showing us

through your John's faithful writing.

You've made us again male and female in

your image.

Not only that, you restored us in our

role of priest,

interceding between God and humanity,

God in this world.

We thank you that you would trust us to

send us out with this life.

Lord, as we do this, remind us that what

we are doing is eternal works when we

love our neighbor, when we care, when we

do resurrection life.

remind us that every cup community we

embrace in every worship time, we're

doing resurrection life.

And give us the power and the strength

when the darkness comes and says it's

worth nothing to remind ourselves

there's an empty tomb

and everything we do will not be in

vain.

Send us out as you were sent out.

Father,

make us a church that looks past

ourselves

to those around us. And may we intercede

in love

and forgive as we are forgiven and are

interceded for every day

in Jesus' name.