1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,400 Happy Easter and welcome to Trinity Sermons and thanks so much for joining us today for 2 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:12,800 our weekly sermon here at Trinity Church, Streetsville. 3 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:18,200 We're a church located in the village of Streetsville in Mississauga, Ontario and we're 4 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:24,000 so glad that you are with us today for our message of good news on Easter. 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:33,000 A reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 1 to 18. 6 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:39,600 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to 7 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:44,640 the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 8 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:50,480 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 9 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:55,840 they have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have put him. 10 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:59,520 So Peter and the other disciples started for the tomb. 11 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:04,700 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 12 00:01:04,700 --> 00:01:11,220 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there, but did not go in. 13 00:01:11,220 --> 00:01:15,880 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. 14 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:20,440 He saw the strips of lying there as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' 15 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:21,880 head. 16 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:27,520 The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 17 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:32,320 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. 18 00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:34,520 He saw and believed. 19 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:39,200 They did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. 20 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,840 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 21 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,840 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. 22 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:52,040 As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where 23 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:57,480 Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 24 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,900 They asked her, woman, why are you crying? 25 00:02:01,900 --> 00:02:06,920 They have taken my Lord away, she said, and I don't know where they have put him. 26 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,560 At this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was 27 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:13,840 Jesus. 28 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,600 He asked her, woman, why are you crying? 29 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,440 Who is it you are looking for? 30 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:25,680 Thinking he was the gardener, she said, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where 31 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,000 you have put him and I will get him. 32 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:32,440 Jesus said to her, Mary. 33 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:38,680 She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, rabboni, which means teacher. 34 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:43,760 Jesus said, do not hold on to me for I have not yet ascended to the Father. 35 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:49,960 Go instead to my brothers and tell them I am ascending to my Father and your Father, 36 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,720 to my God and your God. 37 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,160 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news. 38 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:02,040 I have seen the Lord and she told them what he had said, these things to her. 39 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:05,320 The word of the Lord. 40 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,760 How many of you know what your very first words were? 41 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,760 Your baby words when you were a baby. 42 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:13,680 What were the first words that ever came out of your mouth? 43 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:18,360 Today I want to talk not about last words, but I want to talk about first words. 44 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,000 Just a hands up, you don't have to tell me what they are, but hands up if you know what 45 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:22,800 your first words were. 46 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:28,840 Yeah, not a lot of people know what their first words were. 47 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,720 I think it's an interesting topic. 48 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:36,000 Some parents actually have a baby book and in that baby book they write down, oh, this 49 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:42,520 was baby's first step or this is baby's first smile or this is baby's first poop or this 50 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,640 was baby's first word. 51 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:51,280 I actually asked some of our staff here, I said, hey staff, what were some of your first 52 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:52,280 words? 53 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:53,280 Some of them got back to me. 54 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,760 I'll just give you a couple for examples. 55 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:03,520 For example, Libby, our worship director, Libby McGrath, I asked her, I said, Libby, 56 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:06,000 what were some of your first words? 57 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,720 I wonder, I said, hey Libby, what was your first word? 58 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,980 That's a picture of Libby when she was just little. 59 00:04:11,980 --> 00:04:15,720 Her first word was no. 60 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:19,720 And actually, if you know Libby, you're like, yeah, that kind of makes sense. 61 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,480 That kind of fits, right? 62 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:28,880 And then so I asked our amazing media director, Alex Stevens, I said, hey Alex, what were 63 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:29,880 your first words? 64 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:35,960 And so he called his folks and he asked them and his first word was mama. 65 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,040 And so doesn't he look like a mama's boy? 66 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,200 I mean, he's a total mama's boy. 67 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:41,200 Absolutely. 68 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,280 And those words that they said while they were on a road trip to Nova Scotia. 69 00:04:45,280 --> 00:04:51,800 And then I asked Elizabeth Archer, our amazing online engagement director, I said, Elizabeth, 70 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,240 what were your first words? 71 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:54,240 Oh, wait a second. 72 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:55,400 No, no, you're not seeing double. 73 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:56,400 You're not seeing double. 74 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,840 Do you guys know that Elizabeth Archer is an identical twin? 75 00:04:59,840 --> 00:05:01,160 She's an identical twin. 76 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:02,160 Right. 77 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,600 So the first question I want to ask you is, which one is Elizabeth? 78 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,100 On the left or the right? 79 00:05:07,100 --> 00:05:09,240 How many think left? 80 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:10,560 How many think right? 81 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:11,560 All right. 82 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:12,720 And you're right. 83 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,000 She is the one on the right. 84 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:16,800 And what do you think Elizabeth? 85 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,880 Elizabeth's first words were papa. 86 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,240 That's what her folks told her. 87 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:28,440 And so just for full transparency, this is a picture of me when I was a kid. 88 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,040 I don't know what is going on out here. 89 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:31,040 It's like electric. 90 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,040 It's like electric. 91 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:36,560 And I asked my folks, I said, you know, what was my first word? 92 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,520 And I have to say, I was a little bit surprised at this one, but they said my first word was 93 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:41,520 kitty. 94 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:42,520 Kitty. 95 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:50,240 Which if you know me, you would know that cats are not necessarily my favorite animal. 96 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,680 But anyways, you know, kitty it was. 97 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:54,680 Kitty it was. 98 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:55,680 So there you have it. 99 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,680 There's four amazing first words. 100 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,720 No, mama, papa, kitty. 101 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,520 And of course, all parents think the first words their kids say are absolutely amazing. 102 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,080 Whenever there's a first word, they get on the phone, they call grandma and grandpa. 103 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:11,480 They'll say, you'll never guess, you'll never guess what he said, he said kitty. 104 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:12,560 He said kitty. 105 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:18,320 But first words in a real way actually are quite amazing because the first word somebody 106 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:20,920 utters it's not just noise anymore. 107 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,080 It's not just goo goo and ga ga. 108 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:24,520 It's actually a signal. 109 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:27,200 They're actually trying to tell us something. 110 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:30,640 It's one of the first forms of human expression. 111 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:37,640 It's it's they're telling us, giving us a clue about who they are and what they're all 112 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:38,640 about. 113 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:40,240 So first words are very, very powerful. 114 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,760 Now after Jesus was crucified, oh my goodness, Jesus had spoken so many amazing words throughout 115 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:46,760 his life. 116 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,160 But after he was crucified, his enemies thought we finally silenced him. 117 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,520 No more Jesus and no more words. 118 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:57,720 In fact, we spent the last six weeks, seven weeks looking at the famous last words that 119 00:06:57,720 --> 00:06:59,080 Jesus spoke. 120 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,880 So they had finally put him to death and he was in the tomb. 121 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,400 No more Jesus, no more words. 122 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:10,760 But on the third day, Jesus broke his silence and he rose from the dead and he took his 123 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:17,560 first resurrection breath and then he took his first resurrection step and then he spoke 124 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:21,600 his first resurrection words. 125 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,660 And I got to tell you folks, these were no ordinary words. 126 00:07:25,660 --> 00:07:29,520 These were no, you know, mama, papa, no kitty, Gaga, Google. 127 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:37,040 These four words that Jesus spoke were earth shattering, world changing, life transforming 128 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:38,040 words. 129 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,200 You know, when you write a book, you know, the first line is so important. 130 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,280 The movie, the first line of a movie is important. 131 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:46,800 The first lyrics of a song are so important because they're they're telling us they're 132 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,080 setting the tone for where the rest is going. 133 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:55,520 And these four words that Jesus spoke are telling us something and they've been recorded 134 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:59,860 and they have been preserved for for 2000 years for us, not in some baby book, but they've 135 00:07:59,860 --> 00:08:03,640 been preserved for us in the Bible by numerous gospel writers. 136 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:07,040 And they are saying they are saying, look at what Jesus said. 137 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:08,040 It's a signal. 138 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:11,320 It's telling us something about who he is and where he is going. 139 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:18,160 Today, I just want to look at the famous first words, the first four words that Jesus spoke 140 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,720 after he rose from the dead. 141 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:22,240 OK, here we go. 142 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:27,720 The first words that Jesus spoke, I want to say I'm going to call them they were words 143 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,340 of caring, words of caring. 144 00:08:30,340 --> 00:08:35,160 The risen Jesus approaches Mary Magdalene and she is crying and she's weeping and she's 145 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:36,680 broken hearted. 146 00:08:36,680 --> 00:08:42,000 And the first thing he says, the first words out of his mouth on this side of the tomb 147 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:46,400 were woman, why are you crying? 148 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,600 Now I just want you to take that in for a moment. 149 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:57,960 The first thing he says as a resurrected Lord is a word of compassion, a word of caring 150 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:03,260 toward another person's deepest pain. 151 00:09:03,260 --> 00:09:07,560 Now you have to understand the weight of these words in order to understand that you got 152 00:09:07,560 --> 00:09:10,360 to understand the context in that society. 153 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:17,400 In that society, women were often marginalized and in that society, men totally dismissed 154 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:18,720 the emotions of women. 155 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:25,500 Now of course, in our society, right today, men are deeply compassionate and emotionally 156 00:09:25,500 --> 00:09:31,120 tuned in to the to the feelings of the women in their lives. 157 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:33,600 But it wasn't always that way, right? 158 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:34,680 Back then it was different. 159 00:09:34,680 --> 00:09:39,920 Back then a man would rarely even talk to a strange woman, much less go up to them and 160 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:42,680 then ask them a deeply compassionate question. 161 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:44,920 Hey, hey, hey, hey, what's wrong? 162 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:45,920 What's wrong? 163 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,000 You're crying. 164 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:48,000 What's going on? 165 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:49,160 Tell me what? 166 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:52,180 Why are you crying? 167 00:09:52,180 --> 00:09:57,120 These words resonate with every single one of us who has ever felt the sting of grief 168 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,400 or loss in our own life. 169 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,120 We can relate to Mary's tears. 170 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,280 We've had times when we've been brokenhearted, when everything seems to have fallen apart. 171 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:10,400 We've had times when we've been wandering around the garden aimlessly, looking in vain 172 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:12,720 for some kind of comfort. 173 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:18,320 And Jesus offers those words of comfort to all of us today. 174 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:24,080 The question, why are you crying is comforting, but it's actually also discomforting in another 175 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:29,360 way, because that question forces you to kind of go deep into and to like ask the question, 176 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:30,360 why am I crying? 177 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:33,120 You got to go deep into those emotions, unpack all that. 178 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:34,960 And sometimes we don't want to unpack all that. 179 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,680 And so for that reason, sometimes we don't even want to cry. 180 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:39,480 We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. 181 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:45,360 And we fight back to tears because we just don't want to deal with all of that. 182 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:49,040 But it is in our vulnerability. 183 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:56,360 It is in our vulnerability that Jesus meets us and tears therefore are not a sign of weakness. 184 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,640 They're actually a gift in a way. 185 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:02,800 In fact, Pope Francis, when he was looking at this very passage, he said this, he says, 186 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:10,520 at times in our life, our tears become the glasses that enable us to see Jesus. 187 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:12,320 Tears have a way of softening your heart. 188 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:18,040 They have a way of opening your eyes to see Jesus is there offering you a word of comfort 189 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:19,960 and care. 190 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,200 Jesus asked Mary, why are you crying? 191 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:27,160 Jesus asks you this morning, why are you crying? 192 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:33,960 Now I know you're not crying, crying, but what burdens are weighing on your heart today? 193 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:34,960 Maybe you've lost someone. 194 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,000 Maybe you've had a relationship fall apart. 195 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,440 Maybe, you know, things aren't going your way. 196 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:41,280 Maybe your whole life feels like it's falling apart. 197 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:42,280 I don't know. 198 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:43,580 But why are you crying? 199 00:11:43,580 --> 00:11:47,560 These famous first words aren't just for Mary Magdalene. 200 00:11:47,560 --> 00:11:49,720 They are for you and they are for me. 201 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:55,800 Inviting us, acknowledge our pain, inviting us to embrace our vulnerability and find comfort 202 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,380 and care in Jesus. 203 00:11:57,380 --> 00:12:01,520 What amazing first words, amazing first words. 204 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:03,120 Why are you crying woman? 205 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:04,640 But those are just the first. 206 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,080 He's got some more to say. 207 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:10,360 And so that takes us to the second amazing first words that Jesus ever spoke. 208 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:12,500 I'm going to call these words of searching. 209 00:12:12,500 --> 00:12:14,160 Right after he says woman, why are you crying? 210 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,400 He says, whom are you looking for? 211 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:19,400 These are words of searching. 212 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,480 Now at first glance, these don't seem profound at all. 213 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:23,480 Who are you looking for? 214 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:27,160 It's just like obviously she's looking for the dead body of Jesus. 215 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:28,480 She cannot find it. 216 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,480 Jesus already knows the answer to that question. 217 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:32,560 It's not profound. 218 00:12:32,560 --> 00:12:37,280 If you found me wandering around the shopping mall aimlessly and you said, Rob, who are 219 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:38,280 you looking for? 220 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:41,200 I'd probably say, I'm looking for my wife. 221 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:43,640 And actually you could probably, I hate shopping malls so much. 222 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:45,920 You could probably also say, Rob, why are you crying? 223 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:46,920 Right? 224 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,240 I really don't like shopping malls. 225 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:51,200 But the risen Jesus. 226 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:53,920 The risen Jesus asks you, who are you looking for? 227 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:54,920 That is different. 228 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:55,920 That's a different question. 229 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,120 That is a deeper, deeper question. 230 00:12:58,120 --> 00:12:59,920 And here's the problem with that question. 231 00:12:59,920 --> 00:13:02,440 We often don't know what it is we're looking for. 232 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:08,440 You know, Bono, you too, the famous song, I still haven't found what I'm looking for. 233 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:12,280 When he sings that chorus again and again, there's an anguish in his voice. 234 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:14,560 And rightly so because it really hurts us. 235 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:17,300 It's really hard when you can't find what you're looking for. 236 00:13:17,300 --> 00:13:21,640 But what's even worse, what's even worse than that is when you're not even sure what it 237 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:24,560 is that you are looking for. 238 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:31,600 Many of us spend our lives with this indistinct longing that we just don't know how to satisfy. 239 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,800 We want something, we're looking for something, but we just don't even know what that thing 240 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:36,800 is. 241 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:42,200 You know, King Charles, he spoke of his belief that for all the advantages of science, there 242 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:51,160 remains deep in the soul, this persistent, unconscious anxiety that something is missing. 243 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:55,840 And while Charles and Diana certainly didn't get along all the time, they agreed on this 244 00:13:55,840 --> 00:14:02,320 point because Diana once spoke of an overwhelming sense of loss and isolation that undermines 245 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,540 our efforts to cope with the complexities of life. 246 00:14:05,540 --> 00:14:10,760 We know, she said, something is missing. 247 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:12,400 Sometimes we think, oh, I know what's missing. 248 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,680 If I were to go and get a university degree, then that feeling would go away. 249 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:17,680 And it doesn't go away. 250 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:21,040 We say, oh, maybe if I could get a girlfriend or a boyfriend, it would go away. 251 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:22,040 And we do. 252 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:23,040 And it doesn't go away. 253 00:14:23,040 --> 00:14:26,200 Or maybe if I got married or maybe I got a job or maybe if I finally made some money 254 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:30,620 or maybe if I finally made something in my life, got a reputation, got had some success, 255 00:14:30,620 --> 00:14:31,720 and it doesn't go away. 256 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,520 It doesn't seem to matter how much food or how much money or how many TV sets or how 257 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:39,920 many houses or cars or children or whatever we get the feeling that feeling does never 258 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,920 seems to go away. 259 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:43,920 But here's the thing. 260 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,840 When Jesus asked the question, what are you, who are you looking for? 261 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:49,840 It's a question. 262 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:51,940 Yes, but it's also an answer. 263 00:14:51,940 --> 00:14:58,240 In these first words, he's actually saying he is the fulfillment of your deepest longings. 264 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:05,360 For 1500 years ago, St. Augustine said, you've made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts 265 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:08,680 are restless until they rest in you. 266 00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:13,840 And these amazing first words, Jesus saying, look at your heart, Mary, do some soul searching, 267 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:14,840 Mary. 268 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:16,720 He's inviting you to do the same. 269 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,000 What are you looking for? 270 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:20,880 Is it recognition? 271 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:21,880 Is it success? 272 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:23,420 Is it wealth? 273 00:15:23,420 --> 00:15:24,420 Is it happiness? 274 00:15:24,420 --> 00:15:25,420 Is it revenge? 275 00:15:25,420 --> 00:15:26,420 Right? 276 00:15:26,420 --> 00:15:27,700 You're here this morning. 277 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:30,180 You're at church on Easter Sunday morning. 278 00:15:30,180 --> 00:15:32,320 What are you looking for? 279 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:39,800 All we discover is underneath all of our searching for what, there is a who underneath our deepest 280 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:41,200 longings for something. 281 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:46,400 There is a someone who's the answer to our greatest desire. 282 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:47,400 It's Jesus. 283 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:49,920 Who are you looking for? 284 00:15:49,920 --> 00:15:51,560 These are amazing first words. 285 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:52,560 They keep coming. 286 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:58,800 The third of the fourth words that I want to share with you, I call a word of knowing. 287 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:01,960 And this one, again, you're going to say this does not seem like much, but man, oh, man, 288 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:02,960 it is powerful. 289 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:08,240 Jesus says this third, he says, Mary, Mary. 290 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:12,440 Again, you might say, well, what's so amazing about that? 291 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:13,560 But think about this. 292 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:14,560 Think about this. 293 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:18,760 The magnitude of the resurrection, how significant this event is. 294 00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:22,760 How is Jesus going to do the big reveal? 295 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:24,400 How is he going to get the word out? 296 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:28,520 Was he going to show up first to King Herod and say, here I am. 297 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:29,520 I'm back, baby. 298 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:30,520 Right. 299 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:34,920 Did he know he was going to do it or was he going to show up miraculously in the temple 300 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:37,800 in front of crowds of people so they could all see him? 301 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:42,640 Or maybe because Jesus is Jesus and God is God, he could find a way to reveal to the 302 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:47,920 whole world all at once through thunder claps and lightning bolts and earthquakes that he 303 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:50,120 is risen from the dead. 304 00:16:50,120 --> 00:16:52,120 But no, you know what Jesus does instead? 305 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,560 He chooses one person, Mary. 306 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,560 Even a few moments earlier, he could have showed up. 307 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:02,360 Mary and John and Peter were there, but he's like, no, no, no, too many. 308 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:03,360 I just want one. 309 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:05,680 I just want Mary. 310 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,160 I want this to be personal. 311 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:10,040 I want to be someone I know. 312 00:17:10,040 --> 00:17:12,440 I want it to be personal. 313 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,600 The first time, interesting, the first time Jesus spoke to Mary, do you know what he called 314 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:16,600 her? 315 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:21,240 Remember he said woman, but this time he says Mary. 316 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:26,920 And you know what she realizes when she hears that she says, wait, wait, wait. 317 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,160 She knows me. 318 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:30,680 He knows me. 319 00:17:30,680 --> 00:17:31,680 Right? 320 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:39,120 There is this deep longing in each and every one of us to be known, truly known. 321 00:17:39,120 --> 00:17:43,640 And yet the same time we're scared to death of being truly known because what if people 322 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,120 reject us once they find out who we really are? 323 00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:50,560 And once we reveal ourselves to a person, but as Ed Welch says, he said to be truly 324 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:56,400 known with nothing to hide is life at its best. 325 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:57,840 Jesus knew Mary. 326 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,400 He called Mary by name. 327 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,200 Mary knew Jesus at first. 328 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:02,200 She didn't think she knew him. 329 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:03,320 She thought he was the gardener. 330 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,120 She was probably walking away, but then he says Mary and she stops and she says, wait, 331 00:18:07,120 --> 00:18:10,840 wait, and maybe it was the tone of his voice or maybe he said it like he always used to 332 00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:11,840 say it. 333 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:17,160 I don't know what it was, but when he said her name, she said, Hey, whoa, whoa, he knows 334 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,460 me. 335 00:18:19,460 --> 00:18:24,920 Many people struggle feeling alone and unknown. 336 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,080 We live in this world where real connections are like increasingly rare. 337 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:32,880 And I know it's we're connected through technology and we're connected through social media, 338 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:37,760 but the studies all tell us we are lonelier and more isolated than ever. 339 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:38,980 We need to be known. 340 00:18:38,980 --> 00:18:41,560 You saw those baby pictures from the time that we're babies. 341 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:45,640 We have this desire to be connected, this desire for attachment with others. 342 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:49,400 And as we grow older, that feeling and that need does not go away. 343 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:54,440 These famous first words tell us Jesus knows us personally. 344 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,320 Jesus knows us intimately. 345 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,080 Jesus once said, I am the good shepherd. 346 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:05,920 I know my own and my own know me. 347 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:11,080 Maybe you're like Mary and you're like totally overwhelmed by what life is throwing at you. 348 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:16,000 And when we're overwhelmed, we cannot see Jesus even is he, if he is standing right 349 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000 in front of us. 350 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:23,080 And yet if we stop and if we look and if we listen, he's there, he's calling us and he's 351 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:26,480 calling us by name. 352 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:30,560 He's inviting us into a relationship with him where we can be fully known and fully 353 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:32,200 loved. 354 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:37,200 So I want you to know when Jesus says Mary this morning, he's not just saying Mary. 355 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:42,480 He's also saying Andrew, he's saying for Rita. 356 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:43,720 He's saying Scott. 357 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:45,160 He's saying Curlin. 358 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:46,160 He's saying Elliot. 359 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:51,720 He's saying your name, saying my name because Jesus knows you. 360 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:53,120 He wants a relationship with you. 361 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:55,920 I just want to add a little side note here. 362 00:19:55,920 --> 00:20:02,320 At churches like Trinity, it is sometimes hard to feel known, right? 363 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:03,320 You're just like a face in the crowd. 364 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:07,300 You might feel like just a face in the crowd even this morning, but just as Jesus wants 365 00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:11,080 to know you, we want to know you too. 366 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:16,040 And so if you're new here this morning or you're visiting, we want to invite you into 367 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:23,160 this community where you can become known and you can feel loved. 368 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,960 It's hard to experience that on a Sunday morning, just sitting in a big crowd. 369 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:32,200 But that's why at Trinity, we have these things that we call life groups and these life groups, 370 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:38,220 they provide a place where strangers can become friends, where you can start to get to know 371 00:20:38,220 --> 00:20:41,880 other people and you can start to get to know Jesus as well. 372 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,300 And I just want to say, if you're all interested in being known and going a little deeper in 373 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:51,440 community here, visit our welcome desk after the service out there and ask the volunteers 374 00:20:51,440 --> 00:20:58,840 about life groups, because like Jesus, we want to get to know you too. 375 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,520 That brings us to the last first word. 376 00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:02,520 I said that right, right? 377 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,520 The last first word of Jesus. 378 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:08,960 And this may be the most amazing of all the words that Jesus spoke, because if Jesus didn't 379 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:13,200 speak this fourth word, we never would have known the first, the second, and the third 380 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,560 word. 381 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:20,040 After his words of caring and after his words of searching and after his words of knowing, 382 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:23,580 Jesus speaks a word of sending. 383 00:21:23,580 --> 00:21:27,840 He says, go and tell. 384 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:33,880 When Jesus speaks these words, he sets a process in motion that will change Mary's life. 385 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:35,360 It will change the disciples life. 386 00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:36,880 It will change your life. 387 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:37,960 It will change my life. 388 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,140 It will change the life of every single human being on this planet. 389 00:21:42,140 --> 00:21:48,480 Because with these words, Jesus entrusts to Mary Magdalene a profound mission. 390 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:53,860 Go and tell others what I have told you that I am risen from the dead. 391 00:21:53,860 --> 00:21:57,840 And with these words, she becomes the very first messenger of the greatest news that 392 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,280 humanity has ever, ever heard. 393 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:04,400 You guys might have known in the Bible, they use this word apostle and apostle is just 394 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,800 a fancy word, a Greek word for someone who is sent. 395 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,760 And mostly when people think of apostles, they think, oh, Peter, the apostle or Paul, 396 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:13,760 the apostle Paul. 397 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:18,600 But I got to tell you, the very first apostle ever was Mary Magdalene, because she was the 398 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:25,840 very first one who ever went and told others the good news of Jesus. 399 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:31,480 This amazing first word of Jesus, go and tell. 400 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:36,760 It reminds us that the resurrection is not merely a message for you. 401 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:39,600 It is a message for you for sure. 402 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,280 But it's a message for you to take with you. 403 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,040 It's a message for you to take with you today when you go home to your families. 404 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:50,560 It's a message for you to take with you when you go to visit your friends later on this 405 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:54,320 week, when you go back to work later on this week, take that message with you. 406 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:58,080 When you get together with your fiance, you're to take this message with you. 407 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:02,480 When you get together with your boyfriend or your girlfriend, take this message with 408 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,680 you, with your parents, with your kids, with your grand. 409 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:11,280 You need to take this message with you, because if you have heard this story, you are to share 410 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:12,280 the story. 411 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:17,800 Jesus entrusted this message to one woman who lived in a hostile world, a culture that 412 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,360 would overlook her and ignore her, a culture that would laugh at her when she told them 413 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:24,500 about this, that would roll their eyes at the message she had. 414 00:23:24,500 --> 00:23:27,120 But that's who Jesus gave the message to. 415 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:34,920 That's who Jesus sent, but Jesus believed and was confident that Mary could go and tell. 416 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,040 And she did. 417 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:38,880 And the rest is history. 418 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:44,980 You wouldn't be here today if she hadn't gone and told. 419 00:23:44,980 --> 00:23:47,560 This is usually the part of the sermon that people hate. 420 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,640 It's the part where the preacher tells us to go and tell others. 421 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,920 And we don't like the idea of telling others, right? 422 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:53,960 We're afraid of rejection. 423 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,120 We're not confident to tell others and we're insecure. 424 00:23:57,120 --> 00:23:59,440 And what if I look foolish and all that stuff, right? 425 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:03,800 Listen, if you don't know how to share this message, I have to say, do it like Mary did 426 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:04,960 it. 427 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:08,360 Some people might be like, Mary did say, he's risen. 428 00:24:08,360 --> 00:24:09,360 I've seen the Lord. 429 00:24:09,360 --> 00:24:11,400 If that's you, if that's your style, go for it. 430 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:12,600 Tell people that way. 431 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:18,160 But actually, I think it's very interesting that what Mary really did is she told them 432 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:21,200 that Jesus had said these things to her. 433 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:22,200 Wait, wait, wait. 434 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:23,520 What things did Jesus say to her? 435 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:26,400 What things did Jesus say to her that she went and told them? 436 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,160 Well, Jesus said words of caring. 437 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:30,200 He said words of searching. 438 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,960 He said words of caring to someone who was hurting. 439 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,960 He's searching for someone who was looking for something. 440 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:39,880 Words of identity for someone who felt alone. 441 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:44,920 You see, if Jesus' first words to Mary became Mary's first words to others, and that means 442 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,080 they can become your first words too. 443 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:51,780 So listen, if you don't know how to go and tell others, do what Jesus did. 444 00:24:51,780 --> 00:24:57,040 When you see someone who's hurting and grieving, go up to them and say, hey, why are you crying? 445 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:58,040 What's going on? 446 00:24:58,040 --> 00:24:59,040 You seem upset. 447 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:00,040 Do you want to talk about it? 448 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,040 Can we get together? 449 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:04,120 And as you show care and compassion to that person, you know what? 450 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:07,440 They're going to see the risen Jesus in you. 451 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,440 That's how you share this message, just like Jesus did. 452 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:11,440 Right? 453 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:13,080 You still don't know how, then do it. 454 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:14,380 Then again, do what Jesus did. 455 00:25:14,380 --> 00:25:17,680 When you come across someone who's lost or they're like searching and they don't know 456 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,480 whether it is they're looking for, why don't you just say, hey, it looks like you're searching 457 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:22,480 for someone. 458 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:23,480 Who are you looking for? 459 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:24,480 What are you looking for? 460 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:26,360 Maybe I can help you find what you're searching for. 461 00:25:26,360 --> 00:25:27,720 And maybe you get together with them. 462 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,280 Maybe you have a coffee with them and maybe you have a conversation with them. 463 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,640 Maybe you invite them to alpha and you listen to some of their questions and you speak to 464 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:34,640 them. 465 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,720 And in that course of that, the risen Jesus will speak through you. 466 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:39,720 That's how you do it. 467 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,520 That's how you do it or do it like Jesus did. 468 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:49,440 Would you come across someone who's just ignored, bullied, left out a coworker? 469 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:50,440 Maybe it's a classmate. 470 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:51,440 I don't know. 471 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:53,640 Maybe you speak words of knowing, call them by name. 472 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,240 Say, Hey, it's a, it's Mary, right? 473 00:25:56,240 --> 00:25:57,240 It's Scott. 474 00:25:57,240 --> 00:25:58,240 Wait, aren't you? 475 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,200 Naomi is, isn't that who you are? 476 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,240 Let them know you see them. 477 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,720 Let them know you care about them. 478 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:12,880 Give them the gift of a relationship and they will see the risen Jesus in you. 479 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:18,240 Those were Jesus famous first words, words of caring, words of searching, words of knowing 480 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,920 words of sending. 481 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:21,620 Those were Mary's first words too. 482 00:26:21,620 --> 00:26:26,980 And they can be your first words as you go from this place into your homes, your classrooms 483 00:26:26,980 --> 00:26:29,360 and community. 484 00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:34,800 Let these be our first words as we go and tell others. 485 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,440 Thanks be to God. 486 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:38,920 Thanks so much for joining us today. 487 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,020 And again, happy Easter. 488 00:26:41,020 --> 00:26:46,980 Make sure to come back next week as we begin a new sermon series on how to read the Bible. 489 00:26:46,980 --> 00:26:52,600 This sermon was taken from the Easter Sunday, March 31st, 2024 sermon at Trinity Church 490 00:26:52,600 --> 00:27:19,960 Streetsville in Mississauga, Ontario.