Dead, Stinking Jesus
John 20:11-16 NLT
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 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. 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."
14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him. 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."
16 "Mary!" Jesus said.
She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher").
We identify with Jesus at “Party Time”
Christmas – Birthday Party
Easter – Coming Home Party
Not much different from people in Jesus’ day
We come to Jesus with our needs and agendas
All is fine when we are being blessed or fed or healed
We find out if you’re a friend of Jesus – not when you’re elevated
But when hanging with Jesus eventually brings you to the cross
Where were the people He had done so much for?
Where were those He had feed and healed?
Where are the ones that said they’d never leave?
· Some at a distant & some gone – committed by convenience
With Jesus on the cross, He can’t do anything for you
To be friends with Him now would cost you something; even your life!
The Cross doesn’t just represent a Dead Jesus
The Cross represents a Defeated Jesus – “crucified in weakness” – 2 Cor 13:4
When He’s dead and not answering any of your prayers…
It wasn’t supposed to end up like this
He’s not only Dead
He’s started to Stink! His reputation was going bad
This is where most people don’t know how to handle Jesus
Look at how people acted: Now that He wasn’t able to do anything else for them
· Some denied Him – “I don’t believe in that anymore”
· Walked away – done with Jesus & His promises
· Some went back to their old lives
· They followed Him in Hope – “quit everything to follow Him”
o Why not quit him when everything fails
· Separated themselves from Him
o Stop coming to church
There was someone who didn’t leave at the Cross: a woman, Mary Magdalene
· Mary was taking spices to anoint the dead body of Jesus (Mark 16:1)
She is experiencing the same loss and disappointment
Yet, she is responding differently...
Mary was preparing spices to anoint His dead, lifeless, body
The others based their relationship with Jesus on what He was doing for them
But now He couldn’t do anything for them
What will you be doing for Him when He’s not doing anything for you?
Mary’s relationship was based on Worship
The Difference between Praise and Worship:
· Praise Him because He made us smell good
· Worship makes Him smell good
So when Jesus was unresponsive to her prayers and not doing anything for her
Mary was still doing something for Him
She was making Him smell good
Most of us don’t know how to worship in a bad smell
Jesus warned them of what would happen – what life would bring
The disciples couldn’t comprehend His plan – even though He told them
We act the same way – then, we don’t deal with the disappointment
When things are stinking, and He’s not doing anything for us
We go back to fishing…
How many people are mad at God because He didn’t do what they wanted?
Feel like you followed Him & He abandoned you when you needed Him most
Learn how to Worship Him in the stink of disappointment and pain
Worship Him until you hear Him call your name – “Mary” (John 10:16)
Mary went to a place of Death, and found Life
We walk out before the end of the movie
If you endure to the end, your Place of Defeat will turn into a Place of Victory!