A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART V

"I, Peter was with John.... Mary Magdalene came to see us... She was very upset... We did not understand why this was so.... She then told us that she had gone to the tomb where Jesus' Body had been lain....Peter and I looked at each other.... For we knew there was a heavy stone placed in front of it... So Mary Magdalene would not be able to enter the tomb no matter what... However, she told us as well that the stone had been removed....Who could have done that?.... And she told us that the Lord's Body was no longer in the tomb.... Both John and I knew we should check out Mary's story.... So we ran to the tomb.... John got to the tomb before I did.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Peter and John ran to the tomb after Mary Magdalene had told them that the Body of the Lord was no longer inside the tomb...

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART V

Peter and John listen to Mary Magdalene. They are not quire sure if they can believe her. After all, it is still very early in the morning. It is, therefore, possible that Mary accidentally went to the wrong tomb. So they decide they better go and check things out for themselves. They know Jesus is dead and it is not possible for Him to leave the tomb. Moreover, His tomb is very secure for the stone in front of it is really very heavy.It takes supernatural strength to remove that stone. Neither they nor Mary Magdalene possess such strength. How could Mary even consider going there to take care of the Lord's Body all by herself is something they cannot really understand. However, this is not the moment to bring that up for she is too distraught about the situation. And so Peter and John go to the tomb followed by Mary Magdalene as you can read in John 20:3-4

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

Both Peter and John make a run for the tomb but John gets there just a little quicker than Peter.

 

                                A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART IV

"I, Mary Magdalene, had gone to the tomb where Jesus had been buried.... I had gone there to take care of His Body... However, when I got there the stone had been removed.... That could only mean one thing....Someone had come... Had removed the stone...And had taken Jesus' Body away... I knew I had to do something..... So I ran to the home where Peter and John would be.... I then told them that the stone was no longer in front of Jesus' tomb.... That could only mean His Body had been removed.... But I do not know where His Body has been taken to.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Mary Magdalene runs to the home where Peter and John are staying and tells them about her discovery...

                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART IV

When Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb of her Lord she realises that the stone is no longer in front of it. This can only mean one thing: the Body of her Lord is no longer there. What is she to do now? Let's read John 20:2 to find out what she does next

So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciples whom Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have put Him."

Mary Magdalene knows this tragic news is too much for her to bear by herself so she goes to find Peter and John to tell them about the loss of the Body of the Lord.

                                

                               A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                             HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART III

"I, Mary Magdalene, saw Jesus' Body placed in a tomb... I then went home... The Sabbath Day had arrived.... But I did not stay home... For this morning, the first day of the week, I left home very early.... I had a mission to fulfill.... I had to take care of the Body of my Lord... So I had brought spices to be able to do so... I was not quite sure how I could get into the tomb.... For there was a heavy stone in front...But I was sure I would somehow be able to remove the stone .... However, when I arrived at the tomb, there was no stone."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the stone has been removed from Jesus' tomb when Mary Magdalene arrives at the scene...

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART III

After the crucifixion Jesus' Body was placed in a tomb and a big stone was placed in front of it. One of the women disciples named Mary Magdalene had seen all of that as Matthew tells us in Matthew 27:61

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

Early in the morning on the first day of the week this same Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb to take care of the Body of her Lord as you can read in John 20: 1

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.

Mary Magdalene has gone to the tomb bringing with her all she needs to take care of her Lord's Body. She has not quite yet decided how she can remove the heavy stone from the tomb but she is fully confident that, once she get there, somehow she will be able to do so.

 

                                  A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART II

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at Golgotha... I am here with some of my closest women friends... We are here for a crucifixion.... It is the crucifixion of our Lord and Saviour.... We did not expect Him to be crucified...But it has happened.... We could not do anything to stop it.... We could only watch His Body being put on a Cross... Peter and the other disciples are not here.... We do not know where they are...We, women, could not leave....How can we leave the One who has loved us and valued us more than anyone else has ever loved and valued us?"... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that some of the women disciples are at the crucifixion of Jesus....

 

                       ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                                   HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART II

Among those watching Jesus' crucifixion are some women disciples as you can read in Matthew 27:56

Many women were there watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for His needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Mary Magdalene and some of the other women disciples have come all the way from Galilee with Jesus and are now at the place of the crucifxion to support Him even at the time of His death.

 

                             

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                           HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART I

"I, a Roman Centurion in Jerusalem, am here at Golgotha....Today I oversaw the crucifixion of three men.... That is not an unusual situation... I am used to overseeing the crucifixion of criminals.... But today, things were different.... Today I crucified Someone who did not deserve to die.... But He did.... Moreover, as He was hanging on His cross, there was a three-hour period of total darkness in the middle of the day.... That has never happened in my life... At the end of that period that Man cried out... The darkness then lifted... He then died....But as He died an earthquake took place... I and the soldiers with me knew that He was not an ordinary person.... No, He must have been the Son of God,".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the Roman Centurion watching the crucifixion of Jesus recognised Jesus as the Son of God....

 

                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART I

The unthinkable has happened; Jesus has been crucified as you can read in Matthew 27. Let's read Matthew 27:45-56

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came all over the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" - which means, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now, leave Him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save Him." And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, "Surely, He was the Son of God,"

What Jesus had foretold His disciples a number of times has happened: He was crocified. But where were His disciples? It seems they were not around.

                      

                                   A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXIII

"I, the previously blind man have not only had my physical eyes opened by Jesus.... I have my spiritual eyes opened by Him....The Religious Leaders were never able to do that for me... Only Jesus was able to do that.... Perhaps you may need your spiritual eyes to be opened as well... If that is the case then Jesus will be very happy to do so... Of course, you cannot meet Jesus in Person... But you can meet Him through reading His Word and through prayer....And over time He will reveal to you what He has in mind for you to do."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus wants to open your spiritual eyes just as He opened the spiritual eyes of the previously blind man....

 

                   ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXIII

This man was not only physically blind but spiritually blind and Jesus takes the time to open not just his phsyical eyes but, more importantly, to open his spiritual eyes. This shows us that this man matters very much to God even though he is barely known to his neighbours and is certainly not known to the Religious Leaders. This, despite the fact, that they are supposed to take care of his spiritual well being. Likewise, you matter to God, even though you may not be known to those who are in authority over you and who are supposed to take care of you. So, take heart, for God knows you and knows your needs. And just as He opened the spiritual eyes of this man so He wants to open your spiritual eyes. Moreover, just as this man got to know Jesus more and more so you can get to know Jesus more and more as you spend time reading God's Word and praying. You may not be able to physically be in the presence of Jesus as this man was but you can be in the presence of Jesus because, once your spiritual eyes have been opened and you have become a child of God, the Spirit of God will help you understand God's Word as you read it and He will help you to pray as you can read in Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps un in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Studying God's Word and praying to God will help you to know God as your heavenly Fahter. Isn't that wonderful? And He will show you the things He has for you to do since He has a plan and a purpose for you to be and to do all that He has prepared for you to do as you can read in Ephesians 2:10

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

P.S. We have come to the end of the story A Handful Of Mud. Our next story is He Knew Her By Name

 

                                    A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                                 A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXII

"I, the previously  blind man, am overwhelmed by the kindness of the Man who healed me...Not only has He healed me... He went to look for me... And He did not stop His search until He found me... The reason He went to look for me is that He found out I had been dismissed from the synagogue....And He wanted to comfort me... He did so by telling me He is the Son of Man... I realised at once what His revelation of Himself means... It means He is more than a Prophet.... He is Lord... And He is worthy of worship."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that the previously blind man realises Jesus deserves to be worhshipped....

                    ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                            A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXII

The healed man realises that the Man in front of him is worthy of worship as you can read in John 9:38

Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshipped Him.

And the man, already realising that Jesus is a Prophet, now understands that Jesus is not merely a Prophet but is, in fact, the Son of Man who has come to die for the sins of all mankind, including his sins. He believes and worships Him, the King of kings and Lord of lords.

 

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXI

 "I, the previously blind man, started to walk back home after my encounter with the Religious Leaders... I knew I should tell my parents that I had been thrown out of the synagoguge  by the Religious Leaders.... They will be shocked to hear that news.... When I was near my home I met the Man who had healed me....I was so happy to see him....For I wanted to thank Him for what He had done for me....The Man began to speak to me before I had time to open my mouth.... He asked me if I believed in the Son of Man....I told Him I would like to.... The Man then disclosed to me that He is the One!!.... The Man who had healed me is, in fact, the Son of Man!!...And He went out of His way to tell me this... And He is now standing in front of me...A nobody... A man who was born blind.""... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Jesus went to look for the previously blind man after he had been thrown out of the synagogue....

                   

                      ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XXI   

The blind man receives his sight but it has cost him dearly for he can now no longer worship in the synagogue because of his testimony about Jesus. However, Jesus, when He learns what has happened to the man, goes to look for him as you can read in John 9:35-37

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Who is He, Sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in Him." Jesus said, "You have now seen Him; in favct He is the One speaking with you."

Jesus, knowing that the previously blind man is in need of His support, goes out of His way to find him so He can minister to him.

 

 

                                 A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XX

 "I, the previously blind man, told the Religious Leaders the truth about the Man who healed me.... I told them I believe that He is from God.... He has to be in order to have healed me... The Religious Leaders did not like what I said about them.... They were quite offended actually.... They told me I was steeped in sin... No doubt, they believe that because I was born blind....But I know that is not true.... For the Man who healed me told His disciples I was not born blind because of my sin.... Neither was I born blind because of my parents' sin....I was born blind to display the work of God... I am not sure what exactly that means.... But one day I may understand....The Religious Leaders next showed me how angry they are with me by letting me know I am no longer allowed to attend the synagogue... I should be very upset by their decision but strangely enough I am at peace... I just know things will work out for me."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn how the Religious Leaders treated the previously blind man....

 

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                               A HANDFUL OF MUD PART XX

As for the Religious Leaders, in their pride they are unwilling to humbly accepth the truth who Jesus is and where He has come from as you can read in John 9:34

To this they replied, "You were steeeped in sin at birth: how dare you lecture us." And they threw him out.

Consequently, the Religious Leaders throw him out of the synagogue. This means that, according to them, he can no longer be part of his community. This is, obviously a great loss to this man.