Encounters with Christ: Mary Magdalene & The Disciples
Open Your Bible
John 20:11-23
By Nick Batzig
In his sermon, The Heavenly Discourse between Christ and Mary, 17th century theologian Richard Sibbes explained that it was love that moved Jesus forward throughout the entirety of His earthly ministry:
“The same love of Christ that drew Him from heaven to the womb of the virgin, from the womb of the virgin to the cross, and from the cross to the grave […] moved Him to reveal Himself after He was risen from the grave to them that […] wonderfully loved him.”
In the post-resurrection appearances, the Scriptures highlight new revelations of Jesus’ love for His disciples. Jesus could have chosen to reveal Himself only once to the entire band of disciples prior to the ascension. That would have been sufficient to make them witnesses of His resurrection glory. However, He chose to reveal Himself to them repeatedly to teach them new depths of His love for them and to draw out of them new expressions of their love for Him. The first of these appearances is among the most significant.
On that first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene sat outside of the empty tomb, weeping. Perhaps she stayed out of a sense of abandonment and desperation; perhaps out of a sense of expectant hope. Whatever her reasons, of this much we can be sure: Mary stayed out of love for Christ. It was love for the Savior who had first loved her and had redeemed her that kept her at the tomb weeping and seeking. Mary longed to be with Jesus; and love always produces longing.
Mary’s longing to be with the Savior was so strong that she even disregarded the angels that appeared to her (John 20:12-13). The normal response of such a revelation is fear and awe. Mary was different. Her heart was consumed with love for Christ to such a degree that her longing to find Him caused everything else to fade from sight.
When Jesus finally revealed Himself to Mary, He did so by tenderly calling her by name. Here was the Good Shepherd, calling one of His own by name (John 10:3). Jesus loved Mary, whose life had been wrecked by the bondage of sin. He assured her that He would never leave her nor forsake her—that He would love her to the very end.
The longing of the hearts of those who have been redeemed by the dying love of Jesus will never be frustrated. No matter how much despair, desperation, and disappointment may, at times, seem to take ownership of our hearts, the risen Jesus reveals Himself to us in new and powerful ways. He is intent on reminding us of how greatly He loves us, and on assuring us that our longings to be with Him are never in vain.
Written By Nick Batzig
44 thoughts on "Encounters with Christ: Mary Magdalene & The Disciples"
-
Jonathan says:
It seems like the disciples must have felt as disenchanted and abandoned as you could possibly be. They certainly didn’t seem to be confident and full of faith that Christ would return. Instead the one they had invested their identity in was dead. All the promise of what looked like a bright future for a young and wise leader suddenly gone. They were hiding behind locked doors. In the midst of this fear soaked moment Christ shows up and offers peace.
What does this teach me about God? That he doesn’t hold my doubts, fears and moments of weakness against me. He knows what I’m made of and loves me. This makes me feel a lot less guilty for the moments I struggle to live as if it really is true. It allows me to feel the peace he offered. -
What happened in this passage was the first tangible evidence that Christ wouldn’t ever leave us despite feeling as though all is lost. When I consider how the disciples must have felt in that moment I am comforted. Not only were they morning their friend, but their God had died. Hopeless doesn’t seem to be a strong enough word. Yet, out of that death real hope was made available.
-
Fear seems to trump faith. We are so like infants that cry in agony when our mother leaves the room. Unless we can see her in the very moment we exist in she must not be real. Walking confidently in faith seems a hard task for such inconsistent creatures as we. Yet we are called over and over again to follow what we cannot see and ask for his will to be done with confidence.
-
I will praise God for his love and wisdom. I will ask for confidence to trust in his plan and to see from his perspective.
-
I will meditate on the passage and do my best to remember God’s offering of peace to us when we fear the worst. I will allow the truth and example of these events strengthen my hope.
-
Mark Dill says:
This teaches me that man is scared, and fearful and that in this moment of hopelessness even after Christ death and resurrection man, (Christ own disciples)still needed God to help them and comfort them in their hour of need. I need God. And I always need God.
-
I will trust in my Christ Jesus, my savior to help me to be strong, to take hope in his resurrected life and not be afraid. To know that I serve a personal savior who can and is willing to comfort me when all hope seems lost. To trust him as my savior.
-
That Christ is available, that he is risen and alive today, to help and intercede on my personal behalf and the rest of the human race. I’m glad I serve a kind loving God that is my rock and my fortress as its proclaimed in the psalms over and over again. A savior we see in this passage that cares, even after suffering greatly, a savior who took the hardest moment of his life and went through the hardest moment in his life for us. For me personally.
-
Lord, help me to trust you. When you called to Mary at the tomb, it’s as if your very self, your comforting self shines through to her. I can be comforted today that I serve a Risen Savior, who loves and cares about me personally. Thank you. Help me with my cares today and help me to know and remember that I serve a God who defeated Death who has control even if death, how much more so can he help me, and give me hope and assurance. I love you Lord, and I thank you. Amen
-
This message teaches me that I serve a God who not only has defeated Death. But overcomes fears. I like how he comforts Mary in her moment of distress, calling on her by name. He’s a personal God. Who does care for us, and he will teach us to grow in Godliness all along the roads, and highways of life.
-
Wes says:
God’s love for us was not in vain. It was to redeem us from our selfish sin. Just as our love for God is not in vain. We love in order to show action in service to God and to those around us. God’s redemptive power is what we yearn for. But we must come to realize that and then accept it to experience it.
-
Man is capable of love because God is capable of providing love. And this is all out of the death and resurrection of Christ. Without him we would be lost to our human sin.
-
By loving Christ, not only for what he has done, but for what he has given me. He has given me the capability of feeling passionate love and desire towards him and towards other’s lives. If I invest all of myself in my relationship with him I can experience this passionate servanthood because he has allowed me to connect with his passion for me and express that same feeling to others… So who am I to waste such a gift?
-
By loving God deeply we may see past even the most seemingly important distractions. This is the Gospel because it all roots back to Christ’s perfect sacrifice.
-
I will pray for dedication to God. That I may do what God has called me to do and let the spirit lead me in a life lived outside of my own desires.
-
Mike Dsane says:
I’m in awe of the Lord’s patience when we cannot perceive him. The fact that he kept speaking until Mary could hear that it was him. The text doesn’t state this but it feels as if he was physically waiting for her at the tomb, but also emotionally and spiritually waiting upon her.
-
It is his mercy that allows me to see. If the Lord does not reveal himself, I will fail to see him. If he does not speak, I will not hear His voice. But God in his rich mercy has spoken through His son that I might be adopted and capable of calling God, my Father and my Lord alongside Jesus.
-
I think there is a beauty in the rhythm of revelation leading to proclamation. Instead of Mary staying out of her desire to be near to the Saviour or out of her need to provide what seemed incredible, she left him to proclaim his resurrection to others.
I think this is the faithful response of the believer. If the Lord is gracious enough to allow me to perceive him, I must respond with proclamation.
-
Our lack of knowledge and perception does not disqualify our pursuit. Mary was not at the tomb to witness the resurrection, but rather to prepare the body. So much so, that she was overcome with grief when the body was missing. But in spite of her lack of understanding, she had the courage to show up and desire to be near to the Lord. As a fallible and fragile man, there is something about my courageous stumbling towards the Lord that honors him.
-
That the Lord would open my eyes and ears to see and hear him, especially in places where He is near, but I am missing him.
For courage to pursue, even when I don’t understand.
For the full hearted gladness that Mary felt when she recognized him and the immediacy to respond to his commands.
Comments are closed.
Post Comments (44)