Today the church remembers and gives thanks for St. Mary Magdalene. The world happens to love Mary Magdalene because of all of the foolish and silly stories made up about her. In “The DaVinci Code” a recently popular book and movie, an old story was revived that says that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had children. Not too long ago, there was a show on TV that claimed to find the grave of Jesus and Mary Magdalene and possibly their children. Brothers and sisters in Christ, these stories are wrong, false, foolish nonsense, the kind of rubbish that makes for a bestseller in the world. But the church remembers and honors St. Mary Magdalene not because of silly stories and legends but because of what the Word of God teaches us. In the Holy Scriptures, particularly the Holy Gospels, we learn all that we need to know about St. Mary Magdalene, not for her sake, or to honor her alone, but to give thanks to God for her and for the example of faith and good works that Mary Magdalene provides. So what we'll hear about this morning is what the Scriptures teach us about St. Mary Magdalene. She is a picture and image of the whole Christian church and and example to us of faith in Christ and His saving gifts!
St. Luke and St. Mark record that Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary Magdalene. Mary Magdalene was a woman under Satan's power until she met Christ and His Word drove those demons from her, rescuing her from the grip of the Devil. Mary Magdalene was a woman tormented by the powers of Hell until her Savior appeared and cast out those powers. Thus Mary is a picture of each of us who are born under the power and influence of Satan. Each of us, born into sin, is a slave of Satan, bound and owned by the prince of this world. But along comes the Word of Christ and the water of Holy Baptism and Satan is driven out! Each of you were rescued from the devil and his power the day you were baptized into the Name of Jesus at the font. Recall the words of the baptismal liturgy: “Do you renounce the devil and all his works and ways?” So the power of God's name and word united to the water sprinkles you with the blood of Jesus that cleanses you from your sins and drives Satan out of you. Just as Christ has rescued Mary Magdalene from the demons of hell, so He has claimed you for His own and made you His own. So the church is made up of us who have been rescued by Jesus from the devil by the power of the Son of God.
St. Mary Magdalene is noted as one of several women who became disciples of Jesus and followed him, providing for Him from their own resources. Perhaps they helped buy food for Jesus and the disciples, perhaps they mended the sandals of Jesus who walked everywhere or patched up cloaks and shirts that wore out. Whatever it is they did, they provided earthly support for Jesus during the days of His earthly ministry. Grateful for her deliverance from the devil's power, Mary Magdalene gave selflessly toward the work and ministry of Jesus. Again, this makes her a picture of the Christian church. We, who make up the church, rescued from sin and death, give gladly and joyfully for the support and provision of the ministry of the Gospel among us. Mary Magdalene didn't just toss Jesus whatever change she had laying in her purse; rather, she gave of her very means and substance for His support. This is for our example, brothers and sisters. Let us too give generously to the ministry of the Gospel among us. If we are ever tempted to not support the ministry of the Gospel with our resources, let us repent and follow the example of Mary Magdalene who offered whatever was in her means for the preaching of the Gospel. And again, Mary does this not because she HAS too. It is because she recognizes how great a rescue she has received from the Lord and would support Him and His disciples so that others can be saved from the devil's power too. Remember that when you put your offering into the plate: its for your NEIGHBOR that you give this offering, so that they too will have the benefit of the ministry of the Gospel when they are in need.
But now we hear the most blessed testimony of Mary Magdalene's importance: For she was a witness of the death of Jesus. Mary Magdalene faithfully followed Jesus even to His death. Although she didn't yet know the full importance of that death, nevertheless she followed Him even to His cross and stood and beheld His sufferings. What joy she would later know to hear preached that the suffering and death she witnessed was for the forgiveness of her sins and the sins of the world. So again Mary is a picture of the church which meditates upon the suffering and death of Jesus for sinners. The central and most important thought and image for the church to hear is that of Christ crucified for sinners. Mary knew that she was a sinner, since the day when Jesus released her from the power of seven demons. She would not yet fully understand or believe that the suffering of Jesus on the cross was the way in which God loved the world. Yet she was there. So Mary Magdalene teaches us that to behold Jesus on the cross and to hear the testimony of those who record His sufferings is the highest worship of Christ. For at the cross Christ redeemed us from sin and death. At the cross, Jesus shed His blood for Mary and for you and me. On the cross, by taking the sins of the world upon Himself and answering for them, Jesus has once and for all robbed the devil of any power to torture or condemn us because of our sins. The devil no longer has any power over us because he cannot hold our sins over us. Your sins are wiped out by the death of Jesus just as surely as Mary Magdalene heard our Lord utter those words: “It is finished.” And so it is. Look, with Mary Magdalene, upon the cross to remember that your Savior Jesus has taken away your sins by His death.
But the special place of Mary Magdalene is established by yet one more incident. She was the first person to see Jesus alive on Easter day! Mary Magdalene, of all the disciples who followed Jesus, even of those who saw His death (like St. John and Mary, the Lord's mother) was the first person to whom Jesus showed Himself alive. Mary stands at the tomb on Easter filled with grief and sadness. This sadness, it is true, is caused by her unbelief because she didn't believe that Jesus would rise from the dead as He Himself had promised and the prophets all foretold. In her grief she cries out to the gardener to give back the body. Until the Gardener calls her name, “Mary.” Then, with eyes opened, Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus and she rejoices! And clings to Him. But why does Jesus tell her not to cling to Him? Because if Mary wants to be where Jesus is, now that He is risen, the place to be is not hanging on Him but in the church where He has promised to be. “Go, tell my disciples,” says Jesus. Now that Jesus is risen from the dead, He is not going to be present in a way that lets us hang on Him. Rather, He is now present where His disciples are, in the church, where the announcement of His resurrection is proclaimed for all to hear. So once again Mary Magdalene is an example to us that we are not to hang onto and cling to Jesus in places He has not promised to be. Rather, if we would see the risen Christ, we go to where His disciples are, to church. And here, in the church, we are with Christ. With Christ at the font where that water and word wash sinners. With Christ at the pulpit where He proclaims His Word. With Christ at the altar where He is truly present with His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. Let us, with Mary Magdalene, find our hope and joy in the company of the disciples, where Jesus gathers His church and gives His gifts.
The book of Proverbs told us today that that woman is praised who fears the Lord. So we praise St. Mary Magdalene for she feared the Lord Jesus who rescued her from sin and death and made her His disciple. We give thanks for Mary Magdalene that she is the first among all of those witnesses that the book of Acts says saw the risen Lord. We look at St. Mary Magdalene this day as a picture or type or example of the holy Christian church, the Bride of Christ. She, that church, is the Bride from whom the Lord has driven demons. She is the Bride who serves her Lord in this life. She is the Bride who looks upon her bridegroom suffering on the cross for the sins of the world and risen from the dead, victorious over her enemies. The church is the Bride who gathers to receive the gifts and presents of her bridegroom as He washes and feeds here and forgives her. Mary Magdalene is a picture of this Bride, who is the church, because she is a part of the Bride of Christ. Just as you and I are a part of this Bride, joined together by our common faith in Christ and joined to Christ by His own saving work for us. Happy St. Mary Magdalene Day in Jesus' Name! Amen.