1. III. MARY MAGDALENE LOOKED FOR JESUS FAITHFULLY.
1.1. Mary followed Christ throughout his ministry. As he was dying, she stood by him at the cross
1.1.1. John 19:25 25 Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene.
1.1.2. When he was dead, she stood by him at his grave
1.1.3. When at last Mary saw Jesus alive, she wanted to hold on to him with all her might
1.1.4. John 20:17 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ”
1.2. We ought to seek Jesus that way, cleaving to the very least thing that has anything to do with him, remaining faithful even when all others might forsake him.
2. IV. MARY MAGDALENE LOOKED FOR JESUS TENACIOUSLY!
2.1. Mary was devastated.
2.1.1. In grief and desperation she stayed close to Jesus.
2.1.2. John 20:11 11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.
2.1.3. When you don't understand and don't know what to do, stay close to Jesus.
2.2. You cannot microwave a relationship with the living God
2.2.1. It will take time
2.2.2. It will be trouble
2.2.3. It will take treasure
2.2.4. A Relationship with Jesus is the pearl of great price.
2.2.4.1. Matthew 13:45–46 (NLT) 45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
2.2.5. Though it cost you everything, you always come out ahead.
3. V. MARY MAGDALENE LOOKED FOR JESUS ONLY.
3.1. Mary not only saw two angels but also talked with them
3.1.1. John 20:12 (NLT) 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
3.1.2. John 20:13 (NLT) 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
3.2. She could care less about the angles, she just wanted her Jesus.
4. CONCLUSION
4.1. Mary finally recognized Jesus when he called her name
4.1.1. John 20:14 (NLT) 14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.
4.1.2. John 20:15 (NLT) 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”
4.1.3. John 20:16 (NLT) 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).
4.1.4. Earlier Jesus had said that a good shepherd knows his sheep and calls them by name and that the sheep know their shepherd’s voice
4.1.4.1. John 10:4 (NLT) 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.
4.1.5. He is calling,
4.1.5.1. Your time
4.1.5.2. Your Treasure
4.1.5.3. Your Trouble
4.1.5.4. Pearl of great price
5. Message Video
6. John 20:1–10
6.1. John 20:1 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
6.2. John 20:2 2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
6.3. John 20:3 3 Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb.
6.4. John 20:4-5 4 They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in.
6.5. John 20:6-7 6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, 7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.
6.6. John 20:8 8 Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed
6.7. John 20:9-10 9 for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. 10 Then they went home.
6.8. Mary Magdalene was first among Jesus’ female disciples
6.8.1. the leader of those who helped and cared for him and a special testimony to Christ’s power to save and heal
6.8.2. She was also the first to witness the miracle of the resurrection.
7. We should look for Jesus first, boldly, faithfully, earnestly, and only.
8. I. MARY MAGDALENE LOOKED FOR JESUS FIRST
8.1. Mary was the first person to see the empty tomb
8.1.1. The first person to meet Jesus after he rose from the dead
8.1.2. The first person to tell the good news of his resurrection to someone else
8.1.3. Why?
8.1.3.1. Because she was the first one at the tomb on Easter Sunday morning
8.1.3.2. Finding Jesus was her top priority
8.2. Too many people put off coming to Christ until some later time
8.2.1. “I’ll get around to it.” “I’ll do it when the time is right.”
8.2.2. Not Mary. She knew the time to look for Christ is right now.
9. II. MARY MAGDALENE WAS BOLD!
9.1. Mary had dared to stand at the foot of Jesus’ cross and later at his tomb
9.1.1. She was not afraid of the soldiers or the Jewish leaders and had no concern for her own safety or welfare
9.1.2. She was not ashamed of being identified with Jesus
9.2. The men, ya they ran
9.2.1. Even after they heard he had risen they were hiding behind closed doors.
9.2.2. John 20:19 19 That Sunday evening* the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.
9.2.3. but Mary stood outside the tomb”
9.2.3.1. John 20:10 (NLT) 10 Then they went home.
9.2.3.2. John 20:11 (NLT) 11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.
9.3. It takes courage to follow Jesus
9.3.1. Sometimes you stand alone.
9.3.2. That is how you see Jesus.