I HAVE SEEN THE LORD!

John 20:11-18 / Keywords 20:18

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.

 

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

20:11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 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.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 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.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 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.’”

18 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.

1. Mary Magdalene lingered after the disciples left and wept outside the tomb. While she was crying Jesus appeared, but she didn’t recognize him. Thinking he was the gardener, Mary asked about Jesus’ body. It wasn’t until Jesus called her by name that she knew it was Jesus who found her.

 

2. Meeting risen Jesus can be unexpected, maybe even unbelievable, but we can meet him knowing that he lives to find us in our darkness, to give us renewed hope and meaning. Things may not be the same as they were before, but risen Jesus reveals to us that death is not the end and that darkness shall not prevail.

 

3. It is notable that John records the importance of women among Jesus’ followers. Mary was the first witness of risen Jesus, and she was also entrusted to be the first to share the message of the resurrection. That is why Mary is called the Apostle to the Apostles.

 

Prayer Lord, thank you for not leaving us in our despair. You have risen to give us new life. Help us to hear your voice calling out our name and to believe.

One Word Risen Jesus calls you by name