Mary Magdalene | Pastor Marcus Lane

The Easter season launches a series that traces the risen Lord’s post-resurrection appearances and presses the congregation to remember what God has done. Scripture records multiple encounters with the risen Jesus—including more than five hundred appearances in the forty days after the resurrection—so the narrative will be read and reread to counter humanity’s persistent forgetfulness. An aphorism—“God gives and forgives; man gets and forgets”—frames the problem: God continually offers life and pardon, while people repeatedly fail to retain that reality. Repetition of the resurrection accounts functions as spiritual discipline: the stories aim to re-anchor memory in grace rather than in distraction or despair.

The Gospel of John provides a close look at Mary Magdalene’s Easter morning. She rises early, still grieving, and goes straight to the tomb to care for Jesus’ body while observing Sabbath constraints. Finding the stone rolled away, she runs to Peter and the beloved disciple and reports the missing body. Her immediate impulse is not theological reflection but testimony—she tells what she has seen. Later, after seeing angels and then a figure she initially mistakes for the gardener, she hears her name spoken: “Mary.” In that moment of address she recognizes the risen Lord and becomes the first to proclaim, “I have seen the Lord.”

The narrative refuses to minimize suffering; grief and devotion coexist with the possibility of encounter. The empty tomb does not erase loss but redirects it toward a personal call: the risen Jesus names, restores, and sends. Faith, not merely ocular proof, constitutes the means by which people “see” and receive Christ. Augustine’s point surfaces here: touching by faith surpasses mere physical contact because faith discerns the risen Lord’s presence and purpose. The proper response is simple and relational—share honestly what has been encountered: love received, sins forgiven, and the summons to offer mercy. The resurrection intends not only historical assent but a present, trust-shaped encounter that transforms grief into testimony and memory into mission.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Remember God gives and forgives Mary’s morning visit reframes the scandal of loss as an ongoing receipt of divine generosity and pardon. Remembering what God gives undoes the tendency to treat grace as a one-off event and instead cultivates a life ordered around constant dependence. Rehearsal of the resurrection narratives guards memory against doubt and distraction. [08:22]
• 2. Go and share what encountered Mary’s first response was vocal and simple: report what she saw. Testimony need not be polished theology; it must be faithful and concrete—an honest report of mercy received. Such sharing invites others into the same memory and can become the seed of communal faith. [19:36]
• 3. Grief does not block resurrection Mary’s grief sent her to the tomb, not away from it; devotion propelled her into encounter. The story permits sorrow and promises that honest facing of loss can lead to unexpected revelation. The risen presence often appears amid, not instead of, genuine mourning. [12:49]
• 4. Faith sees what eyes miss Recognition of the risen Lord happens when Jesus calls a name and faith answers. Spiritual sight depends on trust that interprets events as signs of God’s action, not merely as historical curiosities. Faith makes the resurrection present, enabling participation rather than passive observation. [29:33]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [03:32] - Kids' Word & Logistics
• [06:25] - Series Introduced: Encountering Jesus
• [08:22] - “God Gives and Forgives” Theme
• [12:29] - Outline: Mary Goes, Tells, Sees
• [25:00] - Mary’s Encounter with the Risen Lord
• [28:22] - Faith’s Role in Seeing Jesus
• [30:39] - Prayer, Confession, and Invitation

1. What were Mary Magdalene's first actions on the morning of the first day of the week, and what was her initial reaction upon seeing the stone rolled away?
2. Who did Mary immediately go to tell about the empty tomb, and what was her specific message to them?
3. What was Mary's response when Jesus called her by name, and what did she do immediately afterward?
4. According to the sermon, what is the simple, relational response we are called to have after encountering Jesus, rather than a polished theological exposition? [19:36]

1. Why is it significant that Mary's grief and devotion led her to the tomb rather than away from it? What does this suggest about how God can work through our pain? [12:49]
2. The sermon suggests that "faith sees what eyes miss." What does this mean in the context of Mary recognizing Jesus only when he called her name, and not by her sight alone? [29:33]
3. The phrase "God gives and forgives; man gets and forgets" was used to frame a human tendency. How does the act of repeatedly reading the resurrection stories serve as a "spiritual discipline" to counter this forgetfulness? [08:22]
4. How does the concept of "touching by faith," as mentioned by Augustine, differ from a physical encounter, and why is it considered better? [28:22]

1. In what practical ways can we "rehearse" or "re-read" the stories of God's goodness in our own lives to guard our memory against doubt and distraction, actively remembering that God gives and forgives? [08:22]
2. Mary's first instinct was to simply go and tell what she had seen. What is one specific, honest, and concrete experience of God's mercy or love in your life that you could share with someone this week?
3. The narrative shows that grief and resurrection hope can coexist. When facing a current season of loss or sadness, how can you, like Mary, allow your devotion to propel you toward God rather than away from him? [12:49]
4. If "faith sees what eyes miss," what is a current situation in your life, the world, or your community that looks hopeless, but that you are being challenged to view through the lens of God's resurrection power and purpose? [29:33]
5. The sermon states that we are called to give away whatever we have encountered in Jesus. Since we have received love and forgiveness, what is one tangible step you can take this week to extend love or offer forgiveness to someone who doesn't deserve it? [24:01]
6. Hearing her name called was pivotal for Mary's recognition of Jesus. How can intentionally listening for God's voice in Scripture, prayer, or community help you to "see" and recognize Jesus' presence in your daily life? [26:08]