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IHS said to her, “Mary.”

Disclaimer: This is a transcript of Pastor Fenker’s sermon. It was preached from an outline, and the transcript taken automatically from the audio. Please forgive any typographical or formatting errors.

᛭ INI ᛭

This evening, we’re observing Mary Magdalene. It is good for us to remember the saints. We do so not to really remember them, but for what God in Christ did for them. We rejoice what God in Christ did through them. And for Mary Magdalene, we get the benefit of not Christmas in July, but a little bit of Easter in July.

Of all the faithful women, she gets a saint day because she, as we prayed, rejoicing in this fact that she was the 1st witness of Christ being raised from the dead. But beyond that, who is Mary Magdalene? Well, she’s from the city of Magdala. That is why she gets the 2nd part of her name. But what we know of her from the scriptures is that she was a notorious sinner, from Luke chapter 7, anointing Jesus’ feet, rejoicing in the forgiveness of sins that he had for her. She also, as we are told, was saved from 7 demons. She had been possessed by 7 demons, and Christ exercised all of them, setting her free from the captivity of the devil. And yes, she witnessed the resurrection, but she was also there, that she saw Christ crucified. She saw where he was buried. And so she, of course, knew which tomb to go to, to try and find her Lord, and there she found him not dead, but raised.

Now, what God does for Mary Magdalene in Christ IHS, what Christ does for her, is a picture of what God in Christ does for all of his people, for you, and for me. And how Christ does this is on display in John 20. But it also has to do with Mary Magdalene being saved from the devil. For God the Father, has transferred us out of the devil’s domain of darkness into the kingdom of his beloved son. And all of this is seen or heard, rather, in this little part of a verse where IHS said to her, “Mary.” The risen Christ had called her by name.

THE RISEN CHRIST CALLS YOU BY NAME.


Now Christ calling you by name, makes us see and partake of his own resurrection from the dead. And we must partake of his death and his resurrection for us because, by his death and resurrection, Christ has defeated the devil. He has paid the ransom for all of our sins. He has rescued us from death itself. Death is really not that big of a deal for us in Christ because Christ is raised from the dead and his promise is, of course, because I live, you will live also. 


And Christ calls us by name in holy baptism. Go therefore make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. As it was for the children of Israel, so it now is for you. Out of Egypt, I have called my son, the Lord says, through the prophet. The people of Israel, were brought out of Egypt and passed through the waters of the Red Sea, being baptized into Moses, in the water and in the sea. So also you, more so through the greater and better Moses. The one who ransoms you from the true pharaoh, the devil, who saves you from the true bondage to sin, and from death itself. You are baptized into Christ. 
He has called you by name. You are mine, he says.

And in and through holy baptism, We participate in his death and resurrection. We receive his death and resurrection by baptism through faith, His death and resurrection are made ours. First Peter 3 says that baptism now saves you. It is the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. For by being baptized into Christ Jesus, you were baptized into his death, Paul says in Romans. We were buried into his death through baptism. That just as Christ was raised from the dead, through the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life.


We have been brought to newness of life, having our sins forgiven in holy baptism through faith. I’ve called you by name. So it was for Mary Magdalene, at the empty tomb. Then, she saw clearly Christ risen from the dead. You also, at the font, 1st called by name. Again, through his holy word, we see and hear clearly, Christ crucified and raised from the dead. 


But also, In holy baptism, you aren’t just called by name. You get his name. You are baptized into the very name of God. He marks you with his own name, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And now, we live a life similar to that of all of the saints. Where we live now in the light of IHS’ resurrection, as we go forth bearing his name. 


Bearing his name, Being called by name, We are now different people. 
So it was from Mary Magdalene: Notorious sinner; Possessed by 7 demons?
Not when Christ was done with her! Forgiven of her sins, the demons cast out, never to return. So also you and me, as many of you as are in Christ, have been clothed with Christ, and if you are in Christ, then you are a new creature, a new creation, as Paul says. We have been brought forth into new life.In the water and word of holy baptism. yours and mine, my faith in Christ.

And now, we are the light of the world, as Christ himself is. We bring Christ’s light and life into our daily lives. Rather, he’s using you to do it. You reflect his life. You are the conduit of his love out to the world. 
You are his chosen instrument, in your exact position in life, to bring his light, his life into the lives of the people around you. That’s what Mary did. Mary was not only there at the tomb, but she went and told the disciples, not only that IHS was missing, but that he had said things to her, that she had seen him. 


St. Paul talks about the likes of Mary in our 2nd reading today from the Acts of the Apostles, talking about how God raised Christ from the dead, and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. He’s not just talking about the 11. What he’s talking about, Mary Magdalene, who was a witness to the resurrection for the rest of her life.

IHS Christ is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. And only in his light do we see light. And basking in the light of his love and forgiveness and resurrection from the dead, you now are the light of the world. Men will see your good works, and thus glorify your Father, who is in heaven.

Even so, we press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus, as Paul says. We are being called not only to bring Christ light into the world, but we are being drawn ever closer to Christ, for the day, the day that never ends, when we will rejoice in the light of Christ forever. As Christ himself promises to Mary. I have not yet ascended to my father, but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God. Christ goes there to prepare a place for you. If he was not doing so, would he tell you that that’s what he was doing? No, he is doing that for you. He’s doing that for all those who trust in him. a place prepared in his everlasting kingdom.

We get Mary Magdalene today a good gift to rejoice in the 1st witness of the resurrection. A woman who was saved from demons, a woman whose many sins were forgiven. And the risen Christ called her by name. And then, she was no longer as she was, not only notorious sinner, not possessed by demons, but then witness of the resurrection. That’s how Christ used her. 


So also you, the risen Christ, calls you by name, for you to go forth, not only for you to rejoice in the forgiveness of your sins, being rescued, from death and the devil, but now you, his chosen instrument, to bring his light and life, to those around you in your daily life, loving and serving them. Maybe even witnessing to them of Christ’s death and resurrection. But it’s not really you, not that it was even really Mary or the apostles, but Christ, through them.Christ through you too. He will use you in that way. He has to. After all, THE RISEN CHRIST HAS CALLED YOU BY NAME.

᛭ INI ᛭