Lord's the evening service here at Hebron on this Easter Sunday. We're going to sing a hymn about the resurrection, a great gospel hymn. I serve a risen savior. He's in the world today. I know that he is living. Whatever men may say, I see his hand of mercy. I hear his voice of cheer. And just the time I need him, he's always near. He lives. He lives. Christ Jesus lives today. That's all it's down to sing. I serve our risen Savior. He's in the world today. I know that He is with me. hear his voice of cheer, and just the time I need him, he's always near. He lives, he lives, and Jesus lives today. He loves me. In all the world around me, I see His loving care. I never will I swear, I know that He is near. When all the stormy past, the day of His appearing will come at last. He lives, He lives. He walks with me and he talks with me. How long, my child, away? He lives, he lives. Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, with power, voice, and sing. Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, our King! of all the world. One another is so lovely, so good and kind. He lives, he lives. Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with us. How long my sorrow wait? He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart! Amen. You may be seated. Let's pray together after that good hymn, that stirring hymn that just thrills our souls tonight as we think of the living Savior. Let's pray. We thank you, Lord, that we come into the presence of our God tonight through the living Savior. Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father, we thank Thee for that very moment when He rose again victoriously over death. Death could not keep its prey. Jesus, my Savior, He stole the bars away. Jesus, my Lord, and up from the grave He rose with a mighty triumph over His foes. And then for 40 days, showed himself alive by many infallible proofs, appearing here and there to his people, at one time even to 500, all witnesses of the resurrection, seeing the living Christ in the flesh. For us today, we look back, we have the record of your word, your word that tells us the gospel message. Your word that elevates Christ, the Redeemer who came, the life that he lived, the deaths that he died upon the cross of Calvary, and then his resurrection on the third day, on the first day of the week. We thank you for the ministry of the choir these days, Thursday night and this morning. Lord, we know that much scripture has been quoted and sung, the great truths of the gospel. And Lord, they've done us good, as we've listened, as we've brought ourselves there, right back to Bible times, and we've seen the Lord. Lord, you've blessed our souls. And as we hear them again tonight, Lord, we pray that this evening will be no different, that we will be blessed indeed. Lead us to Christ. Show us the Savior. Lord, in what we hear sung and said, Lead us to Calvary. Help me to preach your word as we come to that final part of the meeting. Let the Lord descend and speak to our hearts from your precious truth. We thank thee that the entrance of God's word gives light. And Lord, there are those that need light tonight. There are those that are still in their sin and they need to be enlightened. They need to see Christ. in his death and resurrection, the great truths of the gospel. They need to realize that if they were to die in their sin as they are, that they would be lost forevermore and they would perish in a Christless hell. Oh God, we pray particularly for any like that tonight in this meeting and listening in on the internet, that you will speak to them, that you will show them the Lord Jesus Christ, the only remedy for their sin. And may they run with all haste to him. Oh, bring sinners to the feet of the cross. Bring backsliders back to their first love. Lord, just bless and edify your people this evening as we come here. Remember our sisters as they play. Remember the choir as they sing. Remember Stephen as he narrates tonight. Let the name of the Lord be extolled. We ask in Jesus' precious name. Amen. Very warm word of welcome to the congregation this evening here in the building and those that are joining us on the internet. Just to say to you folks, there's supper tonight. We don't want you to go away. Stay. There's a time together when you can enjoy a cup of tea and something to eat. Can I remind you of the Easter convention of the martyrs organized by our presbytery? That's tomorrow night at seven o'clock. It's the convention rally. And the preacher is the Reverend John Armstrong. The combined children of our schools will be singing tomorrow night, so that gives you something to look forward to as well, and there'll be various reports. Wednesday night is our session meeting here at 8 o'clock. Thursday night is a special deputation meeting at 8 o'clock when Crown College and Pastor Derek Moreland will be here. We look forward to their visit. It's been planned for some time. From memory, the date had to be changed because they had to change their date spot. This is the night assigned to us for them to come. We didn't know how many, but it's a good question to ask. And we did ask that before the service. And in the total group, there are 35, and that includes 10 children. And we're not sure whether the children will be put to bed before they come or whether the children will be here. But we'll know more before Thursday night. We invite you to come. There's a special meeting. This is an organization from the United States of America. And they're doing a great work. across in the mainland and people are being saved and churches are being established. So you'll hear about that on Thursday night. Friday night is a very special night because it is the 50th anniversary of the founding of Let the Bible Speak, taking us back to those days 50 years ago when Dr. Alan Kearns was the instrument in the hand of God to bring this ministry into being. And since then, Beginning with radio work, it is now broadcasting through the world on radio, on television, on the internet. And many, many people have come to know the Lord. And as we've said already, Christians have been edified in the nations of the earth, and churches have been founded. And so this special meeting will have our choir singing. We'll have the Reverend John Greer, the Clerk of Presbytery, preaching, and we'll hear a little bit about the ministry, again, of Let the Bible Speak. Supper will be served, and ladies, we need you to bring three quarters of a loaf of sandwiches and one and a half dozen buns. Saturday morning, the open air in the center of the town at 11, next Lord's Day, the prayer meeting at 8 o'clock, Sunday school, 10.30, the Bible class at a quarter to 11, and then we commence our annual Bible conference. The worship service is 12 noon and seven is the gospel meeting. Dr. David Castles from Chelmsford will be the guest preacher. We're looking forward to his ministry. We have a prayer meeting at 6.30 as well as 8 o'clock in the morning that we invite you to. This is the Lord's servant. Many of you will know him. Very gifted man as he comes to preach on the old rugged cross, the importance of the cross in the life of the believer. Please share this. If you see it on social media, pass it on. Then let me mention the book. We did one of these, as you know, 100 Days of Lockdown. This is 100 days after lockdown. and it is very nicely produced. I can say that because I didn't do the production of the actual book. We can account for the contents as well. These are the video messages that were going out week by week after lockdown. The recommended retail price was 14.99, but we're selling it for 10 pounds because the price of production has been covered by the missionary council and also from the church here. And therefore, every 10 pounds goes to the work in Pakistan to help with the poor children there and their education. I just heard this evening, Phil was telling me that Rose was at the book table. They're down there on the left-hand side. She was there on a Thursday night, and she was encouraging people to get the book. She was encouraging her grandfather to get the book. And he said, oh, I don't have any money with me tonight. But she says, they're free. And she says, you can take it. And if you don't like it, you can bring it back. So I'll have to have a word with her. What we're saying to you, take a free copy, but leave a £10 gift, please, for the work in Pakistan, or even more. You know, this is the second book. The last book, we got a lot of gifts as well to help with the orphans in India. And that raised £37,500. And that is going to support the orphanage work in India for a number of years. So we're so thankful for what the book did. If we get a quarter of that, we'll be encouraged. Do get a copy, please, and tell others about it. Tithes and offerings will be brought in today as building fund, and we always make Easter a special time of bringing in our offerings to the building fund. And as we have the offering, we're going to sing, Thine be the glory. Risen, conquering son, endless is the victory thy o'er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded grave close where thy body lay. Again, it's a hymn that elevates the risen Christ. Let's sing it with joy. We'll keep our seats for the opening part of the hymn. Just to say, we do have visitors in tonight. I'm very glad to see you. Some of our friends have come all the way from foreign country. They've come a great distance. And I see one visitor in tonight, Manfred. He's originally from Nigeria. and he's living in England at the present time and he's over visiting here in Balamony this afternoon. Wasn't intending to be at the meeting tonight but he was gently persuaded to come and we welcome you Manfred to the House of God here this evening. If you want to stand up just so we see you, yeah so we welcome you. If we're thinking about where you're originally from, you've come, I think, the longest distance. You've come from Nigeria. Thank you. Thine be the glory. Let's sing it to the praise of the Lord. Is it not, we've sung, In destinies that we dream, The Lord ever swung? Angels in bright radiance, His ever-present Son, Endless is the victory of our Heav'nly Son. Lovingly he treats us, tender, spiritual, Then pleasures with gladness, gifts of piety. ♪ Make us Prince of Life ♪ ♪ Life is long before thee ♪ ♪ Make us, make us thrive ♪ ♪ Make us more than conquerors ♪ ♪ Through life and with time ♪ We come to the choir tonight. I said this morning we would get them to sing half the piece, but half the piece is not enough. And various ones said they should sing it all. And so we're glad that they're going to sing all the piece tonight. And we're going to hand it over to the choir just now. Thank you, Sylvia, and thank you, Diane. Thank you, choir, for all that you've done. We've introduced the piece twice on Thursday night and this morning. So we're proclaiming again, Jesus lives. You heard the story of the Savior's holy birth. On a night so long ago in Bethlehem, God sent His own Son to earth. Oh, so firing angels sigh, heavenly alleluias rhyme. Jesus lived to hear the blessed story, but he paid sin's awful price. On the cross, so long ago at Calvary, he became our sacrifice. It was part of God's great plan. He had come to die for man. Jesus, let's embrace our glory with His Father there on high. He is coming in the first to meet us, and the time is drawing nigh. We will worship at His feet. Songs of praise we will repeat. Jesus lives! For sin and death victorious, Jesus lives! No more to die! Jesus lives! Jesus lives! Jesus lives! Jesus lives! He is not here, for he is risen. Come see the place where the Lord lay. And when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. who made himself of no reputation, but took upon him the form of a servant, was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ♪ Done from His glory ♪ ♪ Ever-living story ♪ ♪ My God and Savior came ♪ ♪ And Jesus was His name ♪ ♪ Born in a manger ♪ ♪ To His own a stranger ♪ A man of sorrows, fears, and agony. Oh, how I love thee. How I adore thee. My breath, my song. The Great Creator Became my Savior And all God's world best Well if they may With heart reluctance, flesh and blood his substance, he took the form of man, revealed the hidden plan. Full glorious mystery, sacrifice of Calvary, And now I know the warmth that brings my help. Oh, how I love him! How I adore him! My breath, my sunshine, my all in all. You, great Creator, became my Savior, and all God's world thanks. wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. There have been names that I have loved to hear, but never has there been a name so dear to this heart of mine as the name divine, the wondrous, glorious name of Jesus. Jesus is the sweetest name I know And he's just the same as his lovely name And that's the reason why I love him so Oh Jesus is the sweetest name I know. There is no name in earth or heaven above. ♪ That we should give such honor and such love ♪ ♪ As the blessed name let us all acclaim ♪ ♪ That wondrous, glorious name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ Jesus is the sweetest name I know And he's just the same as his lovely name And that's the reason why I love him so O Jesus is the sweetest name, and I'm so glad that Jesus came. O Jesus is the sweetest name, I know. Jesus is the sweetest name, I know. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. But all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and disease among the people. And Jesus said, for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost, and saying, the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent ye and believe the gospel. In the image of God we were made long ago. With the purpose divine, Here is glory to show. But we failed him one day, And like sheep went astray, Thinking not of the cost, He is like this, at last. God's hand in mine, the work of Calvary, the lost and found. ♪ From this heaven so broad ♪ ♪ Christ been dilutely drawn ♪ ♪ So that men might live again ♪ ♪ In the image of God ♪ ♪ I'll never comprehend redemption's plan ♪ Christ could come, they said, to die for man, to die for man. From his heaven so broad, Christ came down earthly drawn, so that men might live again in the heaven. Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Jesus answered, marvel not that I say unto you, ye must be born again. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Ruler once came to Jesus by night, to ask Him the way of salvation and light. The Master made answer in words true and plain, He must be born again. He must be born again. He must be born again. I verily, verily say unto you, O children of men, attend to the word, so solemnly offered by Jesus the Lord. And let not this message to you be in vain. He must be born again. He must be born again. I very, very say unto thee, He must be born again. Then cometh Jesus with his disciples unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto them, Sit ye here while I go, and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. And he saith unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O my father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And again the second time prayed, saying, O my father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done. Into the garden went my Lord, alone with God to be, with his great plan in full accord, in dark Gethsemane. Here as he prays with burdened heart, remove this cup from me. Yet not my will but thine be done in dark Gethsemane. Though he suffered for his own In dark Gethsemane Facing the issue all alone In dark Gethsemane Ashnath, the heavy weight of sin, he writhes in agony. Knowing full well the Father's will, in dark Gethsemane ♪ He suffered for his own ♪ ♪ In darkest darkness ever kneeling ♪ ♪ Facing the issue all alone ♪ ♪ All alone ♪ ♪ In darkest semperny ♪ Gethsemane Then came the alien hands on Jesus and took him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and elders were assembled. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And when they had bound him, they laid him away and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor. And when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you, Barabbas or Jesus, which is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. And again, whither of the twain wilt ye that I release unto you? They say, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, what shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, let him be crucified. And the governor said, why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, let him be crucified. His blood be on us and on our children. Then released Heber Abbas onto them, and when they had scourged Jesus, He delivered Him to be crucified. And after they had mocked Him, they laid Him away to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, and there they crucified Him. Through a judgment all accusers led him, Calvary's cruel cross endured. Crucified and was the sentence given, Jesus died for me, for you. where the prince of glory died for me Broken-hearted, lonely, suffered untold agony. Sinless, there he bore my burden, that from sinful shame I might be free. On a rugged hill stood a rugged cross, God's beloved Son, Christ the lovely one, Who from heaven to the sinner came. On a rugged hill stood a mocking thrall, scorning him who came to save the lost. It was not in vain that the Saviour came to redeem the world that Christ has called. Rugged hill of sorrow, where the Prince of Glory died for me. Wounded. Crushed and broken-hearted, lonely, suffered untold agony. Sinless, there He bore my burden, that from sinful shame I might be free. Glorious day! He took my sins away On the cross of Calvary On the cross of Calvary Is it nothing to you, O ye that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Why did they nail him to Calvary's tree? Why, tell me, why was he there? Jesus the helper, the healer, the friend. Why, tell me, why was he there? All my iniquities on him were laid bare. ♪ He nailed them all to the tree ♪ Jesus, the debt of my sin fully paid ♪ He paid the ransom for me Why should he love me, a sinner undone? Why, tell me, why should he care? I do not merit the love he has shown. Why, tell me, why should he care? ♪ All my iniquities on him were laid ♪ ♪ He nailed them all to the tree ♪ ♪ Jesus, the debt of my sin fully paid ♪ ♪ He paid the ransom ♪ And when even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And 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 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. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay. Christ is risen from the dead, he is risen as he said. Ever since the heavens cried, with the song the angels sang. ♪ The morning is always bright ♪ ♪ And such gladness from to earth ♪ ♪ Wakely where the tidings spread ♪ ♪ Christ is risen from the dead ♪ Christians, let your voice and sing, Let the torch this ancient sling, Christ, who crucified before, Is alive forevermore. Praise where is thy victory now? See the light upon his crown, Empty seat, a stony bed, Christ is risen from the dead. Oh Christ is risen! Christ is risen from the dead! Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Them were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written that ye might believe, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through his name. All glory to Jesus, begotten of God, the great I am this day. Creator, sustainer, but wonder of all, the Lamb of Calvary. To think that the guardian of planets in space, the shepherd of the stars, is tenderly leading the Church of Islam by hands with crimson scars. To think that the guardian of planets in space, the shepherd of the stars, He's tenderly leading the church of his love by hands with brains and scars. Jesus lives and prays in glory with His Father there on high. He is calling in the night to meet us, and the time is drawing nigh. We will worship at His feet. Songs of praise we will repeat. Jesus lives! For sin and death victorious, Jesus lives, no more to die. Jesus lives! Jesus lives! Jesus lives! Jesus lives! and save your day. Thank you again so much to the choir for ministering in song tonight. May the Lord bless what we've heard, what we've listened to. We've got a reading tonight. I want you to turn to the 20th chapter of John's Gospel again. And we're going to read from verse 11 through to verse 18. John 20, verse 11. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre, 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 led him.' When she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast led 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. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not. for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things unto her. With our Bibles before us, let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the ministry of the choir. Thank thee again for leading us to these great truths in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of our Savior and his ascension to glory. We thank thee for your word now as we come in these closing minutes to it, that that will speak to us, that that will open up the scriptures to us. Give us hearing ears to hear what God is saying to our hearts. Speak now and help the preacher to bring the message we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Verse 20. We told you that we wanted to speak on this word tonight, rabboni, the word that Mary speaks as she addresses the Lord Jesus Christ, now knowing who it is that's standing before her. Our hearts have often been touched by those resurrection appearances of Christ went after his crucifixion and death and burial for three days. He rose again and appeared to his beloved disciples as a testimony to his bodily resurrection. Luke calls this many infallible proofs in Acts 1, verse 3. There are texts which stand out this very day on Easter Sunday as we celebrate and rejoice the glorious resurrection of the Savior. Our souls have often been moved by what we looked at at the early morning prayer meeting this morning. Jesus himself drew near and went with them, Luke 24 and 15. The scene, of course, is that lonely road between Jerusalem and Emmaus, where two disciples, Cleopas and his friend, traveled with sad and heavy hearts. And as they journeyed, they are in conversation, the one with the other. And the Lord Jesus Christ is the center of their discussion, as they discuss recent events that have taken place in Jerusalem, namely the death of Christ and his burial. Jesus himself drew near and went with them. Have we not been challenged by the beautiful phrase that we looked at this morning in John 20 and verse 20? Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. These men were confused. They were bewildered. and afraid. Despite that, they met together. So frightened were these men that they met behind closed doors for fear of the Jews. But padlocked doors could not keep the resurrected Lord out. And so he came and stood in the midst. And it's a wonderful little story to note those occasions when Jesus came just when he was needed. And this was one such occasion. And he had something to say, and he had something to show. What he had to say very simply was peace, peace be unto you. And what he showed was his hands and his side. And it's now at this precise moment that we read the words, then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. But by far the most moving and touching resurrection scene is the one before us in this reading, the one to Mary Magdalene. Out of all those that Christ could first show himself alive unto, he chose this woman. Not the disciples, not Peter or John or James, who were his favorites, not his own family, not even his mother, but Mary Magdalene, out of whom, in his ministry, he had cast seven devils. There is no question about the love that the disciples had for the Lord. They loved Christ. And there's no doubt at all about the love that Mary had for her dear son. But there's something about the deep, sincere, faithful, unyielding love that was found in the hearts of those women who featured so prominently in our Lord's ministry, especially at the end. They were last at the cross. and they were first at the tomb. And not least of all, the love of this dear woman called Mary Magdalene. Isn't it true that those who are forgiven much, they love much? Mary Magdalene had been forgiven much, and she loved much. Mary comes early to the Sepulchre of Christ with the other women when it was yet dark. I was just thinking about that again today, and I looked up on the internet, what time is sunrise in Jerusalem? And I discovered today it was 18 minutes past six. She came before sunrise. She came when it was yet dark. Very difficult to get people to a prayer meeting on a Sunday morning at eight o'clock. This dear woman was there well, well before sunrise, when it was still in the darkness. And it was a wonderful encounter that these women had. They discover an empty tomb. It's Mary who runs and tells Peter and John about their discovery. They have taken away the Lord out of his sepulchre, and we know not where they have led him. Peter and John, they come running to the sepulchre, and they find the report is true. The Lord is not there. His body is missing. It's an empty tomb. And these men go home again in unbelief. Well, at least Peter went home in unbelief. Not so John. We're told that John saw and believed. It was now beginning to dawn upon this disciple that Jesus was alive. We read about that in verse 8. But Mary lingers on. It's always good to linger on. When the others go, and when you think it's time to go home, it's a wonderful thing just to linger on at times. And Mary was not disappointed, for the Lord appears to her. And we have this beautiful and touching scene of the risen Christ meeting with Mary amidst her tears. As she is weeping outside the tomb, she stoops down, she looks in. What a sight. She saw what a sight that met her eyes, two angels in white sitting, one at the head, the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Possibly conscious that there was now someone standing behind her, she turns And she sees Jesus, but doesn't recognize her. Was it the flood of tears in her eyes that caused her sight to be dim? Was it simply just that her eyes were withholding from recognizing the Lord Jesus at this moment? Woman, why weepest thou? asks Jesus. Mary replies with this sad and sorrowful lamentation, supposing Jesus to be the gardener. Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. And I sense and I feel the sighs and the groans of Mary's soul. I also sense and feel the deep love and affection that Mary had for Christ. Tell me. where he is, and I will take him away. She never thought how she was going to remove the corpse of Christ, a fully grown man, nor how she would explain coming into possession of it. It's possible that Mary was large and strong and therefore physically able to carry the body of a dead man, but I don't think so. It's more likely that she is so filled with sorrow and devotion that she wasn't thinking through her plans clearly. Jesus speaks one word, Mary. He called her by name. She had heard that name from the lips of her master a thousand times over. She recognized that voice. Immediately, her eyes were opened, and she knew now who it was that was standing before her. And Mary speaks one word in reply, Rabboni, master or teacher. He has an instruction to give her. We read it in verse 17, touch me not, I'm not yet ascended to my father, go to my brethren, say to them, I ascend unto my father and to your father and to my God and to your God. And Mary, in turn, she runs to the disciples and tells them that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken to her. Today, almost 2,000 years later, we rejoice in the risen Savior. And we proclaim, as the choir has proclaimed, over this weekend, Jesus lives. There are so many things that I could say about his resurrection, about the various appearances, and about this appearance particularly. But I just want to draw attention to this one word as we close tonight. Mary's word. Rabboni. Master. It's a term that declares so much about Mary's relationship with Christ and the relationship that we have with him. I want to say, first of all, that it declares salvation. Only a true believer, in the truest sense, can call Jesus Rabboni. There was a moment in the life of Mary when she met the Lord to the saving of her soul. Mary Magdalene was not a harlot, as some suppose. There's no evidence whatsoever in the Scriptures to say that that was her past. However, Mary came from a sad background of demon possession. We know that from Luke chapter 8 and verse 2. When the Lord found her, he found her in a state of darkness. possessed by seven unclean spirits, and this was the life of satanic bondage that she was delivered from. Mary was translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. There was a day when she met the Savior to the saving of her soul. Mary was a true child of God. She could thus, from the depths of her heart, address the Lord in this fashion. Rabboni, master. Satan was no longer her master. Jesus was. In the greatest and the deepest sense of the word, Mary is able to declare with absolute confidence and conviction, Rabboni, which literally means my great master. There was a personal relationship here. I want you to see that in the term that she is using. He's my master. I want you to rewind a few days and come to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus had just finished his agony of prayer, where he sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground. He was speaking with Peter, James, and John, whom he had permitted to come a little bit further than the other disciples. Along comes Judas Iscariot with the mob. He betrays the Lord with the kiss of treachery. Do you remember what he said, what Judas said to Christ? Master, master. Mark chapter 14 verse 45, but it's a different word than what Mary used. It's the word rabbi, which simply means master. It was a common term of honor. That's the most that Judas could see in Christ. But when Mary called Jesus Rabboni, coming from the same root word, there is an added emphasis which deepens the meaning, and it declares, my master. And it really expresses the idea of Lord. And she's saying, Jesus, you're my master. You are my Lord. Christ was the Lord to Mary. but just an honorable teacher to Judas. What was the difference? Judas had three years of head knowledge. Mary's heart had been changed. Judas was a man who honored God with his lips, but his heart was far from him. Mary believed with her heart, and therefore she was justified. How do you view Christ tonight? Not until you've had a conversion experience can you call him master, my master from the heart that has been changed by the grace of God. Do you know him tonight as your savior? Do you know him as your Lord? Can you speak these words or this word of Mary from your heart? He's my master, he's my Lord. You've had a saving encounter with Christ. Secondly, it declares submission. He's the master and teacher. Mary Magdalene put herself in the place of learning. She wanted to be instructed. She wanted to know the mind and the will of God and then, of course, obey it. And that's how we feel as Christians. We want to know the mind of God. We want to know the will of our master so that we can obey what the Lord is calling us to do. Like the other Mary of Bethany, we sit at the feet of Christ for instruction. What we hear from the lips of the master we obey, we submit our way to him. We bring ourselves fully and completely under his divine sway and control. Not my will, but thine be done. That's the attitude of the renewed soul, the heart that has been changed by the gospel. We sit at the feet of our great teacher and we learn from him. We choose the better part. And the better part is to do what the other Mary did, to sit at Jesus' feet. We hear from him and we obey. Dear child of God, are you sitting at the feet of Jesus? I wonder, do you often hear his word? Are you receiving instruction from him? Are you attending the means of grace? Then having heard from the master, you have set your heart to obey him and submit your will unto him. The Lord, preaching to the multitudes in Luke chapter six and verse 46, he asked a very pointed question. Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things that I say? When you can say my master, when you can say Rabboni, then you will have a heart that seeks to obey the great teacher. What he says, you will do. The term here also declares service. He's the Lord and the master whom I serve. We think of the master and the servant relationship here. That's how Mary felt. After this encounter with Christ, Mary went to tell the disciples about the risen Lord, and that is service. That is great service, to tell others about Christ, to tell others about a risen Savior who was alive forevermore. Indeed, that is the great task that we have to do. The Christian feels and senses in his heart, Christ is my master. I am his servant. I want to serve my Lord, I want to do something. Never is there a time that I think about doing something for the Lord that I think of our brother, Dr. Bill Woods. That's what, you remember, motivated him when he went as a missionary and had served in Brazil for a number of years and the young man had died and he was buried outside the village and every time he passed that simple grave that was marked by a wooden cross, It seemed to say to him, do something, because that's what the young man asked him to do, but he couldn't do anything for his condition and his dying condition. Do something. And Brother Bill Woods went and he did something. And the rest, of course, is history. I wonder, are you doing something for the Lord? We engage ourselves in the service of the King. We enlist ourselves in his work. We say, what will thou have me to do? And then we pursue it with all of our hearts. It is gospel work. It is preaching work. It is telling others of Jesus. It is presenting a living Savior to a dying world. We find our place in the service of Christ, and then we follow him. He is the master. I want to serve him. Do you remember? That Old Testament story about the master and the bond-slave in Exodus chapter 21, the opening 11 verses, when a servant had worked for his master for six years, he could then be released from the position of servitude in the seventh year. This is how the law read. Exodus chapter 21 and verse 2. and Hebrew servants, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. Such slaves or servants were to be treated well. Indeed, cruelty on the part of the owner resulted in the immediate release of the servant. After a maximum period of six years, the slave was free to leave his master's employment. A servant could choose to stay with his master. And so the law went on to read in verses five and six, if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free, then his master should bring him on to the judges. he shall also bring him to the door or onto the doorpost, and his master shall bore the year through with an all, and he shall serve him forever. In such cases, a servant was saying, I know that I have fulfilled my obligations to my master and I have served what I owed. Yet I love my master and I am so grateful for what he has given that I will gladly oblige myself for life, neither of debt neither of shame, neither of defeat, but out of love. Can you not take that story, this illustration, and use it in a higher sense, in a spiritual application? I think you can. This is how we feel as Christians to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ. The great apostle Paul, the great New Testament preacher and missionary, scholar and theologian, he saw himself no higher than a servant of Christ, and that's how he began his epistle to the Romans. Paul, a servant, and the actual word is a bond servant, of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. James, Peter and Jude, they all began their letters with similar language, calling themselves servants. It declares service. You serve in the Lord, dear child of God. And you really say, yes, you're my master. You are rabboni to me. And I gladly serve you, and I will serve you for the rest of my life. And then finally, it declares steadfastness. Here's my master, I will not leave him. That's how Mary had conducted herself thus far. She and her friends would not leave the cross. She and her friends came very early to the tomb. In fact, it is very possible they came every day and they camped there at the tomb of Christ for those three days. The child of God in full recognition of all that Christ has done and in deep appreciation for all that Christ means to him, desires to be that kind of Christian described by the apostle in 1 Corinthians 15, 18, steadfast and unmovable. Perhaps today, on this Resurrection Day, Jesus is calling you by name. It was Mary here in this passage. Mary, he's calling you whatever your name is. It's a visitation of Christ personally to you, even though you're in a crowd tonight, it's to you personally. Can you hear him? For some in this meeting tonight, He's calling you by name to salvation, because you're not saved tonight, and you don't know the living Savior as your Redeemer. And you can't say, Rabboni, He's my master. You've never entered into that personal relationship to Him. So as He called you personally by name, He's calling you to Himself that you might be saved. Do you hear Him tonight? Will you come to Him tonight? Will you trust Him as the living Savior of your soul? Maybe he's calling others, Christians here tonight, just to serve us, to serve him, to do something for him. I wonder how you will respond. I wonder what you say tonight, as Mary did. As soon as the Lord said, my master, whether it's you coming as a sinner to Christ or coming as a child of God to say, I will serve him because I love him. Take the term of eternity. Those of us who know what it means and would actually need to take in light of it, may you take it by the grace of God. And if we can help you tonight, somebody here not saved, you would love to be saved. We're here to speak with you after the service. Some other person God's dealing with you, he wants you to serve him in some capacity. If we can help you, instruct you, guide you, that's why we're here. But don't go away if the Lord is calling you by name. you respond in your heart and in your life to the call of Christ. May the Lord bless his word to every heart. As we finish Thursday night and as we finish this morning, so we are going to finish tonight. Because he lives, I can face tomorrow. God sent his son. Brother Mervyn is going to lead it. I'm going to have the privilege of doing what verse two says. I'm going to be able to hold the newborn baby. I'm going to do that tonight, for I love little Heidi just as much as I love the other grandchildren. And let's sing on to the praise of the glory of God and inquire you're going to help us tonight as you've helped us all through the service. May God bless you. Thank you. Let's all stand together while we sing God Sent His Only Son. ♪ God is great with his Son ♪ Jesus, He came to love me and for me. He lived and died to find my heart good. An empty grave to set me free. I sing your name. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, I know He holds the future. How sweet to hold a newborn baby and feel the and joy he gives. But greater still, the calm assurance this child can face on certain days because he lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, I know He holds the future. because he is. And then one day I'll cross the river, I'll find my son no more with me, and then I'll His ways were made free. I've seen the light so glory and I know He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives. The Savior said, I live, ye shall live also. And tonight I wonder, do you know that life that is to be had in Christ? Let me sing that last verse again. The sisters will give us a note. Notice what it says, and then one day I'll cross the river. We're all going to cross the river, but I wonder where you'll be on the other side. I trust tonight you'll make your calling and election sure on this Resurrection Sunday. And because he lives, you can face tomorrow. Mr. Parklink, Mr. Parklink, come on, close and pray. And then one day, I'll cross the river, I'll find my son. ♪ And the war with pain ♪ ♪ And then as death ♪ ♪ Gives way to victory ♪ ♪ I see the lights of glory and ♪ ♪ I know he lives ♪ ♪ Because he lives ♪ I can face tomorrow because He lives. All fear is gone because I know, I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives. I wouldn't have been wanting to be anywhere else than here. I love the Easter Convention at the Martyrs, but I wouldn't treat it for Thursday night or for today at Hebron. Don't pass that on too far. But yeah, these meetings have been excellent, and we've enjoyed the choir, and the Lord's been here. Heavenly Father, we thank you for all that has taken place. What a wonderful weekend you've given to us. Thank you for Thursday night. We thank you for this morning and tonight in the house of God, in the worship of the Lord. Lord, we praise thee for our dear Savior, And over and over again in what we've listened to, in the songs that we've sung, the choir as they have presented the cantata, we've been led to Christ. We've seen the Lord help us to take these things home with us in our heart, and to dwell in them, and be blessed by them. And there is one more meeting tomorrow night. Do be with them at the martyrs. We pray for our moderator as he preaches, and others who will take part. We just pray that the blessing of God will come, the Spirit of God will be outpoured, and a work will be done on hearts. Do something with us tonight, even as we leave this place, for Jesus' sake. Amen and amen. you you you