Introduction: Have you ever heard the song….? “People need the Lord!”

Here are the words:

Do you know that is why Jesus Christ came to earth? Because people really do need the Lord!

That’s why God sent us a SAVIOR- Jesus Christ!

John records the works and words of Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus speaks to His disciples and us today, these words:

1. The Risen Lord Jesus Christ changes Mary Magdalene from a DEMONICALLY POSSESSED Woman into a DEVOTED Disciple! (John 20:1, 11-18)

“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre… 
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 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. 13 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.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 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.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.”

{“People need the Lord”! Mary Magdalene needed the Lord! She had seven (7) demons cast out of her, “…he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.” (Mark 16:9)}

2. The Risen Lord Jesus Christ changes Simon Peter from a SAND MAN to a ROCK MAN! (John 20:2-10)

” Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.”

3. The Risen Lord Jesus Christ changes John, the SON of THUNDER, into a DISCIPLE of LOVE! (John 20:8, 9)

“Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.”

(Luke 9:54)
“And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?”

Conclusion: These words by our Lord are our marching orders for today.

“21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.”

Listen to the last stanza of that song, “People Need the Lord”….

We are called to take His light
To a world where wrong seems right
What could be too great a cost
For sharing life with one who’s lost?

Through His love our hearts can feel
All the grief they bear
They must hear the words of life
Only we can share

People need the Lord
People need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams
He’s the open door
People need the Lord
People need the Lord
When will we realize
People need the Lord?