Who are you?
Mary Magdalene – The Freed
Luke 8:1-3, John 20:1-18
Introduction: Are you really free this morning? Am I really free this morning? Free from disappointment? Free from worry? Free from illness? Free from pressure? Free from grief? Free from guilt? Free from loneliness?
Free from prison (Luke 8:2): All of these things can actually imprison us as much as the bars of a prison cell. Mary Magdalene was, we are told, possessed by seven demons. We are not told what these demons were, but they would certainly have combined to mess her up in the mind. Many commentators link her to the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, having washed them with her tears and dried them with her tears at Simon the Pharisee’s house. If so, she is portrayed as someone, whom people avoided in public. She may have been called a hostess, or escort today rather than a prostitute as people may have visited her at home, rather than encountered her in the street. The invited guests, in Simon’s house, knew what she was from her appearance, or by reputation. You might ask how she got in to the house…well these meals were often held in open houses. Whilst the guests reclined around a table in the centre of the room, ordinary people could wander around the outside and take note of who was invited. The level of guests would either increase, or decrease the standing of the host. Simon would have been pleased for all to see that Jesus was in His home.
But, for the woman, if she was conscious of anything it would have been of a lack of acceptance and being rejected. Do you ever feel like that? Then I encourage you to come to Jesus, because He never rejected anyone in need. In fact we are told that Jesus freed this Mary from her prison. In chapter 7 Jesus compared her serving Him with Simon’s failure to observe the common practices of hospitality. He also said of her, “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven – for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven…Your faith has saved you go in peace”.
I read a book called ‘Rees Howells, Intercessor’ in which the writer, Norman Grubb, records how Rees Howells uncle, a godly man, was an invalid for thirty years was healed and able to walk to church for the first time in thirty years (p131).
Free for service (Luke 8:3, 23:55-56, John 20:1): The uncle was able to help his nephew in the area for five years before his death. During those five years he didn’t have a day’s illness and walked miles each day.
Mary Magdalene was also released for service. She and the other women supported Jesus’ ministry financially and in other practical ways. Having encountered Jesus’ caring love, Mary Magdalene did all she could to support Jesus and the disciples. She may have been Mary the sister of Martha, mentioned in Luke 10:38-41 and John 11. Mathew Henry and many other commentators through the centuries have believed this. The house that these sisters shared with their brother Lazarus, seemed to be a base for Jesus and His disciples, when in Jerusalem. She would have been able to share with those people who knew her, how Jesus had saved her. This Mary served by listening to Jesus whenever possible.
She watched the crucifixion for a distance away (Luke 23:49) with the other women, and even after Jesus’ death she wanted to embalm His body together with the other women, and so she was involved in the preparation of the spices. Then at first light after the Sabbath, she went to the tomb to do the last thing she could for her beloved Saviour, Jesus. Notice Mary did nothing on the Sabbath in obedience to the law, showing her transformation.
Free from grief (John 20:11,17): During the period of service with Jesus’ disciples, I am sure that Mary would have heard Jesus’ teaching about His death and resurrection, She had seen her brother Lazarus raised from the dead. But now Jesus was dead. The one whom she worshipped was dead. It was not meant to be this way. She, like the other disciples were overcome with grief. She, like them had not understood Jesus’ teaching about His death and resurrection. She had left it too late because the tomb was empty…the body had gone…who has taken it?…where have they taken it? At this point in time she was powerless as she had no idea what was happening. Seeing the open tomb, she had run off to tell the disciples. Simon and the other disciple had come to the tomb with her, gone in and seen the evidence but then gone off and so she was alone and she wept.
Was she weeping for herself all alone?
Was she weeping because her hopes had been dashed?
Was she weeping because she had not been able to do a final act of kindness for Jesus?
Was she weeping because the two disciples had neither helped her, nor stayed with her?
Then she looked in and saw the angels, they asked her why she was crying, but not even the supernatural encounter calmed her (John 20:12-13).
Then we get a glimpse of the loss of reality, which can come with deep distress. Mary turned round and saw a man. Luke tells us that it was Jesus, but Mary does not recognise Him and thinks he is the gardener. She accuses the gardener of doing something with Jesus’ body. On a human level why would a gardener have opened the tomb and moved a dead body, which would have already begun to decay in that hot climate? Mary was desperate to find the body.
Of course there is some irony here, because, although not the gardener, Jesus had moved the body and something had also happened to the body, because it had been changed. It was now a resurrection body and could pass through walls and should not be held on to (v.20:17). In the same way we can find that human beings and even the supernatural do not satisfy us. We may even encounter Jesus and not realise it. It was only when Jesus called her by name that she realised that it was Jesus. Her tears of grief would have been turned into tears of joy. No wonder Jesus had to tell her not to hold on to Him. In that moment all those things that distracted her faith in and her focus from Jesus were washed away. In that moment she was free.
Free for mission (John 20:17-18, Luke 24:11): Jesus calls to individuals by name. He may be calling to someone here this morning. He may want to give you His peace, or His healing today. He may be calling you to ask Him into your life today. He may be asking you to move onto a new level of service today. He may be calling you to go and tell today. Mary Magdalene was freed to serve Jesus during His life, but in this encounter her role was deepened as she was freed from her grief for mission. Her life had been changed through her physical freedom, but not it’s real purpose was revealed through her emotional and spiritual freedom. Her role was one of mission…’Go and tell…’ Interestingly she had to go and tell the church first. We should always tell the church because it prepares them/us for what God is going to do next. Just imagine how freed up they were when the Holy Spirit fell on Pentecost.
Conclusion: Do you want to be free this morning?
Free from prison
Free for service
Free from grief
Free for mission
Then come to the foot of the cross and open yourself to Jesus. Accept that in His death He has paid the price for all that has imprisoned you. In His resurrection He confirmed that the gates of heaven are open if you turn to Him in repentant faith. And as you place all the dross on Him, He wants to fill the space with His Holy Spirit, why not open your hands and hold them face up to show you are ready to receive the Holy Spirit, with whom Jesus wishes to fill you? And as we wait on You Lord, we invite you to, “Come Holy Spirit and do your work in us and among us we pray?”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download