What was it like that first Easter morning for Jesus’ followers? They sure had experienced some wild emotional swings over just a few days. The horror of watching Jesus crucified. The trial had been over so quickly! Luke records of Jesus’ crucifixion, “All those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” Luke 23:49
Then Saturday spent in hiding and discouragement — certain that the religious leaders were going to come after them next as the reality of Jesus being dead sunk in. But, then the joy of Easter morning as they experienced the Risen Christ! Talk about the wild gambit of emotions!
On Easter morning Mary Magdalene went to visit Jesus’ tomb, and she was distraught when she discovered the stone to the entrance of the tomb rolled away and Jesus’ body gone. Assuming that the religious zealots of her day had taken the body to desecrate it, she stood beside the tomb weeping. Jesus had rescued Mary when no one else could when she was possessed by seven demons. After Jesus cast them out of her, she traveled extensively with Jesus and his disciples for much of his ministry. Mary Magdalene is mentioned 12 times in the synoptic Gospels — more than some of Jesus’ twelve disciples. He meant everything to her… he had changed everything for her… and now she couldn’t even mourn properly at his grave.
Hearing a noise she turns and Jesus is standing behind her, but she doesn’t recognize him due to her swollen tear stained eyes. “Why are you crying?” “What are you looking for?” Jesus asked. Thinking that Jesus was the gardener she said, “Sir, if you have taken away his body, please tell me where it is.”
And then we come to one of the most beautiful moments in the entire Bible. Can you activate your imagination and try to picture the scene? All of Mary’s trauma over the horror of Jesus’ beating and crucifixion… all of the grief over the loss of the most important person in her life… faced with the loss of even his dead body to care for and mourn over… and the heartache spills from her in great weeping sobs. And then the beautiful moment…. Because Jesus said… “Mary!”
Instantly at the sound of Jesus calling her name Mary recognized Jesus. John tells us that Mary cried out, “Teacher!”, but he also tells us that Jesus told Mary, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not ascended to my Father.” — indicating that Mary must have run to Jesus and clung to him in a hug of joy! And why wouldn’t she? Jesus… her Lord and Savior was alive!
So as I pondered this scene this past week, two powerful truths jumped out at me. 1) Mary knew Jesus instantly when he called her by name. 2) Jesus visited Mary even before he visited his Heavenly Father. Wow.
Listen, If you have placed your faith in Jesus he knows your name. Jesus said in John 10 that he is the Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and calls them by name. God said in Isaiah, “I have rescued you. I have called you by name; now you belong to me.” Isaiah 43:1 CEV Yes, it is a beautiful thing when Jesus calls your name.
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