The Day Everything Changed John 20:1-18 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:1-18 Big Idea: The resurrection of Jesus is the most pivotal event in human history because it changes everything about how we face injustice, alienation from God, and death. Setting the Scene Four women walk to the tomb before on the Sunday after Passover Their hope had died with Jesus on the Three things the disciples feared were true: reigns reigns reigns The Turning Point Mary mistakes Jesus for the Jesus speaks her and she recognizes him The empty and the folded cloth are evidence no one could explain away Point 1: Evil is Every human being knows the world isn't supposed to be this Key verse: 1 Corinthians 15 Point 2: Sin is Jesus's resurrection proves his authority to sins and bring us back to God Jesus tells Mary: "I am ascending to your and your " Before Jesus, no one spoke of God as Through Christ we are by God — we become his children Key verse: John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— Point 3: Death is Death is the ultimate — it asks what your life is worth Jesus stood in the garden: breathing, risen, speaking Because of the resurrection, life no longer has to be defined by a countdown clock Key verse: John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” The Invitation Just as Jesus spoke name in the garden, he speaks yours today The first step isn't certainty — it's simply to turn toward him. Personal Reflection & Small Group Discussion Questions When Mary walked to the tomb, her hope was completely gone — she was just going through the motions. Have you ever been in a season like that spiritually? What did it feel like? The sermon describes three things the disciples feared were permanently true: injustice reigns, alienation from God reigns, and death reigns. Which of those three feels most personal or pressing to you right now, and why? Mary was standing right next to the risen Jesus and didn't recognize him — she thought he was the gardener. What do you think gets in the way of people recognizing Jesus's presence in their own lives today? The sermon argues that everyone instinctively believes injustice is real, even people who claim there's no objective right or wrong. Do you agree with that? What does that instinct tell us about ourselves? Jesus tells Mary that God is now her Father — not just a distant ruler or lawgiver. How does the idea of being adopted by God land with you? Does it feel comforting, strange, too good to be true? The sermon says the resurrection proves that evil doesn't get the last word. But we still live in a world full of injustice and suffering. How do you hold those two things together honestly? Has the reality of death — your own or someone you love — ever forced you to seriously ask what your life is worth? What answers have you found? The disciples' faith was completely crushed by the crucifixion — and then rebuilt by the resurrection. Have you ever had your faith shaken and then rebuilt? What did that process look like? If the resurrection is true, the sermon says it should change how we face injustice, our relationship with God, and our fear of death. Which of those three feels like the most needed change in your own life right now? The sermon ends with an invitation — not to have everything figured out, but just to turn and respond. What would it look like for you personally to take one step toward Jesus this week?