Seeing Christ

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Seeing Christ

What a wonderful Scripture reading this is on this Easter morning. There are so many things we could say about it, but this morning I want to focus on Mary Magdalene and her encounter with the risen Christ.

It had been a long morning for her already. She was up early, before dawn. Her and a few other women were on their way to the tomb to finish the burial process of placing the spices on the body.

She was determined to give her Lord a proper burial because she loved Him. Sure, Joseph of Arimathea did what he could by wrapping the body and placing it in the tomb, but Joseph didn’t have that same knowledge and love of Christ that Mary had.

So Mary and the other women make their way along the dark trail to the tomb. Their discussion is focused on how they are going to get into the tomb. The last thing they saw last night was a large stone rolled in front of the tomb and Pilate placing guards in front of it. What are they going to do to get inside?

When they arrive at the tomb their concerns about the stone are irrelevant. The stone was already moved and the guards were gone. But so was Jesus’ body. Mary is devastated. She runs off to tell Peter and John about the situation.

The three of them run back to the tomb. John and Peter ran faster than Mary, so by the time she arrives at the tomb again Peter and John are done investigating the situation and return to the town.

According to Scripture they said nothing to Mary. So there is Mary at the tomb, all alone. Filled with grief, filled with sorrow. Her stomach is in knots and her eyes are filled with tears.

Then as she looks into the tomb again, she sees two angels where Jesus’ body was laid the day before. Of course, she didn’t realize they were angels. They ask her why she is crying. See the angels don’t understand, they know that Christ is risen. They must have thought that it was strange that Mary was here crying.

But Mary responds, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” She must have thought they were the caretakers of the cemetery or gardeners or something, but not angels. That thought never crossed her mind.

Before the angels can respond to her though a man appears behind her and asks the same question, “Women, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Mary thinks it is the gardener, so she responds, “If you took my Lord’s body away, please tell me so I can go get it.”

But this man is not the gardener, rather it is Jesus. The reason for Mary’s failure to recognize Jesus is unclear. It could be the fact that she had been crying and just couldn’t see clearly. Sometimes that happens.

Or maybe she remembered what His body looked like the night before. It was bruised and beaten and bloody and that image was ingrained in her head no doubt. So when she sees the resurrected Jesus she failed to recognize Him because His appearance was so much different.

Or maybe the simple answer is God prevented her from seeing Christ, much like He did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. But for whatever reason she did not recognize Jesus standing there.

Then, Jesus calls out her name, “Mary.” Now, I don’t know how He said it, maybe in a nice soft gentle tone as in “Mary” or maybe in a “Mary, it’s me” kind of voice. I don’t now. But, whatever the reason for her failure to recognize Jesus before, the moment He spoke her name she knew who He was.

There was just something about the way He spoke her name. In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” What a true illustration we have of that point here with Mary.

Mary no doubt lunges forward to hug and hold Jesus at that moment. She clings to Him for dear life, because that is exactly what He is not only to her, but to all that come to Him. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Verse 28 of John 10 continues, “and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

Jesus sends Mary away, saying “You cannot cling to me now, but go and tell My brothers about what you have seen and what I have said.”

This is significant and most people miss it. Throughout Christ’s teaching and ministry He referred to His followers mostly as slaves, as servants, and even as friends. But now, He calls us brothers. We are sons of God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs of Christ.

After Jesus said these things, Mary went on her way and announced these things to the disciples. “I have seen the Lord,” she says.

What a thrilling and mountaintop moment this must have been for Mary. But in order to have that mountain top experience, she had to first be as low as she could go. Think about it, Mary’s experience is not that much different from our own.

At times, we are down and out. Filled with sorrow, filled with tears and grief. But then Jesus appears to us. Like Mary, we can’t see Him. But then He calls to us. He calls out our name. He sends us what we need and then He sends us on our way with that same commission that He gave Mary.

That same commission He gave to all of His disciples. That is to go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel. There are still people out there who have not heard the Word of God, there are people out there that do not know He has risen from the dead, that He has conquered death for us.

This Easter – Resurrection Sunday morning let us not forget that encounter with Mary. She loved Jesus and she obeyed Him. We should do the same today. Christ has risen indeed, now tell others.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, be as real and present to us as you were to Mary. Open our eyes so that we may see your hand at work in our lives. Open our hearts to receive the love that you pour out on us. Give us the wisdom, the strength, and the courage to proclaim the Gospel message to all that we meet.

AMEN