“Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed 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 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who 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 returned to their homes.

¹¹ But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other 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 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” 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 Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).” John 20:1-16

It was a great trial to Mary, that the body was gone.  Many might even be offended that it is Mary to whom the Lord appears.  Why Mary?  Why not the disciples….you know, those who fled under the heat of the interrogation, who will soon be hiding behind closed doors, who have denied their teacher to others.  It is an honor to be called into the service of Christ, and yet not be a pastor, or priest, or deaconess.  There are many things that we all can do – and they do not have to be of the immensity nor the difficulty of those like the disciples; others are needed to be more willing to take pains, and run hazards, in doing good works. We must do our best, not envying those who can do better, nor despising those who do as well as they can, though they be “outsiders.”  The disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus, was foremost – yet we do not know much that he did, except to love the Lord.

Pastor Dave

“After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. ² Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. ⁴ Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” ⁵ They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ⁶ When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. ⁷ Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”⁸ Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” ⁹ This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹ Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” John 18:1-11

When they had finished the meal in the Upper Room, and when Jesus was done praying, he and his friends left to go to the Garden of Gethsemane. They would leave by the gate, go down the steep valley and cross the channel of the brook Kidron. While they were crossing the brook, something would have caught Jesus’ eyes. All the Passover lambs were being slaughtered in the Temple, and the blood of the lambs was poured on the altar as an offering to G-d. The number of lambs slain for the Passover was immense – perhaps thousands upon thousands. We may imagine what the Temple courts were like when the blood of all these lambs was dashed on to the altar. From the altar there was a channel down to the Kidron Brook, and through that channel the blood of the Passover lambs drained away. When Jesus crossed the brook Kidron it would still be red with the blood of the lambs which had been sacrificed; and as he did so, the thought of his own sacrifice would surely be vivid in his mind.

We often are faced with deeds that give us such a harbinger – a message of their immensity or difficulty. How do you carry on when you face such difficulties? We look to Jesus to carry us through – we place our burdens upon the Lord, who will not abandon nor forsake us.

Pastor Dave