Scripture for the week – John 20:1-18
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
The truth is stark, and simple.
Christ’s Resurrection is historical reality.
We, the Church, stand as the living monument of this historical reality.
Christ’s Resurrection is central to our faith relationship in Christ.
If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, there would be absolutely no cause for us to believe in Him, nor anything that He spoke or did.
His words would be meaningless, and his miracles would be pointless.
We would not even begin to consider his teachings, much less think about his ability to fulfill any of His promises.
Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 15:14, ‘And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.’
If Christ has not been raised, there would be no church, no brothers and sisters in Christ, and not to mention, no faith, no hope, and no love.
But.
Christ absolutely died on the Cross at Calvary.
Christ absolutely defeated death.
Christ absolutely did overcome the grave.
Christ absolutely did resurrect and appeared to His disciples and over 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:7).
It is indubitable, incontrovertible and irrefutable.
It is absolutely absolute.
Christ’s Resurrection is historical reality.
Christ’s Resurrection is central to our faith relationship with Christ; and through Christ, with one another.
Christ’s Resurrection must, therefore, become our identity.
Where do we begin?
And how do we live in Christ’s Resurrection identity?
We start by looking at how a life was transformed on the cusp of the actual event of Christ’s Resurrection, and whose identity was firmly etched in Christ’s Resurrection reality before, and after the fact.
Enter, Mary Magdalene.
The events that transpired on that fateful day climaxed in mankind’s very first encounter of our risen Saviour; and it is through the precise events that preceded and followed into Mary’s encounter with Jesus; which holds for us – today - the keys to living in Christ’s Resurrection.
The narrative of John 20:1-18 reveals to us how we must live, in order that Christ’s resurrection become our identity.
Here’s how.
When Mary made her way to the tomb that dark and early morning, she revealed her utmost commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Her commitment to Christ substantiated her actions that morning. Her commitment revealed her unrelenting belief, and faith, in her Christ.
She was doubtlessly looking to find a dead body. Mark 16:1 tells us that she, along with other women, brought spices to ‘anoint’ the body of Jesus.
But still, this simple commitment required faith – and faith in God, no less.
Firstly, there was the matter of getting past the professionally trained and armed Roman guards. This was impossible. The tomb was sealed by the authorities of the day, and the guards were under the strictest of instructions NOT to let anyone in, or out, of the tomb. For the guards, mission failure would mean punishment by way of death.
And then, there was the matter of rolling the stone away – another impossible situation.
Here was a grieving woman, with so many obstacles just to get to the body of Jesus Christ. She may not have realized it, but it took a certain faith to believe that it could be done, and to get started with it early that morning… …
Mary was committed to her Lord, and she had the faith to carry out her commitment.
Didn’t Jesus speak precisely to this in Matthew 17:20?
Mary had faith. The mountain was moved. She was able to look right into the tomb.
Are you committed to your Lord, as Mary was committed to hers?
Is your desire to look upon Christ the same as Mary’s?
Mary set out looking for the body of her Lord, but would eventually discover her Lord, arisen and alive; and see Him face to face.
Today, unlike Mary, we are blessed with the gift of retrospect.
Do you intend to live in Christ’s Resurrection reality?
Would you have faith to live in the reality and power of Christ’s Resurrection?
Would you fully commit to our Lord Jesus Christ, till you see Him face to face?
Are you prepared to move mountains?
When you think about your brothers and sisters in Christ, do you feel that they can be trusted to help you in your time of need?
Mary did.
It is interesting that she had the faith to roll the stone away but yet go running to Peter and John in this event of emergency.
To live in Christ’s resurrection is never to live alone, but to live corporately with those who believe and know Him.
To live in Christ’s resurrection is to involve your Christian brethren into your life.
I believe that this is what the Lord meant when He said, “I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
If I may paraphrase, this is what I believe the Lord is saying to us,
“Because of My love for you, love another.
Because of My involvement in your lives, be involved in each other’s lives. Share your joys and your sorrows.
Share your dreams and your disappointments.
As I shared my life with you, share life together, in love – and by this, everyone will know that you are My disciples.”
Live in Christ’s resurrection.
Count on your Christian brethren.
John and Peter left when they realized they didn’t see the body of Christ in the tomb. I can imagine their subsequent regret for their lack of resolve to stick around for a while longer.
Well, Mary stuck around.
She set out to find Christ, and nothing was going to stop her.
Her fears, grief and hopelessness was not going to stop her from constantly seeking the Lord.
Peter and John abandoning her (Mary M.) to search for Christ’s body on her own (John 20:10) was not going to stop her.
The supernatural and mighty angels were not going to stop her, much less distract her from her primary task of seeking the body of Christ.
A mean gardener - whom she believed to have removed Christ’s body - was not going to stop her.
Self-incrimination of a major crime was not going to stop her. She was right smack in the middle of a serious crime scene, and would be the prime and only suspect in the theft of the body of Christ – a crime which would evidently result in her own death penalty, if any Roman soldiers or authorities would to chance upon her.
Nothing was going to stop Mary from seeking her Lord and Messiah, Jesus Christ..
Do you share this glorious boast with Mary Magdalene?
Do you constantly seek Christ, regardless of your life’s circumstances – happy or sad, hopeful or hopeless?
When in grief and confusion, we tend to seek solutions. This is indicative of how committed we are to ourselves. Stop committing to yourselves.
When in need, seek the Saviour, and not solutions.
There is no greater tragedy than for one to live within one’s own prowess and not be part of something far greater than oneself.
In everything, constantly seek Christ. Be a part of something far, far greater than yourself.
When we seek Him, we weep for ourselves, not for Him. When we seek Him, we recognize that we are the cause, and cost of our own brokenness.
But yet, our brokenness and discouragements must not hinder us from seeking Christ.
The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged. (Psalms 34:18)
The Lord Jesus Christ is nearer than you think – never ignore Him, never ignore His presence and power in your life.
When we seek Christ, be fully present to Him. Look Christ full in the face.
Never mistake Him for someone else.
Constantly seek Christ, and Christ will call you by name. (John 20:16)
How many have experienced being fully present to Christ (through fasting, daily worship, devotions and prayers) to the point of hearing the Lord call your name?
Jesus said, “My sheep listens to my voice.” (John 10:27)
Do you hear the voice of Christ?
Does Christ know you?
Do you belong to Christ?
Are you Christ’s sheep?
Does He call you?
If not, constantly seek Christ – pray, read the Scriptures, talk to Him, and get to know Him.
Jesus also said, “Seek and you shall find” (Matthew 7:7)
Seek Christ constantly, listen to His voice, and live in His Resurrection power!
Nothing stopped Mary.
And because of that, she was the first amongst Man to witness the Risen Lord, and tasked to be an apostle to the apostles bringing breaking news of His Resurrection.
Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” John 20:17
Mary set out to look for Christ’s dead body, but instead was monumentally surprised to find the living Christ in His glorified body.
Her commitment to Christ, reliance on her Christian brethren, and her relentless seeking for Christ has led her to find what she initially sought, albeit what is now infinitely better – for she now enjoys the immeasurable honor of being foremost in witnessing the sight of her resurrected Lord and Saviour.
Though it would bring her immense comfort to embrace her Master, the Lord reminds Mary that His public commission for her to preach His Resurrection must trump her personal desire to be comforted by the Master Himself.
He is saying to her, “I have not yet ascended. So, I will be around for a while longer. Whatever comfort that you would like me to give you, I will fulfill it… but not just yet, wait a while longer. For now, you have a more urgent and important task at hand, go to my brethren and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father… for I am alive! You have seen me. Go! Tell them!”
Be mindful. Living authentically in Christ’s Resurrection entails the fulfillment of our public commission before the fruition of our private comfort.
Such is the biblically sequence, with both being equally significant.
Are you so caught up in experiencing His comfort for you that you have forgotten His commission upon you to preach His Resurrection?
Are there steps that you must take to rectify the emphasis of Grace-reception upon your own life, and redirect your life’s expressions to that of Grace-conception upon the lives of others?
Are you willing to communicate the hope of Christ’s Resurrection to others, rather than keep the hope to yourself?
Remember, when God comforts us, He means for us to comfort others; with the gospel of Christ’s Resurrection, no less.
Mary has given us the keys to living in Christ’s Resurrection.
Are we ready to live in Christ’s Resurrection?
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Heavenly Father,
Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done – on earth as it is in Heaven.
Lord Jesus, You are risen and You are our Lord and Saviour.
Holy Spirit, teach us and give us the courage, to live our lives fully in Christ’s Resurrection.
We are a Resurrected people. May we never lose our Resurrection identity.
We acknowledge the efficacy of Your Resurrection in our lives.
Empower us to bring life to the lifeless, hope to the hopeless, joy to the joyless, and love to the loveless.
Thank you for Your Holy Spirit in us, enlivening us for Kingdom living and empowering us for world evangelization.
May we live our lives fully in Your Resurrection – in committing fully to our Christ, in counting on our Christian brethren, in constantly seeking Christ in every of life’s circumstances and placing our destiny of Christ’s commission before our desire for Christ comfort.
Through all that we are, and in how we love one another – may the whole world know, and come, to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We thank you and pray all these in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ!
The truth is stark, and simple.
Christ’s Resurrection is historical reality.
We, the Church, stand as the living monument of this historical reality.
Christ’s Resurrection is central to our faith relationship in Christ.
If Christ didn’t rise from the dead, there would be absolutely no cause for us to believe in Him, nor anything that He spoke or did.
His words would be meaningless, and his miracles would be pointless.
We would not even begin to consider his teachings, much less think about his ability to fulfill any of His promises.
Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 15:14, ‘And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty.’
If Christ has not been raised, there would be no church, no brothers and sisters in Christ, and not to mention, no faith, no hope, and no love.
But.
Christ absolutely died on the Cross at Calvary.
Christ absolutely defeated death.
Christ absolutely did overcome the grave.
Christ absolutely did resurrect and appeared to His disciples and over 500 people at once (1 Corinthians 15:7).
It is indubitable, incontrovertible and irrefutable.
It is absolutely absolute.
Christ’s Resurrection is historical reality.
Christ’s Resurrection is central to our faith relationship with Christ; and through Christ, with one another.
Christ’s Resurrection must, therefore, become our identity.
Where do we begin?
And how do we live in Christ’s Resurrection identity?
We start by looking at how a life was transformed on the cusp of the actual event of Christ’s Resurrection, and whose identity was firmly etched in Christ’s Resurrection reality before, and after the fact.
Enter, Mary Magdalene.
The events that transpired on that fateful day climaxed in mankind’s very first encounter of our risen Saviour; and it is through the precise events that preceded and followed into Mary’s encounter with Jesus; which holds for us – today - the keys to living in Christ’s Resurrection.
The narrative of John 20:1-18 reveals to us how we must live, in order that Christ’s resurrection become our identity.
Here’s how.
- Commit to Christ. (John 20:1)
When Mary made her way to the tomb that dark and early morning, she revealed her utmost commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Her commitment to Christ substantiated her actions that morning. Her commitment revealed her unrelenting belief, and faith, in her Christ.
She was doubtlessly looking to find a dead body. Mark 16:1 tells us that she, along with other women, brought spices to ‘anoint’ the body of Jesus.
But still, this simple commitment required faith – and faith in God, no less.
Firstly, there was the matter of getting past the professionally trained and armed Roman guards. This was impossible. The tomb was sealed by the authorities of the day, and the guards were under the strictest of instructions NOT to let anyone in, or out, of the tomb. For the guards, mission failure would mean punishment by way of death.
And then, there was the matter of rolling the stone away – another impossible situation.
Here was a grieving woman, with so many obstacles just to get to the body of Jesus Christ. She may not have realized it, but it took a certain faith to believe that it could be done, and to get started with it early that morning… …
Mary was committed to her Lord, and she had the faith to carry out her commitment.
Didn’t Jesus speak precisely to this in Matthew 17:20?
Mary had faith. The mountain was moved. She was able to look right into the tomb.
Are you committed to your Lord, as Mary was committed to hers?
Is your desire to look upon Christ the same as Mary’s?
Mary set out looking for the body of her Lord, but would eventually discover her Lord, arisen and alive; and see Him face to face.
Today, unlike Mary, we are blessed with the gift of retrospect.
Do you intend to live in Christ’s Resurrection reality?
Would you have faith to live in the reality and power of Christ’s Resurrection?
Would you fully commit to our Lord Jesus Christ, till you see Him face to face?
Are you prepared to move mountains?
- Count on your Christian brethren. (John 20:2)
When you think about your brothers and sisters in Christ, do you feel that they can be trusted to help you in your time of need?
Mary did.
It is interesting that she had the faith to roll the stone away but yet go running to Peter and John in this event of emergency.
To live in Christ’s resurrection is never to live alone, but to live corporately with those who believe and know Him.
To live in Christ’s resurrection is to involve your Christian brethren into your life.
I believe that this is what the Lord meant when He said, “I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)
If I may paraphrase, this is what I believe the Lord is saying to us,
“Because of My love for you, love another.
Because of My involvement in your lives, be involved in each other’s lives. Share your joys and your sorrows.
Share your dreams and your disappointments.
As I shared my life with you, share life together, in love – and by this, everyone will know that you are My disciples.”
Live in Christ’s resurrection.
Count on your Christian brethren.
- Constantly seek Christ. (John 20:3-16)
John and Peter left when they realized they didn’t see the body of Christ in the tomb. I can imagine their subsequent regret for their lack of resolve to stick around for a while longer.
Well, Mary stuck around.
She set out to find Christ, and nothing was going to stop her.
Her fears, grief and hopelessness was not going to stop her from constantly seeking the Lord.
Peter and John abandoning her (Mary M.) to search for Christ’s body on her own (John 20:10) was not going to stop her.
The supernatural and mighty angels were not going to stop her, much less distract her from her primary task of seeking the body of Christ.
A mean gardener - whom she believed to have removed Christ’s body - was not going to stop her.
Self-incrimination of a major crime was not going to stop her. She was right smack in the middle of a serious crime scene, and would be the prime and only suspect in the theft of the body of Christ – a crime which would evidently result in her own death penalty, if any Roman soldiers or authorities would to chance upon her.
Nothing was going to stop Mary from seeking her Lord and Messiah, Jesus Christ..
Do you share this glorious boast with Mary Magdalene?
Do you constantly seek Christ, regardless of your life’s circumstances – happy or sad, hopeful or hopeless?
When in grief and confusion, we tend to seek solutions. This is indicative of how committed we are to ourselves. Stop committing to yourselves.
When in need, seek the Saviour, and not solutions.
There is no greater tragedy than for one to live within one’s own prowess and not be part of something far greater than oneself.
In everything, constantly seek Christ. Be a part of something far, far greater than yourself.
When we seek Him, we weep for ourselves, not for Him. When we seek Him, we recognize that we are the cause, and cost of our own brokenness.
But yet, our brokenness and discouragements must not hinder us from seeking Christ.
The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he delivers those who are discouraged. (Psalms 34:18)
The Lord Jesus Christ is nearer than you think – never ignore Him, never ignore His presence and power in your life.
When we seek Christ, be fully present to Him. Look Christ full in the face.
Never mistake Him for someone else.
Constantly seek Christ, and Christ will call you by name. (John 20:16)
How many have experienced being fully present to Christ (through fasting, daily worship, devotions and prayers) to the point of hearing the Lord call your name?
Jesus said, “My sheep listens to my voice.” (John 10:27)
Do you hear the voice of Christ?
Does Christ know you?
Do you belong to Christ?
Are you Christ’s sheep?
Does He call you?
If not, constantly seek Christ – pray, read the Scriptures, talk to Him, and get to know Him.
Jesus also said, “Seek and you shall find” (Matthew 7:7)
Seek Christ constantly, listen to His voice, and live in His Resurrection power!
Nothing stopped Mary.
And because of that, she was the first amongst Man to witness the Risen Lord, and tasked to be an apostle to the apostles bringing breaking news of His Resurrection.
- Commission before comfort.
Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” John 20:17
Mary set out to look for Christ’s dead body, but instead was monumentally surprised to find the living Christ in His glorified body.
Her commitment to Christ, reliance on her Christian brethren, and her relentless seeking for Christ has led her to find what she initially sought, albeit what is now infinitely better – for she now enjoys the immeasurable honor of being foremost in witnessing the sight of her resurrected Lord and Saviour.
Though it would bring her immense comfort to embrace her Master, the Lord reminds Mary that His public commission for her to preach His Resurrection must trump her personal desire to be comforted by the Master Himself.
He is saying to her, “I have not yet ascended. So, I will be around for a while longer. Whatever comfort that you would like me to give you, I will fulfill it… but not just yet, wait a while longer. For now, you have a more urgent and important task at hand, go to my brethren and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father… for I am alive! You have seen me. Go! Tell them!”
Be mindful. Living authentically in Christ’s Resurrection entails the fulfillment of our public commission before the fruition of our private comfort.
Such is the biblically sequence, with both being equally significant.
Are you so caught up in experiencing His comfort for you that you have forgotten His commission upon you to preach His Resurrection?
Are there steps that you must take to rectify the emphasis of Grace-reception upon your own life, and redirect your life’s expressions to that of Grace-conception upon the lives of others?
Are you willing to communicate the hope of Christ’s Resurrection to others, rather than keep the hope to yourself?
Remember, when God comforts us, He means for us to comfort others; with the gospel of Christ’s Resurrection, no less.
Mary has given us the keys to living in Christ’s Resurrection.
Are we ready to live in Christ’s Resurrection?
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Heavenly Father,
Hallowed be Your Name. Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done – on earth as it is in Heaven.
Lord Jesus, You are risen and You are our Lord and Saviour.
Holy Spirit, teach us and give us the courage, to live our lives fully in Christ’s Resurrection.
We are a Resurrected people. May we never lose our Resurrection identity.
We acknowledge the efficacy of Your Resurrection in our lives.
Empower us to bring life to the lifeless, hope to the hopeless, joy to the joyless, and love to the loveless.
Thank you for Your Holy Spirit in us, enlivening us for Kingdom living and empowering us for world evangelization.
May we live our lives fully in Your Resurrection – in committing fully to our Christ, in counting on our Christian brethren, in constantly seeking Christ in every of life’s circumstances and placing our destiny of Christ’s commission before our desire for Christ comfort.
Through all that we are, and in how we love one another – may the whole world know, and come, to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
We thank you and pray all these in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.