Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I want to bring a message to
you from John chapter 20 this morning. If you have your Bible
and would like to turn with me, I'll be in John chapter 20, and
we'll begin with verse 1. It says, The first day of the
week cometh Mary Magdalene. when it was yet dark unto the
sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher."
It struck me that this woman right here, Mary Magdalene, is
mentioned in all four accounts as being the first person to
come to the tomb of the Lord the day that He arose. Of all
the people mentioned in Scripture, all of the saints of the New
Testament. It was her. Now in Matthew's
account, in Matthew chapter 28, verse one says, in the end of
the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. So she didn't come by herself.
She is mentioned first, though. Mary Magdalene. And Mark says
in his account, this is Mark 16 verse 1, it says, when the
Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James
and Salome had brought sweet spices that they might come and
anoint him. So three are mentioned. And then
in Luke's account, He said in Luke 24 1, Now upon the first
day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the
sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and
certain others with them. And verse 10 says it was Mary
Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other
women that were with them which told these things unto the apostles. Now I got to thinking about this
woman, Mary Magdalene. God's Holy Spirit has taken great
note of her. Great note. So I thought maybe
we should too. Who is this woman? Well, the scripture says in Luke
8 that she was a woman whom the Lord cast seven devils out of. That's who God's Holy Spirit
has taken note of. A great sinner. You know, that's who He always
takes note of. Great sinners. That's the wonder
of this message. That's the wonder of the gospel.
Christ Jesus came into this world for one specific type of person. Sinners. Sinners. Let me show you the woman that
God's Holy Spirit took note of just before Mary Magdalene. Now if you'll look with me at
Luke chapter eight, this is where it says certain women which had
been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene
out of whom went seven devils. That's Luke eight verse two.
So this is where he mentions Mary Magdalene. Now the woman
right before her in chapter seven, If you look at chapter seven,
verse 36, it says, and one of the Pharisees desired him that
he would eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house
and sat down to meet. And behold, a woman in the city,
which was a sinner, another sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat
at meet in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
and stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash
his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head
and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when
the Pharisee, which had bidden him, saw it, he spake within
himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have
known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him,
for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering, answering
this man's thoughts, said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to
say unto thee, and he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain
creditor which had two debtors. The one owed 500 pence and the
other 50. And when they had nothing to
pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which
of them will love him most?" Simon answered and said, I suppose
that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast
rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and
said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house. Thou gavest me no water for my
feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them
with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this
woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not
anoint, but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore
I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she
loved much. But to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. And he said unto her, thy sins
are forgiven. And they that sat at meet with
him began to say within themselves, who is this that forgiveth sins
also? And he said to the woman, thy
faith has saved thee, go in peace. That woman was a great sinner.
A great sinner, a woman of the streets, and He forgave her. And that's Mary Magdalene's story.
And I know that because that's my story. And that's your story,
isn't it? We have been forgiven much. Much. And a sinner who is forgiven
much will love much. The evidence, not the cause,
but the evidence of salvation is falling in love with the Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord said, I say unto thee,
her sins which are many are forgiven. For she loved much. But to whom
little is forgiven, the same loveth little." My evidence,
not my cause, but my evidence and my proof that He has forgiven
all of my sins is this. He has given me a heart that
loves Christ. The Christ. Not just this man
Jesus, I'm talking about the Christ. I'm talking about God
Almighty. He's given me a heart that loves
my God, the God who owns me and controls me. He's given me a
heart to bow to Him and bow to His will, not mine, but His. He's given me a heart for Christ,
and that's Mary Magdalene. That's her. Matthew 27 says in
verse 55 that many women, many women were there beholding a
far off which followed Jesus from Galilee ministering unto
him. Among which was Mary Magdalene
and Mary the mother of James and Josie and the mother of Zebedee's
children. After He set this woman free
from the bondage of her sin, she followed Him. She followed
Him everywhere He went. She was there ministering unto
Him, ministering to His disciples. Lord, what can I do? Just so
thankful. Oh, You've done so much for me.
What can I do? And as He hung on that cross,
she was standing right there. looking to her salvation. And
then verse 59 right here in Matthew 27, it says, When Joseph had
taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid
it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock.
And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and
departed. And there was Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulcher. When our
Lord went into the grave, she was right there. Everywhere he
went, she was right there. As he hung on the cross, she
was right there. When they laid him in that grave,
she was right there looking to her salvation. That's what she
did, looked to her salvation. And then Matthew 28 verse 1 says,
in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first
day of the week, came Mary Magdalene. Here she comes. Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary to see the sepulcher. After three days, here she is
again. A sinner who is forgiven much,
cannot stay away from the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the absolute
truth. That is the absolute truth. A
sinner who is forgiven much cannot stay away from the Lord Jesus
Christ. You don't have to beg them to
follow Christ. You do not have to beg that sinner to look to
Christ and trust Christ and love Christ. That sinner loves much. I love this over in Mark 16. It says, when the Sabbath was
passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome
had brought sweet spices that they might come and anoint him.
And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they
came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun. And they said
among themselves, who shall roll away the stone from the door
of the sepulcher? The whole time they were walking
to the sepulcher, they said among themselves, how are we going
to get in? I'm not able of myself to get
past that great stone. Do we see the spiritual significance
of what they're saying? With me, this is impossible. How am I going to get to Him? But do you know what? That didn't
stop them from coming. Not at all. And I'll tell you
this, if you come to Christ, if you come to the Lord Jesus
Christ, if you come seeking Him, the crucified Savior, If you seek Him early while He
may be found, God will roll that stone away for you just like
He did for them. He'll do the same thing for you.
Our Lord said in Jeremiah 29, you shall seek me and find me
when you shall search for me with all your heart. You search
for me with all your heart, you'll find me. And that's what Mary
Magdalene did. Now look with me back over in
John chapter 20. John 20 verse 1, it says, The
first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it
was yet dark unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away
from the sepulcher. Then she runneth and cometh to
Simon Peter and to the other disciples, whom Jesus loved and
said unto them, they have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher
and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went
forth and that other disciple and came to the sepulcher. So
they ran both together and the other disciple did outrun Peter
and came first to the sepulcher. You have two men coming to the
Lord Jesus Christ. One comes faster than the other
one. It's okay. All that matters is
they're both coming. Sinners come to Christ in different
ways. My experience may not be the
same as your experience and that's okay as long as we come. Verse four says, so they ran
both together and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first
to the sepulcher. and he stooping down and looking
in saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in. Oh, how many sinners have run
up to Christ. He said, I'm the door. How many
sinners have run up to Christ, yet went not in. yet went not
in." May this be a warning to us. Salvation is found in Him. In Him. Enter ye in at the straight
gate. Enter in with the heart. Don't
stop at the mind. Don't stop at the mind. Well,
I got a few points of doctrine down. Don't stop right there.
Enter in with the heart. That woman at the well cried,
come see a man. and then fall in love with him. Enter into union and communion
and love with him. Verse five says, he stooping
down and looking in saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not
in. Then cometh Simon Peter following
him and went into the sepulcher and seeth the linen clothes lie.
and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the
linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went
in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher,
and he saw and believed. They believed what Mary was afraid
of. that someone had taken away the
Lord's body. That's what they believed. Verse
nine says, for as yet they knew not the scripture that he must
rise again from the dead. They should have. They should have. They had so
many Old Testament types. So many Old Testament scriptures. They had the word of the Lord
Himself. He told them exactly what He
was going to do. Exactly. But their faith was
so weak. It was so small. Their understanding
was so simple. And I'm going to tell you what,
that's me. That's both of us. I wonder what you and I ought
to know right now through this word that He's given us, but
we don't. The apostles wisely begged the
Lord, they said, increase our faith, and oh, may He increase
ours. Lord, increase our faith, increase
our understanding. Well, even though they didn't
know this, they knew Him. They knew Him, and that's all
that matters. That's all that matters. It's not what a sinner
knows, it's who. Salvation is not a what, salvation
is a who. Verse 10 says, then the disciples
went away again unto their own home. Now watch the blessings
that these two men missed out on by just going home. They were there, but they just
went home. Verse 10 says, Then the disciples went away again
unto their own home, but Mary stood without at the sepulcher
weeping. She stayed right there. There
she is. She couldn't leave. She stayed right there. There's
a song that says, Stayed upon Jehovah. Hearts are fully blessed. Hearts are going to be fully
blessed. that just stay on Jehovah, stay upon Jehovah. Verse 11,
but Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping, and as she
wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulcher. She's standing
there weeping, looking into this grave, trying to find her Lord. The Apostle Paul said, if Christ
be not risen, We are of all men most miserable, but now Christ
is risen. He is risen. Verse 11, Mary stood
without at the sepulcher weeping and as she wept, she stooped
down and looked into the sepulcher and seeth two angels in white
sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where
the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman,
why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because
they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have
laid him. Now these four Gospels that the
Lord has given us, they go together so perfectly. God's Word is so
perfect. They collectively tell this whole
story. This is where in Matthew 28 it
says, verse 5, the angel answered and said unto the women, fear
not ye for I know that you seek Jesus which was crucified. He
is not here for he is risen as he said. Come see the place where
the Lord lay and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is
risen from the dead And behold, he goeth before you into Galilee,
there shall you see him, lo, I have told you." Now, they were
all at the tomb, and they saw the clothes laying there in that
tomb. And they had the scriptures,
and they had the word of the Lord Himself, but it's not until
God sends His messenger that the gospel is heard and understood. It's not until God sends His
messenger, it has pleased the Lord by the foolishness of preaching
to save them that believe. God sent His messenger and the
angel said, He is not here. He is risen. Now you go tell
your brethren. John 20 verse 14 says, And when she had thus said, she
turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it
was Jesus. How often do we have no idea
that our Lord is dealing with us? You know His hand is in every
circumstance. But how often do we not see that
it's Him? It's Him. That's what happened
to Mary Magdalene. She turned herself back and she
saw him standing, and she knew not that it was Jesus. Verse
15, Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest
thou? She, supposing him to be the
gardener, said unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence,
tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary, She turned herself and saith unto
him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master." Now this is where in Matthew
28 verse 9 it says, they held him by the feet and worshipped
him. Oh, she held him. How many times have you thought
he was clean gone? She thought he was gone. David
said, is your mercy clean gone? How many times have we thought
that and then He comes to us again and says, here am I. Here I am, oh master. Rabboni, could I just latch onto
your feet and never let go? Lord, could I please just hold
onto you forever? Verse 17, Jesus saith unto her,
touch me not, for I'm not yet ascended to my father. Touch me not. There's going to
be plenty of time for you to hold on to me. I'm not yet ascended
to my father. I'll be here 40 more days. You'll
see me again. He said, but you go to my brethren
and say unto them, I ascend unto my father and your father and
to my God and your God. That right there is one of my
favorite verses of scripture. He said, I'm going now to my
father and your father. The song says, tis done, the
great transaction's done. He said, you're adopted. My father
is your father. My God is your God. We're one. We're one family in him. And he said, you go to my brethren
and you say unto them, I ascend to my father and your father,
to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told
the disciples that she'd seen the Lord and that He'd spoken
these things to her. He spoke these things to her. He spoke them to her. And I love
what Mark says about it. He says in Mark 16 verse 9, now
when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared
first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. He came to her first because
she came to him first. She needed him much, much. She waited for Him, and she looked
for Him much. She loved Him much. And she got exactly what her
heart desired. She got Him. She got Him. And I'll tell you, that's all
my heart desires. Is that your heart's desire? We don't want heaven, do we? We're not looking for streets
of gold, mansions. We want Him. He is heaven. She wanted Him and she got Him. She heard His voice. Isn't that
what we want? We want to hear His voice. She
felt His touch. Isn't that what we want? We need Him. He said, you seek Me with all
your heart, you will have Me. We'll have Him. We will find
Him. She got him, Mary Magdalene got
him, and then she ran, she obeyed him. She ran and she told everybody
she could the gospel. He is risen. Would you like to know what the
gospel is? Everybody talks about the gospel. They talk about gospel
music. They talk about gospel messages. They talk about gospel
this and gospel that. You wanna know what the gospel
is? It's the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel
says to sinners, it is finished. Christ accomplished salvation. His blood satisfied the holy
God. And in Him, you're forgiven. Tis done, the great transaction's
done. And there's nothing else for
you to do. The ball is not in your court. That's the gospel.
The ball is not in your court. It's in the court of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It always has been, it always
will be. He is not waiting for you to do anything. He did not
just take the first step. He walked His own precious blood
all the way up to the throne of God Almighty. And God is satisfied. He's risen. He is risen. She ran and told
everybody she could the wonderful news. He's risen. And I know
the feeling. I know the feeling. I know her
joy. That's all I want to do. That's
all I want to do. I want to tell everybody that
I can, He is risen. He is risen. Rejoice in this
wonderful news. Christ has accomplished the salvation
of His people. He is risen. Until next Sunday
morning, may our Lord bless His Word to our hearts. You have
been listening to a message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport
Sovereign Grace Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like
a copy of this message or to hear other messages of Sovereign
Grace, you can write to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin
Street, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website
at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m. and 6 o'clock p.m.,
Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.