Mary Magdalene And The Risen Jesus

Mary Magdalene And The Risen Jesus

In this post, Stephanie re-evaluates the meeting between Mary Magdalene and the risen Jesus. She points out that, as Mary Magdalene recognized Jesus’ voice, so his followers will recognize His voice as the voice of their shepherd.

How do you think we can recognize Jesus’ voice? We would love to hear from you. Share your comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.

Mary Magdalene Meets Jesus

As I’ve been preparing this series of devotionals, I have read countless familiar passages in the gospel of John. And yet . . . I have made many new discoveries—and rediscoveries. The following passage struck me in a new way as I read it in preparation for writing today’s devotional.

hopestreamradio · Is Jesus Calling YOur Name?

John 20:11-16 (ESV) read this way:

“Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 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.’ Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 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.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher). “

It seems sometime after they discovered that Jesus’ tomb was empty and He appeared to His disciples, Mary Magdalene made her way back to the tomb. There she mourned her loss. Even the appearance of angels dressed in white didn’t heal her pain.

Mary Magdalene Weeps

When the angels asked her why she was weeping, she responded this way: “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

From what we know about Mary, she was one of society’s tormented, abused, and broken people. And then along came Jesus of Nazareth. He delivered her and loved her with a purer love than she—or anyone else since Adam and Eve before the fall—had experienced.

It’s understandable that she was truly heartbroken and virtually inconsolable. For you see . . . Jesus, her Lord, stood before her, but she was so grief-stricken she didn’t even recognize Him. Was it because of His glorified body? Did He look that different? I can’t say for sure, but we do know from other passages that He still bore the nail holes and gash in His side.

At any rate, when He spoke to Mary, she thought He was simply the gardener. She desperately wanted to know where they had moved the Lord and asked the man standing before her if He knew where they had taken the body.

It wasn’t until Jesus spoke her name that she understood that the One she sought was right there before her. Instantly, she recognized Him.

Responding To The Shepherd’s Voice

It’s the same with us. No, I don’t expect the Lord to appear before me and say, “Stephanie,” but I do believe what Jesus says in John 10:14-16: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

All of Jesus’ sheep will hear—and respond to—the Shepherd’s voice.

As we follow Him more closely—as we learn what He teaches us in the Scriptures and as we apply these truths to our lives—He will heal our broken hearts, our broken lives. Our sorrow will be replaced by a deep and lasting joy. Our spiritually blind eyes will be opened. We will know peace like never before. Purpose like never before. And love like never before.

The Shepherd’s Voice Changes Everything

Will it always be easy? Definitely not. In fact, Jesus told His disciples a time would come when those who put them to death would think that they were doing God a favour. Even today, there are places in the world where this is happening right this minute.

While we are to take up our cross, the Lord promises in Matthew 11:30 that His burden is easy and His yoke is light. How can that be? Well, you see, the double yoke they used to train young oxen placed the greater share of the burden on the more experienced animal. By using this analogy, the Lord Jesus taught that He would come alongside us and take the burden we could not—we cannot—bear.

Even though life will not be easy, when we recognize and respond to the Good Shepherd’s voice everything changes—for all eternity.

Are you heartbroken? Do you feel abandoned? Without purpose? Confused?

Do you feel the Lord Jesus calling your name—even faintly and at a distance?

If so, ask Him to make Himself known to You.