The Story of Easter – Day #9
(Devotional by Pastor Ben)

HE LIVES!

Light upon light illuminates the graveyard. The soft light of dawn is brightened by the white garments of the angels, their faces like lightning as they announce the Light of the world is breaking forth. In contrast to the enshrouding darkness of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion, the significant events of the weeks following that Easter Sunday take place in the full light of day. It is as if God is casting a heavenly spotlight on Jesus’ dazzling victory.
Yet, there is more than victory to be understood from these days with the risen Savior. The true nature of the kingdom of heaven is finally making sense. The disciples are mentally revisiting all of Jesus’ teachings and filtering them through this new realization of what He meant when He said His kingdom is not of this world. The darkness of their spiritual blindness is pierced with the light of the resurrected Truth. Interspersed with these revelations are tender reunions, doubt-dispelling appearances, and a very special one-on-one reconciliation.

Jesus died and was buried on Friday. The next day was the Jewish Sabbath, and a guard was posted to prevent any tampering with the body. So at the very earliest moment possible, three loyal women go to pay their respects, although they don’t quite know how they are going to do so.

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”  (Mark 16:1-3)

“There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples:
‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.’ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid, yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.                (Matthew 28:2-9)

Mary Magdalene has done this before. She is believed to be the woman who anointed the living Jesus with costly burial perfume. Her sacrificial outpouring upon His feet was a picture of the embalming preparations she carrie to Him now. Read Luke 7:36-50.

Jesus broke many social barriers during His ministry, and now He does so again by appearing first to a woman. Mary Magdalene, her devotion giving her courage, is the only one looking for Him. Jesus responds to her love with His presence, His tender love, and His trust.

“Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 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.’ At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 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.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (Which means ‘Teacher’). 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.’ 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)

Mary Magdalene wasn’t looking for Jesus because she had hoped He would be her political savior; she was looking for Him because she wanted to be where He was. Read how another Mary gives us a famous example of just such pure devotion in Luke 10:38-42.