Daily Devotional Tuesday 14th April 2020
by William Moody
John 20:11–16
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,1 “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
Footnotes
[1] 20:16
Or Hebrew (ESV)
Mary’s faithfulness in caring for Jesus is rewarded with this encounter with two angels (v11-12). Their question about why she was weeping (v13) came from the fact that the empty grave clothes beside them were pointing to the fact that wonderfully the resurrection had happened. Mary was not rejoicing because she had failed to have faith in the words He had taught about this.
Is this maybe the case for you? Are you failing to have the joy you should have in your Christian life because you’re failing to grasp with faith the full truth of God’s word? Maybe you’ve no joy because you’re not a Christian as you have no saving faith in Christ? Pray about this.
In remaining at this situation Mary is now rewarded with an encounter with the risen Christ although at first she did not recognise Him (v14). Jesus like the angels, questions why Mary was weeping (v15). It was only when Jesus called Mary by name did she realise it was Jesus (v16).
What must have that word “Mary”, when spoken by Jesus sounded like in Mary’s ears? There must have been a love in the way it was said that Mary recognised and thrilled her soul. Jesus speaks in John 10 v4 about how His sheep know His voice. Do you know, listen to and follow the voice of Jesus? Does the fact that Jesus speaks to you thrill your soul?
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