John 20: 11-18

February 14, 2020 | 3 minute read
Bryan.Jessyka

"Jesus said to her, 'Mary' she turned toward him and cried out in aramaic. 'Rabboni!"

Scripture Reading:

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb  and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”  At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it 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 in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.


Devotional:

What is the greatest thing you’ve ever seen in your life? Was it the birth of your children? Was it your bride coming down the aisle on your wedding day? Was it your favourite sports team finally winning a championship? I imagine for Mary Magdalene it was seeing the risen Christ for herself in His empty tomb on Resurrection Sunday. As I read this, three key truths stood out to me…

  1. Jesus met with Mary Magdalene exactly where she was at. – John 20:11-15

I imagine that Mary did not wake up with a smile on her face that day. She went to the tomb to grieve—not only—the loss of her Savior, but also the loss of His body. We see this deep grief in Mary that even in the presence of angels, she is concerned with locating Jesus. She is still focused on finding Jesus even when He is standing right behind her. He met her where she was, and Jesus wants to meet you exactly where you are today!

  1. Jesus called Mary by name. – John 20:16

Mary was experiencing an incredible amount of grief and darkness in these moments. The empty tomb and burial clothes did not pierce through the darkness, nor did the angels. Mary even mistook Jesus as a gardener initially, yet the darkness was pierced when Jesus called her by name. Friends, the risen Christ is calling you by name today. Are you listening to His call? Let the deep love of Christ and His Spirit flow into your soul today as you reflect on His deep and intimate love for you.

  1. Mary saw the Lord for herself. – John 20:18

Mary was fully and completely devoted to finding Jesus and she did. She saw and encountered the risen Christ. I love that her response was to share this incredible gift with the disciples. How are you searching for and seeing the Lord for yourself? Are you taking the time to seek Him? Are you telling others?

Friends, my hope and prayer is that you see Jesus new and afresh in your life. May you be blessed and filled with His Spirit deeply and anew day by day as we tell the world that He lives!


Prayer:

Lord, we do not always take the time to seek You. Thank You for meeting us where we are, calling us by name, and filling us with Your Spirit. Amen.


Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks
registered by Biblica, Inc.®

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