On Easter Sunday Craig pointed out that we spent forty days in Lent preparing for Easter and challenged us to spend 40 days reflecting on the resurrection.
This thought has been ticking over inside me and so, although its a few weeks after Easter and Ascension is on the way, I'm going to share forty thoughts about Resurrection with you.
Hope you enjoy the journey!
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"Woman," he said, "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."
16 Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). John20:15-16
Years ago I did an eleven day cycle ride to raise funds for churches. When the final events of the final day were concluded, I wanted only one thing: to go home! I think I was pretty curt to anyone who wanted to chat...
When Jesus rose from the dead He had conquered sin, death and Satan.
He had obeyed His Heavenly Father and drank the cup given to Him.
He was the Perfect Passover Lamb slain and come to life.
He had a reserved seat at the right-hand of God to look forward to.
One would expect that He was pretty focussed on being done with His earth mission and being with God.
But this is not the case.
The risen, victorious, triumphant, one and only Son of God emerges from the tomb _and_ He is calling people by name!
Mary didn't even recognise Him...
Whether this was the blindness of grief or that her logical mind had told her that He was dead and that this couldn't possibly be Him, the point is that it is His use of her name that sparks recognition.
They say that the most beautiful sound in the world is the sound of your own name.
As our Lord bursts triumphantly from the grave, He is not distracted by thoughts of going home now that the mission is done. For Jesus it has always been about people and not just the mission.
And so now, as Mary struggles, He speaks her name:
Because she is important to Him and He wants to get through to her and so He speaks her name.
And He speaks your name and mine too.
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
