It Was Jesus

Scripture: John 20:11-18 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. 12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. 15 “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” 16 “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). 17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. (John 20:11-18 NLT)

I can’t figure those guys out! Peter and John came and saw, John at least believed Jesus was alive, and then they went home to watch football or something! Mary stayed, confused and grieving, and wept outside the tomb. When she stooped and looked in she saw two angels! (Peter and John, you left too soon!). She said something to them. (It’s always hard to know what to say when an angel asks you a question!) Then, as she turned to go, Jesus was standing there. She didn’t recognize him, and he apparently wasn’t glowing like an angel, because she thought he was a groundskeeper. He asked her, “Dear woman, why are you crying?”

Then Jesus spoke her name, “Mary!” The love and compassion in his voice brought everything into focus and she suddenly recognized him. Mary loved Jesus more than she loved her own life. In fact, she owed her life and her sanity and her freedom to him because he had freed her from Satan’s demonic power. Jesus once asked the question of a religious leader, “Who do you suppose loves most?” The man had wisely answered, “I suppose the one who has been forgiven most!” Mary loved Jesus that much. When Jesus spoke her name, it all flooded back and she was full of joy and faith. But Jesus explained that it wouldn’t be the same now. He would return to his Father, and send his Spirit, and he would be with her always and everywhere she went.

Prayer:

Father, Thank you that you know Mary’s name and my name! That means everything!