JOY IN THE RESURRECTION

WE CAN FIND JOY IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS IF WE CLING TO HIM IN 3 WAYS 

Noli Me Tongere by Alexander Ivanov 1835 (After Jesus' Resurrection)

THE RESURRECTION STORY:
"Now on the first  day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing  there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and  that  He had said these things to her." (John 20:1-18 NASB)
1.  CLING TO HIM BY WEEPING AND REPENTING OVER OUR OWN SIN
Mary was a woman that Jesus had encountered and cast seven demons out of her and from that point on she began to follow him along with a group of women who supported the disciples...
"Soon afterwards, He (Jesus) began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means." (Luke 8:1-3 NASB)
Mary was a person of whom we can say that she had truly repented.  The Lord had delivered her from seven Demons and she had taken hold of that deliverance by faith and lived as we see here a life of complete change.  She was the only one at the tomb weeping that her Lord and Master that she had followed was not there to pay homage to.  She was a broken woman that she could not do homage her Lord.  This is a signal that she was a woman of repentance that she could not worship and care for the Lord's body showed her obeisance. She had taken to heart what Jesus had said, "go and sin no more".
2. CLING TO AND SEEK JESUS AS THE 'RABONI' (TEACHER) OF YOUR LIFE
"Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father" (John 20:16-17)
Mary recognized that it was Jesus probably when He said her name.  How many times had He called her, "Mary" and again this time as the risen Lord He reveals Himself to her.  This is a special moment in which  Jesus reveals Himself to her and she is the first person recorded in scripture to see the risen Lord! She honors Him and the first words Jesus hears from another human after he is raised is "My Teacher" not "My Lord" or "My King" or anything else, but "My Teacher".  If we cling to Jesus as the Rabbi or teacher of our lives we will find great joy and hope because if the risen Lord is our teacher we can never go astray.
3. CLING TO HIM BY TELLING OTHERS OF YOUR NEW FOUND LIFE IN THE RESURRECTION
Notice how Jesus left the grave clothes neatly folded and in another place, because living people don't need grave clothes (DUH). He did it because he has a new set of clothes they are heavenly glorified clothes, only dead people wear grave clothes anyways (DUH). He has put off the snares of death, and this is a small token to us that he left us, of his victory over death. Just in case anyone would say that Jesus body was stolen by the disciples or anyone else, a robber doesn't steal a body and then take off the clothes and set then aside neatly folded. It would also be a bit awkward to carry a dead naked body anywhere. I could just see it; guys in bandits costumes carrying around a dead naked body, weird! For a Jew that would also be the ultimate defilement anyways. It is obvious Jesus has set these grave clothes aside and folded them neatly as a sign to us of his VICTORY. And so we should proclaim that VICTORY just like we would any other great VICTORY. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series two years ago. In the city they celebrated with a parade. They said maybe up to a million people were there in the city that day for the parade.

San Francisco Giants Victory Parade

Abe Kuhn went to the celebration and he said all he saw there was people everywhere, singing songs, and partying that the S.F. Giants had won.  As is with any victory there should be announcements of victory. In the same way we should announce the victory of Jesus over death. Jesus is raised from the dead! The cross of Jesus Christ, and his miraculous resurrection from the dead on the third day has to be the greatest single event in human history, and should be announced proclaimed and celebrated in all the world.  It is definitely greater than the San Francisco Giants winning the world series! So Mary goes to the Apostles and proclaims the news, and here is what message Jesus sends her with...
"but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her."(John 20:18)
We see in this passage that Jesus is the 'firstborn from among the dead' and the proclamation is that JESUS IS OUR BROTHER!  He has called them friends, disciples, and followers, but now he calls them BROTHERS!  Jesus is our brother! that has to be the best news from the Resurrection.  The Scripture also show us in Hebrews 2:11 our brotherhood with Jesus...
"For both He who sanctifies (God) and those who are sanctified (Believers) are all from one father; for which reason He (Jesus) is not ashamed to call them brethren,"
We must proclaim Jesus crucified, risen and coming again with all joy and exuberance of any other great victory, and all the while explaining to people the great brotherhood that we now can share with Jesus!  Maybe today you have pain and scars that sin has left in your life.  Know that our scars are healed through his scars.  And we will know Him by His scars. Have a look at this video and let it be a reminder to you that the Great High Priest our brother has gone to heaven to present his scars to God in our place!