Mary’s Resurrection Story – Part 2: Unlikely Witness

In last week’s post, we looked at Mary Magdalene’s discoveries in John 20 when she visited the tomb to attend to Jesus’ body after his crucifixion. The story ended with her realization of his Resurrection and recognition of him as Lord while she stood outside his tomb, weeping.

But then Jesus says something surprising. “No, don’t hold on. Don’t keep touching. Go.” It’s a commissioning. “Go and tell my brothers.” And Mary takes off like a shot.

At the end of this passage, she bursts in, finds these men gathered, tells the story breathlessly. And notice what she calls Jesus: “Lord.”

Belief has happened. Resurrection has taken place. This isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the end of a chapter. A new story is beginning, a story of a live and risen Savior. A story of the most unlikely group of men and women telling others that the one they thought was a criminal is, in fact, the Son of God.

Would I have made Mary, as Aquinas later calls her, “apostle to the apostles”? No, I would want to have created the most reliable witness possible. I might have had Master Nicodemus show up on the scene.

Disqualified

But the credible intimacy of detail only points to its historicity. We’re hearing the real story here, a description of something that actually happened, something that changed the course of human history.

And I don’t know about you, but I need those details. I need them today. I need to know that God would choose the least likely, the most disqualified to be able to be one who receives and who declares. Because right now, I need to know that in the midst of me trying to get it right but not always doing so – my misbehavior, my not getting it the way I should – is not disqualifying me in any way whatsoever from the faith that God has planted into my soul.

My mistakes do not deny the Resurrection, but instead it is the Resurrection that upholds me, even in the midst of my mistakes. Even in the midst of my quavering belief. Even in the midst of dealing with circumstances.

How do I deal with these, O God? First, I recognize that our task in the midst of uncertain times is to allow the breath, the wonder, the deep intimacy, of the resurrection power of Jesus to hold us in the midst of all circumstantial uncertainty.

Fearful

All we have, quite honestly, is the testimony of Scripture, and that which God has already planted in our souls, by His death and Resurrection. This is true because, as Paul says, the very same spirit which raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you (see Rom. 8:11).

So what I can celebrate today is that, no matter what, I know who holds me. I know who holds my heart, in the midst of all that is divided. There is not just division; there is the resurrection power of Jesus Christ that gives me the capacity to step forward even in the midst of being fearful, of often being afraid, because I know fear does not have the last word. The Resurrection of Jesus does.

And because this happened so long ago and continues to be true, I know that he will take you and me by the hand and lead us forward, not in our own confidence, but in the gift of what he is giving us even now again, as we say, “Alleluia, Christ is risen.”

In that, we hope. In that, we celebrate. So take time to greet with joy the Resurrection of Jesus, and know that in the midst of all kinds of truths, this is the truth that is the key to everything.

Jesus is risen! Alleluia.

 

How can you identify with Mary and her response to Christ’s Resurrection? Share this blog and your response on Twitter. Please include my username, @revgregbrewer.

(This post is an adaption of Bishop Brewer’s sermon recorded for April 12, 2020, in the Diocesan Chapel of the Diocesan Office, Orlando.)

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.