“Love, Loss and Loyalty!”

John 20:10-16, “Then the disciples went back home. Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent over and looked in the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.  “Woman, why are you crying?” they asked her. She answered, “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus.  “Woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who is it that you are looking for?” She thought he was the gardener, so she said to him, “If you took him away, sir, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This means “Teacher.”)” (GNT)

To know my dad was to know what he loved, because he was never shy about what he loved. And one of his great loves was that of baseball. His favorite teams were the Mets and Yankees. But I suppose, with living in the New York area, it would only make sense that those would be his favorite teams. Therefore, with those being his favorites, he developed some pretty intense loyalty to just about all teams New York (almost that is). Take the baseball season for example. If there’s a choice between dad’s beloved Mets and Yankees, dad would definitely fall in the category of a diehard Yankee fan. I mean, even when his Yankees weren't giving him much to cheer about, he still cheered, all the way to the bitter end. In fact, my dad was so dedicated to the Yankees, that even after a particularly embarrassing loss my dad made it a point to wear his Yankee t-shirt anyhow (who does that?!). 

I guess when it’s something/someone you love, then loyalty comes with the package. And even if there is loss involved, because of the depth of that love and loyalty, you don’t switch teams, you stick with the one you love!

With that thought in mind, let’s take a peek at John chapter 20; one of the most exciting chapters in all of Scripture. Verse 1 says, "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark..." And that's not only physically dark, but it was also really dark among Jesus' followers because of what they’ve just experienced…His death. Now it doesn’t excuse the disciples, but just imagine if you will what it must have felt like to spend all that time with Jesus, to see Him heal, recover, deliver, feed, fix, counsel, help, show compassion, perform miracles, and then die. You knew who He was and what He was, and still He’s dead. It was a dark moment for the disciples. But, the Bible goes on to read, "...while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance."

Then, later in this chapter it says, "Mary stood outside the tomb crying." And then the story goes on and we reach an absolute beautiful moment! It says, "At this moment, she turned around and she saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 'Woman,' He said, 'why are you crying? Who is it that you are looking for?' Thinking He was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary.' She turned toward Him and cried out, 'Rabboni!' (which means Teacher)." 

Now, Mary was at the moment of her ultimate loss. She had staked all her hopes and the rest of her life on this Jesus, only to see Him hanging on a bloody cross and then buried in a borrowed tomb. In addition to that, it was a hard time for anybody to admit they belonged to Him. In fact, it was a dangerous time for people to even admit that. Yet, here she was. She thought that she was on the winning team, and now this unexplainable, seemingly irreversible loss. It was a moment of total defeat, or so it appeared. And most of Jesus' followers? Where are they? They're nowhere to be found. They left.

But Mary…she stays with Him. Even after His brutal death and mangled body…she stays. Even after the disciples left Him…she stays. As they take Him down and bury Him…she stays. All the way to the tomb…she stays. She’s hurt, crying, but she stays. She stays so close in fact that she bends over and looks into the tomb and sees 2 angels dressed in white where His body had been laid…she doesn’t run away in fear…she still stays. And not only does she stay, but she holds a conversation with them. They ask why she’s crying, and she shares her loss… ‘…They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!...”

She loves Him so dearly, and is committed to Him so loyally that she stays. As painful, confusing, and emptying as it feels, she still stays. And what does she benefit from staying loyal to the One she loves? The Scripture says, “... Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (This means “Teacher.”)” (GNT)

Now, let's talk briefly about YOU. Maybe you've lost someone you really loved, somebody you cared about deeply. Or maybe you've gotten bad news from the doctor, or you're out of work, you're out of answers. The marriage is failing, the children are struggling, the business is going under, the grades are declining, the church is splitting, the job is closing, the house is falling apart…Those are the times when many people retreat. Those are the times when many walk away from the Lord instead of to Him. Those are the times when many become frustrated and discouraged, and eventually give up because they  simply do not understand why they have to face such hard and dark times. But Mary didn't understand all that was going on around her either. Yet, she doesn’t go away from her Lord, but pursues Him…even while knowing He’s already dead!

The test of all you believe is whether you can remain loyal even when you've loss so much! 

James 1:2-4, "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (MSG)

Even as He hung, Mary hung in there! She wasn’t looking for a back-up plan, “who will save me now. Guess I should try to find another ‘Savior’.” There was no 'woe is me, what do we do now'? No! She loves Him, so she stays loyal to Him, even after she’s lost Him!

You know, the first one that Jesus appears to, the first person to ever see Jesus resurrected and alive is Mary; the one who stuck with Him at the cross. The one who stuck with Him when He was buried. The one who went there after He was dead and it seemed like all hope was gone; who's still at that tomb afterwards. The one who was loyal to Him; totally committed to Him even in the darkest hour.

Well, what about you? Are you more like Mary who stayed, or the Disciples who left?

Proverbs 18:24, "Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family." (MSG)

My dad loved his baseball teams so much, that even when they loss, he wore their t-shirts proclaiming his loyalty. He made sure that everyone (even those who knew his team had loss) knew that he didn’t care, he would remain loyal regardless. And he had no problems with anyone seeing his dedication, his loyalty, his love and commitment. Even when his team loss. Can the same be said of you?

Can people still see your dedication, loyalty, love and commitment to Him, even when the doctor says cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, medication, or surgery? Even when the spouse says it’s over? Even when the roof caves in, the plumbing backs up, the lights and gas get cut off, can they still see your love and loyalty? When there’s no food in the fridge, and you’re scraping up nickels, dimes and quarters to get on the bus to go to a job that doesn’t pay much more than the coins you put in the bus to get there, are you still loyal? When the car stops working, or your parent now has dementia…are you still loyal? When you’re passed over for the promotion or the position, when the pastor picks the one who has been there 5 months compared to your 5 years, are you still loyal?

Can you still be found loyally looking for Jesus? Inspite of the loss, can you still be found in prayer, fasting, bible study, Sunday service, rehearsals, outreach? Can you still be found in devotion, in praise, in worship, among the saints? Can you still be found dancing, clapping, singing? Can you still be found grateful, thankful and appreciative? Can you still be found walking by faith, believing God, trusting God, depending on God? Can you still be found loyal to Team-Jesus?

OR, dependent on the level of loss, do you switch teams?

Do you leave Him and join the team of doubt, fear, discouragement, bitterness, anger, attitude, hopelessness, wavering faith, jealousy, envy, strife, unbelief? Are you moping around on team depression, ‘why me?’, that’s not fair, they don’t deserve that, I don’t deserve this. Are you pouting, complaining, comparing, and criticizing? 

Well, if you have…today is the day you switch back to Team-Jesus! 

Mary stood by Jesus even when He was silent. He gave His last inhale and exhale, He died, He was buried, and still Mary stayed. She stayed until He spoke through the deafening silence. She looked for Him, and He called her by name. 

Isaiah 43:1-4, "But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’VE CALLED YOUR NAME. You’re Mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end—Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to Me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you." (MSG);

John 10:1-5, "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.” (MSG)

I don't care what you see, what they said, how hard or dark it is, what you're experiencing or going through, in the midst of it all I admonish you to love Jesus enough to stay loyal and close enough so that you can hear when He calls your name!

Listen, I know life can throw you some hardships that can knock you to your knees. By no means do I minimalize your pain. But HE is bigger than your pain. Don’t leave Him, no matter what or who you’ve lost. Stay with Him and stick it out, before you know it, He will speak through the silence and call you by name!

What amazes me about Mary is, “…Thinking He was the gardener, she said, 'Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.'…” She still wants HIM! Do you?

As far as she knows, He’s dead, and still she wants Him! She says just tell me where He is, I’ll go and get Him! Despite the loss, she loved Him and was loyal enough to Him, that she still wanted Him, no matter what! 

Likewise, we have to nurture, develop and grow in our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. That no matter what we may suffer and lose, we always look to find Him. Regardless of the pain, confusion, hurt, rejection, abandonment, loneliness, we look for Him. Let today be the day that you draw closer to God than you’ve ever been before. 

Let today be the day that you say, “no matter what or who I lose, as long as I never lose Jesus, I’m good!” 

Like my dad with his fan t-shirts, even after his team loses, he still wears his supportive t-shirt…you do the same, wear your Jesus proudly! Let people see your loyalty to Him no matter what losses life may bring you. Love Him and be loyal to Him so much that even when you’re broke people can see your praise; even when your lonely, people can see your worship; even when you’re neglected, people can see your trust in Him; even when you’re hurting, people can see your reliance on His comfort; even when you’re going through, people can see your faith in God; even when you’re in lack, people can see your hope that God will supply.

Don’t switch teams, even in the midst of a losing season! Trust Him, Love Him, Remain Loyal to Him, no matter what! Eventually, you will experience what Mary did, the Sound of the Savior at a time of Deafening Silence. When it’s Darkest in your life, seek Him, He is your Light! Even in the cemetery, among things that are dead, decayed, rotting, possessing no life or hope, still seek Him. He’s there. And if you stay close enough to Him, you’ll hear Him call you by name!

James 4:8, "Come close to God and He will come close to you..." (NLV)

Today, Love Him Enough to Stay Loyal, Even in Loss!



“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.” (Pinterest)

“There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out. There’s no such thing as life in between.” (Pinterest)

"The crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty." (Jeffrey R. Holland)




Much Love, Dr.Shermaine #InformativeRead #PleaseShare #HealthyBodySoulAndSpirit

"It's Not Selfish to Love Yourself, Take Care of Yourself and to Make Your Happiness a Priority. It's a Necessity." (Mandy Hale)

"Self-Care is Not Selfish. You Cannot Serve From an Empty Vessel." (Eleanor Brown)