Mary Magdalene

Day 22, Feb 26th 2024

Text:  Luke 8:1-3, John 19:25, John 20:1-2 (NIV)

Introduction-

Mary Magdalene became one of the female followers of Jesus after 7 demons were cast out of her. The number 7 normally depicts completeness in the Bible, but not in her case. She had lived a tormented life. Once she got transformed,  she sacrificed her time and resources to support Jesus’s ministry. She heard Him teach, watched Him perform Miracles and called Him Rabbi and  Lord. She stood by the cross along with Mary, the mother of Jesus and others, and wept when He was crucified.  On the 3^rd day, She went to pay respect to His body and clean it, only to see that His tomb was open. The stone had been rolled away and His body was gone. She thought grave robbers had stolen his body.

She informed Peter and John about this. John was faster to get there but Peter was bolder to enter the tomb. Peter entered and stared, but John entered and believed, because of all that had been prophesied ahead of his death, manifesting in front of their eyes. Some examples were the empty tomb after 3 days, linens that had wrapped Jesus still present in the tomb. All the details fell into place, John immediately knew that Jesus had risen, His body was not stolen like Mary thought. John 20: 11-18

 Mary did not know what the disciples knew and all that Jesus had informed them before He was crucified. She  was still grieved by the empty tomb. She stayed by the tomb crying until 2 Angels appeared to her asking why she was crying. Jesus then appeared to her asking the same question but she did not recognize Him till He called her by her name, MARY!

She had initially thought the man was a Gardner that worked there. Immediately He spoke her name, she shouted Rabbi and was overcome with joy. Jesus told her that He is about to be taken up to His father in Heaven. In other words, His earthly ministry was over. BC was now transformed to AD in history. She now informed the disciples that she had seen the risen Lord! She came seeking a dead Jesus and encountered a Living One! Hallelujah! 

Life Lessons–

1. Jesus can transform and deliver anyone no matter how bound or far gone. He is still the same God that delivered Mary Magdalene and is still in the business of saving lives today!

2. All of God’s prophesies and Promises must come to pass. Jesus rose again after crucifixion like He said, but He also remained Lord in Mary Magdalene’s life. He did not abandon her. He came through to show Himself as the one true God in her life. Death could not hold that promise down. He overcame even death on the cross and gave her Everlasting joy in her heart, and life eternal in her soul.

3. Mary Magdalene became a new creature, sought after the Lord with all her heart, and became the first person to find out that Jesus tomb was empty  and was also the first person that the Lord appeared to after He rose from the dead. This was a monumental experience for her in spite of her past.

Life applications

1. Jesus can make anyone whole. We just have to accept Him into our hearts

2. Stay focused on following Jesus. Weeping may endure in the night, but joy comes in the morning. Jesus is victorious over challenges and will come through for us.

3. Even in difficult phases in life, stay attentive, to receive good news and polite to people we meet. Mary encountered Angels and our risen Savior and was not even aware who they were. May our destiny helpers find us in Jesus Name.

4. Mary Magdalene was hungry for the gospel and never wanted to go back to her old nature.  She followed Jesus while He was in ministry because she saw her life transform. She stayed with Him even during His difficult moments at the cross. She supported His family and went the extra mile to follow up at the tomb and that was how she became the bearer of the good news of our risen Christ.

Lesson of the Day:

ISAIAH 49:16

PSALMS 30:5

Even though the Disciples knew more about the prophesies than Mary Magdalene did, her zeal for the Lord and her eagerness to show empathy at a time that He suffered, earned her an important role in the gospel. She had an encounter with Angels and with our risen Savior, Jesus Christ! Her past did not count against her. She was not comparing her journey with others, she believed Him for herself and made choices that placed her in the Lord’s presence and she partook of His victory over death and became a 1^st hand witness!  She came seeking Jesus and He came to her. Psalms 103:8-13. Today, we are invited to seek Jesus with all our hearts like Mary Magdalene did and we will find Him.

Complied by: CHICHI NWAJEI