A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XIII 

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at the tomb of my Lord.... The most wonderful thing has just happened to me...The Lord has risen from the dead!!... I thought He was the gardener... But then He spoke to me.... In fact, He only spoke one word....But that one word was sufficient for me to know that the Man in front of me was not the gardener...For He called me by my name... And there is only one Person who calls me by my name in the way He did.... My Lord and Saviour.... I wanted to hold on to Him....But He would not let me.... He explained that He has to go to His Father in heaven... And He told me I have to go to the other disciples to bring them the good news that He has risen.... Isn't that amazing?... The Lord did not ask me to get Peter or John to instruct them to pass that most important message on to the other disciples.... No, He entrusted it to me, a woman.... That can only mean He believes that I, a Jewish woman, am a reliable witness despite what my culture teaches about me.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Jesus' assignment for Mary Magdalene....

                     ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE, NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                              HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XIII

Mary Magdalene may want to hold on to Jesus but Jesus has an assignment for her as you can read          in John 20:17

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."

Jesus has to go to the Fahter to let Him know He has accomplished His mission and Mary Magdalene needs to tell the other disciples that Jesus has risen..

                                    

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XII

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at the tomb of my Lord... I have just met with two angels... And I met with another Person.... They all asked me why I was crying... But I am no longer crying.... For that one Person then said "Mary" to me.... There is only one Person who can speak my name in that way.... My Lord!!... That can only mean one thing... My Lord is alive!!....He who was dead is alive!!... I don't know exactly when or how... But I do know one thing.... He is alive!!.... Having lost Him once I must make sure that I never lose Him again."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Mary Magdalene's discovery who the "Gardener" really is...

                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XII

But then the "Gardener" speaks again and everything changes for Mary Magdalene. Let's read John 20:16

Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turns towards Him and cried in Aramaic, "Rabboni," which means "Teacher." 

This Man, this "Gardener" knows her by name. The moment she hears Him say her name, she knows she is not speaking to the gardener for there is only one Person who calls her by her name in the way she hears it: her Lord and Saviour. She does not know how He, who had only so very recently been crucified and buried, can be alive. But she does know it is true!! And she is not going to let go of Him ever again.

                            A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES 

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART XI   

  "I, Mary Magdalene, am at the tomb of my Lord.... I have just spoken with two angels... They were surprised I was crying...So I asked them if they knew where the Body of my Lord was... They did not seem to know.... I then turned around and saw another Person... He too asked me why I was crying.... And He was wondering if I was looking for Someone.... He is right, of course.... I am looking for the Body of my Lord... Is this Man perhaps the Gardener?.... If so then He may be able to tell me where It is.... He may even have been the One who has put It somewhere... If He can just tell me where the Body is then I will fetch It.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Mary Magdalene's encounter with another Person....

                 ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                         HE KNEW HER BY  NAME PART XI

As she is talking to the angels, she turns round and sees another Person. He must be the One who can help her find the Body of the Lord for it does not seem the angels can do much for her. This Man begins to speak to her as you can read in John 20:15-16

"Woman," He said, "why are you crying? Who are you 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."

Mary stops crying and filled with hope she turns to the "Gardener" for she is convinced that He will be able to help her find the dead Body of her Lord. She knows, of course, that her Lord is dead for she had personally seen Him hang on a Cross, being taken off the Cross and placed in a tomb. And this Man does not even have to help her carry the Body around. No, she will take care of the Body once she knows where it has been placed. Such is her love for the Lord.

                              A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                           HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART X

"I, Mary Magdalene, was shocked to see two angels inside the tomb of my Lord.... They were very surprised that I was crying.... No doubt, they do not understand my sorrow because they are from heaven.... They may not know that I have come to take care of the Body of my Lord... And that I cannot do so because His Body is missing.... Someone has taken His Body away.... But I don't know where His Body is... Who can help me find His Body?... I am not sure if the angels know the answer to my question.... If only there was someone who could guide me to His Body.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Mary Magdalene's conversation with two angels....

                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART X

Very likely, the two angels inside the tomb of Jesus will have been there when Mary Magdalene looked inside the tomb the first time. They will have been there as well when Peter and John looked inside the tome and even went inside. But somehow she and the other two disciples had not seen them at that time.However, this time she is allowed to see them. Had she left with the other two disciples she would have missed seeing these two angels.And these two angels are somewhat mystified as to why she is crying as you can read in John 20:13-14

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 realise it was Jesus.

Obviously the angels have a very different perspective on the situation but, after all, they are angels and not human beings. So Mary Magdalene tries to explain to them why she carries so much grief.

                             A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                        HE KNEW HER BY NAME  PART IX

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at the tomb of my Lord....I am here all by myself.... Peter and John were here with me.... But they have gone back home... However, I cannot leave... Neither can I stop crying.... I decided to look into the tomb again.... I am not sure why I did so.... After all, I knew the tomb was empty... As I looked again I did see something.... It was not a body... It was an angel... In fact, I saw two angels... They must have been there all along.... But I did not see them before.... Why would they be there?.... Perhaps they know where the Body of my Lord is.".... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn of Mary Magdalene's encounter with two angels...

                  ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                    HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART IX

Let's now return to Mary Magdalene. Peter and John have gone back home but she remains at the place of the tomb. However, her Lord and Saviour is no longer in the tomb. Without Jesus she is lost and without hope...So, feeling hopeless, she begins to weep. But she does something more and it is something which does not make sense in the natural as you can read in John 20:11-12

But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' Body had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.

Mary does something which is not very logical for, after all, she has already looked in the tomb and knows that it is empty. This has been confirmed by Peter and John. Why then does she look again? Is she hoping against hope that her Lord's Body will miraculously re-appear? That is not what happens. But what happens is so much more wonderful than Mary Magdalene could have ever imagined. It begins with her seeing two beings she has not see before: two angels.

 

                           A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES                                

                                      HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VIII 

"I, Mary Magdalene, am at the tomb of my Lord... Peter and John were with me.... But they have gone home... However, I cannot go home... I left home a long time ago when I began to travel with Jesus... I cannot go back there... I wonder if there is anyone else who wants to follow Jesus... You may not need to be delivered from 7 demons as I was.... But you want to please Him even if no one else understands you.... Can I encourage you to do so? You will not regret it....For only through Jesus can you receive peace and eternal life.... Just as I received peace and eternal life after having met Jesus and having been obedient to His commands."... Please read they typed out attachment when you will learn that just as Mary Madalene was a daughter of Abraham, all believers are children of Abraham by faith and are blessed in Christ Jesus...

 

                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE, NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                     HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VIII

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ then, like Mary Magdalene, He has liberated you from the restrictions society may have placed on you and He has restored your dignity. And you too are a child of Abraham by faith as you can read in Galatians 3:7

Understand then that those who believe are children of Abraham.

Moreover, you are blessed as Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3

Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, you are to follow Jesus daily as Mary Mary Magdalene did. Of course, this may not mean that you are to physically leave home as she did. However, you are to leave home in a spiritual sense. With that I mean you must make Jesus your priority in everything that you say and do, being determined to please Him in every way, rather than trying to please your family, friends or neighbours. Your family, friends or neighbours may well be opposed to you following Jesus, especially when it involves you being set free from restrictions society may have placed on you. Jesus explained this principle in Matthew 10:37-39

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

You may not have needed deliverance from seven demons as was the case with Mary Magdalene but, no doubt, Jesus has delivered you from your sinful condition and you have received a new life in Him. You may even have followed other gods in the past but they could not do anything for you. However, having met Jesus you have received eternal life and God wants you to obey Him every day of your life.                          

              

                         A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                      HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VII 

"I, Mary Magdalene, had told Peter and John about the empty tomb... They came right away to see for themselves.... They saw that I was right... There was no stone in front of the tomb.... And there was no Body inside the tomb.... They noticed as well the strips of linen and burial cloth all neatly folded up.... I don't think they knew what to make of it.... Having looked around they decided there was nothing they could do... So they left for home... But I cannot go back home.... I cannot leave the place where Jesus has been buried.... He is everything to me.... He has given me dignity... That is why I have followed Him despite the fact that it is unheard of in my society for women to leave their homes...And I cannot leave Him now even in His death.... I don't know what to do without Him."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Mary Magdalene cannot leave Jesus' tomb....

                ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                          HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VII

But what about Mary Magdalene? Does she go back home too? No, for Mary Magdalene cannot leace the place where she knows the Body of her Lord and Master has been laid to rest. He was and is everything to her for He had set her free as you can read in Luke 8:1-3

After this time Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. The Twelve were with Him and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary called Magdalene from whom 7 demons had been cast out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod's household; Suzanna and many others. These women were helping to support them of their own means.

Jesus had done for Mary Magdalene what no other man had ever been able to do for her, including the Religious Leaders: He had set her free from a number of demons. We do not know how long these demons had afflicted her nor do we know the manner in which they bothered her. But we do know that which is most important: she was delivered from these demons. The fact that this is specifically mentioned may well mean that it had been a significant event in the ministry of Jesus and it most certainly was a significant event in the life of Mary Magdalene. It seems very likely that she had been to many of the Religious Leaders to ask them for help in her predicament but no one had been able to do anything for her.Then Jesus appeared on the scene and He had been able to do what no one else had been able to do for her: He had set her free fom her demonic oppression. That would have filled her with great joy and gratitiude for it was only then that she was able to live the life God always intended for her. She was determined that no family member, friend or neighbour would prevent her from doing so. She was going to follow her Lord and Saviour no matter where He would lead her.Consequently, she became a disciple of Him, following Him everywhere He went. Her new lifestyle would have gone against the rules for women in Jewish society for in Jewish society women's lives were regulated by Rabbinical teachings. These teachings restricted the lives of women to their homes and forbade women to study the Word of God. But Mary Magdalene had met Jesus and He had completely transformed her life. This had given her the courage to put aside many of the restrictions Jewish society had placed on her for Jesus had loved her, had given her dignity as a daughter of Abraham and, therefore, worthy to receive the blessings of God. So regardless of any opposition she may have faced from family, friends or neighbours, she became Jesus' disciple and followed Him all the way to the cross.

 

                          A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                    HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VI

"I, Peter arrived at Jesus' tomb... John was quite hesitant to go in at first....But I got in as soon as I arrived....Then John followed me..... As I got inside the tomb I realised that there was indeed no Body... But the strips of linen and the burial cloth were all there... Moreover, they were all neatly folded up.... How strange... It was just as if Jesus had come out of them and had folded them up.... But that was impossible....We had no answer for this mystery.... Both John and I then felt quite hungry.... And no wonder... For we had left home without breakfast.... So we decided to go back home... After all, there was nothing we could do... We did not know what had happened to Jesus' Body.... And we did not know where to look for it....The best thing for us was to return home... That's what we did."... Please read the typed out attachment when you will learn that Peter and John decided to return home aafter they had visited the tomb....

 

              ATTACHMENT A PURPOSEFUL LIFE; NEW TESTAMENT STORIES

                                           HE KNEW HER BY NAME PART VI 

John arrives before Peter at the tomb of Jesus and realises that Mary Magdalene is right for there is no stone in front of the tomb. He looks inside but does not go in at first but later on. However, Peter does go inside the tomb as soon as he arrives as you can read in John 20:5-10

He bent over and looked at the strips of linen lying there but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciples who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead). Then the disciples went back to their homes. 

Both men looked around and notice something peculiar: they notice the linen as well as the burial cloth that Jesus had been buried in and everything is very neatly folded up. But the Body of the Lord is not in sight!" They do not know why. Nor do they know what to do about it. Suddenly they realise they have left home in such a hurry that they have not had breakfast so they better go home for some breakfast. After all, there is no point in hanging around the tomb since there is no Body to take care of. At least that is what the two disciples decide to do.