Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"18. Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.”
Jesus saw Mary Magdalene weeping. He knew she had a broken and confused heart. He saw her futility of not knowing what to do but to express her sorrow. Her willingness, her heart, her passion her desires were all in the right place, but she didn’t think how she was going to open the tomb with the rock there or the guards there. She just went without thinking it through, but since the tomb was opened there was a worse problem. He was not there.
Jesus gave her the first and most important message in the Bible. “Jesus is risen! He is alive!” She is the first to see Him and tell of it. Jesus looked not on her weakness but her willingness; not on the problems that she was a woman and not a chosen apostle. He looked not on her past. Instead He saw her as useable for His service. Women, of course, were thought less of in that day and didn’t have any spiritual duties toward others beyond children. Jesus didn’t think that. He gave her the greatest message of all. She was willing to obey and go and tell.
If you know the resurrected Christ you are important. You are loved. You are gifted by His Spirit. It doesn’t’ make a difference who you are. Are you willing to love Jesus, serve Him and be used by Him?
One artist was painting a picture? To a lady who had stepped into his studio he said, I am so excited. I think this will be my best ever.” She said. “I’m sorry. I only see dabs of blue and grey?”“O, I forgot. You can only see what is there, while I see the picture as it’s going to be.”
Through out Christ’s ministry, He could look back upon events in the Old Testament and say, “Isn’t that the greatest.” People didn’t get it; they only saw blues and grays. In the New Testament Jesus walks and talks with His Father and seeing how the plan is unfolding remarks, “It’s coming! Everything is ready!”
The early believers are in grief and at a loss for words. Jesus remarks “O yes, You only see what is. I see what is yet to be and it’s marvelous.”
Application: The command to go and tell that Christ is risen is now given to us. He is our hope. He is our salvation. Don’t make excuses thinking you can’t be used of the Lord in this coming year.
Prayer: Lord, give me a heart of passion for you with a willingness to go and tell. Make it my hearts desire.
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