Alive!

Mary Magdalene has been as scandalized by modern culture as she was in her own time.  I love her and always think of her at Easter, like we are old friends.  She was a true follower of Jesus.  She loved Him with a pure affection; the gratitude of one who knew she was as good as dead and then was saved completely because of the benevolence of another.  Her story is our own, even if we don’t yet recognize it.

Jesus rescued her from the terror of being filled with seven demons (Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2), and she followed Him with complete loyalty:

• As He ministered (Luke 8:1-3)
• As He died (Matthew 27:56)
• As He was buried (Matthew 27:61)
• As He defeated death (Matthew 28:1-4)

John 20:11-18 is one of my favorite Easter passages.  This is the description of Mary’s interaction with Jesus after the resurrection.  She is alone and confused and completely devastated…..watch how hope dawns.

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending 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. 

John 20:11-18 NIV

• She recognized His voice more than His appearance, we can too.
• She abandoned her need for explanation and simply believed Him, we can too.
• She shared with everyone what He had shared with her, we can too.

I love this song sung by Natalie Grant, telling Mary Magdalene’s story.  It's my favorite Easter song:

What kind of love

Tells me I’m the reason He can’t stay

Inside the grave?

ALIVE! ALIVE!

Look what Mercy’s overcome

Death has Lost and Love has won!

I am His because He is ALIVE! 

Happy Easter, Be HIS!