After - Day 22
John 20:18
18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.
Mary found the disciples in the place she had left them. As she came running back to them to let them know that she had seen the Lord, she must have been filled with an incredible excitement and a purpose that she had not had in a little while.
Can you imagine having that information? What would it do to you? It has a fantastic and unreasonable quality that has to be recognized. She was talking about resurrection and they would have had to wrap their minds around that. It couldn’t have been easy to try and convince anyone of what she had seen, and the fact that she was a woman made all of that just a little bit harder. Have you ever had a secret that you knew people would hardly believe? This must have been what she felt at the time.
But what she had to tell them was something that would change all of their worlds. I have mentioned it before, but not one of these people ever denied that this is something that really happened. Every one of them went to their graves, and often in a very painful way, without a hint of denying this occurrence. I can’t imagine that Mary could have known the earth-shaking nature of her discovery. But I do know that she was simply excited to know that her Lord and Savior was no longer absent in her life. Death had lost its sting.
Have you ever lost someone that you would love to get back? I am sure that we all have. The finality of death is sometimes overwhelming when we lose those that we love. I can remember simply wanting to go back in time so we could have a few more moments, a few more exchanges, and a few more memories. Mary and the disciples had that opportunity. We don’t know if Jesus had changed at all after going through the experience of the grave. It does seem like there is a little bit of distance in the interactions that happen, but that may just be the way the narratives are written.
One more point. When Mary met Jesus again, he gave her a message, and I wonder what message Jesus has for you to give to those around you today? Is there something that Jesus has placed on your heart since you met him in your life? Is there a word or a testimony that he gave specifically for you to give to those around you? If so, have you done it?
Can you imagine having that information? What would it do to you? It has a fantastic and unreasonable quality that has to be recognized. She was talking about resurrection and they would have had to wrap their minds around that. It couldn’t have been easy to try and convince anyone of what she had seen, and the fact that she was a woman made all of that just a little bit harder. Have you ever had a secret that you knew people would hardly believe? This must have been what she felt at the time.
But what she had to tell them was something that would change all of their worlds. I have mentioned it before, but not one of these people ever denied that this is something that really happened. Every one of them went to their graves, and often in a very painful way, without a hint of denying this occurrence. I can’t imagine that Mary could have known the earth-shaking nature of her discovery. But I do know that she was simply excited to know that her Lord and Savior was no longer absent in her life. Death had lost its sting.
Have you ever lost someone that you would love to get back? I am sure that we all have. The finality of death is sometimes overwhelming when we lose those that we love. I can remember simply wanting to go back in time so we could have a few more moments, a few more exchanges, and a few more memories. Mary and the disciples had that opportunity. We don’t know if Jesus had changed at all after going through the experience of the grave. It does seem like there is a little bit of distance in the interactions that happen, but that may just be the way the narratives are written.
One more point. When Mary met Jesus again, he gave her a message, and I wonder what message Jesus has for you to give to those around you today? Is there something that Jesus has placed on your heart since you met him in your life? Is there a word or a testimony that he gave specifically for you to give to those around you? If so, have you done it?
- What is the message Jesus has given you to deliver?
- How can you deliver that message in a winsome and thoughtful way?
- Do you sense a partnership with Jesus in giving this message?
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