This is a message to give
11 Mary stood outside the grave crying. As she cried, she got down and looked inside the grave. 12 She saw two angels dressed in white clothes. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. One angel was where His head had lain and one angel was where His feet had lain. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord. I do not know where they have put Him.” 14 After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 He said to her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” She thought He was the man who cared for the garden. She said to Him, “Sir, if you have taken Jesus from here, tell me where you have put Him. I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned around and said to Him, “Teacher!” 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to Me. I have not yet gone up to My Father. But go to My brothers. Tell them that I will go up to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God!” 18 Mary Magdalene went and told the followers that she had seen the Lord. She told them the things He had said to her. John 20:11-18
How many times in your life have you been asked this simple question – “why are you crying?”’ Some people ask because they genuinely care about you and are showing concern. Others ask because they don’t believe that your tears are warranted.
In our passage today, Mary is asked this question two separate times. First an angel asks Mary about the source of her sadness and the second time she is asked by Jesus himself. Both times Mary is asked the question she pours out her sorrow concerning the loss of her Lord. Mary is grieved by the events of the crucifixion. She does not understand the big picture, nor does she fully comprehend Jesus’s resurrection.
Jesus asks Mary a second question, “Who are you looking for?” Jesus wanted Mary to realize that she was experiencing needless sorrow because she was seeking a crucified Lord. What Mary needed to be seeking was a risen Savior. Once Mary realized who she was talking to her sorrow was turned to hope. We often suffer needless sorrow in our lives when trials come our way because we forget to seek God and remember that He is sovereign in all things. If we will seek the crucified, risen, and ascended Savior our sorrows turn into hope.
Once Jesus had turned Mary’s sorrow into hope He gave her the charge to go and spread the message of His resurrection to others. We are given the same charge as Mary. Once we have the hope that comes from accepting the risen and ascended Savior as our own, we too are sent to spread the message of the Good News of Jesus.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come to you with grateful hearts. We stand before you in amazement of the love you showed us by sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. Help us to always seek the risen and ascended Savior more that we seek the things of this world. Thank you for the hope we have in You. Give us the courage and strength each day to go into the world and share the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ with the world. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. Cheryl Moran
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