Those who SEEK Him will FIND Him!

Last week we focused on the cross, we meditated on what Jesus did for us on the cross when He sacrificially gave His life for us. For us the cross brings FREEDOM and LIFE, but what do you think the disciples were thinking after Jesus died? Imagine the devastating effect the crucifixion must have had on the disciples. They thought the Messiah would reign forever and this would be impossible in light of His death. They must have thought they had wasted the previous three years of their lives…but did they?

The resurrection turns a catastrophe into a victory! In fact, without belief in the resurrection there would be no Christianity at all. The resurrection is at the very core of the Christian faith.  The birth of the church is dependent on Christ’s resurrection from the dead. A living faith cannot survive a dead Saviour!  Jesus rose again and is ALIVE today!  

Who would you choose to appear to first if you were Jesus? 

• Perhaps Herod?
• Pilate?
• The Sanhedrin or Pharisee’s?
• Caesar?
• Or maybe your disciples
• Your family
• Or the ones who would write the New Testament and be the pillars of the early church

Our lovely King is so different from us, Jesus doesn't work that way! Jesus chose the weakest one who had found life in His presence and that is who He revealed Himself to first! The one who was SEEKING Him.  

Mark 16:9 … he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.

Mary Magdalene had been forgiven much and learned to love much. He longed to visit the most fragile among them, the one who would have been the most devastated at His death. Mary Magdalene had seven demons and most likely had lived a life of prostitution before Jesus delivered her and changer her whole life

Her thoughts after the Crucifixion must have been, “Was any of this real; did any of this change anything.” She was absolutely devastated. Jesus must have said to Himself, “I’ll go to her, I think I’ll see her” This decision is a theological statement of what your God is like – “I want to see Mary, I want to see the weakest among them.”

Let's look a bit closer at John 20

Vs. 1 - Mary went to the tomb to pay her respects to the Man whom had transformed her life.  She was on her way early in the morning, it was still dark when she noticed the stone was rolled back from the entrance

Vs. 2 - Frightened, she ran to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and said to them, “they have taken away the Lord out of the tomb” Mary assumed someone had stolen the Lord’s body

Vs. 3-4 Peter therefore went out with the disciple whom Jesus loved and ran to the tomb.  The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first

Vs. 5 - The other disciple did not go into the tomb, he just looked in and saw the linen clothes lying there but Peter goes right in (vs. 6), O that Peter, always rushing into things…

Vs. 10 – The disciples decided to go home

Vs. 11 – This left Mary alone outside the tomb, weeping, she was devastated, she wanted to know where His body was (she was SEEKING).  

Vs. 13 – Angels asked her why she was crying.  Why was she crying?  Because she loved Him and He’s dead and they've done the absolutely worst thing and taken His body so she can’t even pay respect and honor Him!

Vs. 14 – it is then that she turns around and sees a man, the gardener??? Interesting enough, Jesus asked her the same question as the angels but extended it further.

Vs. 15 – Jesus asks her, "why are you crying and who are you looking for?" You see the thing is that Jesus actually knows the answers to both of these questions.  So why does he ask?  This tells you something about Jesus character.  He wants to talk with her, He wants to hear her say it, He wants to know what she is feeling, He wants to be desired. It’s the same way with us; He loves to know that we desire Him. He longs to hear you say it.  He knew Mary’s heart.  He knew everything, but He longed to hear her say it. 

Some people don’t like talk about their feelings and desires to Jesus, they avoid telling Him what is in their heart and they avoid saying, “Jesus, I love you." ”They think - Why do I have to say it out loud?  You don’t have to, but there is something about saying it out loud that moves God’s heart in a way unlike any other.I often pray silently, yet something happens in my spirit when I pray the words out loud and say, “Jesus, I love you…Jesus I want more of You, Jesus desire to know you…”

What is Jesus doing with Mary?  He is drawing out the longings and desires of her heart and in doing this He is awakening a greater measure of His love.  Jesus was drawing Mary into His heart, enticing her.

Vs. 15 - Yet, she thought he was the gardener.  Yet, I wonder what her tone of voice was when she replied to Him.  Was it begging? Was it hopeful? Or was it, “I’ll break your legs, gardener, if you don’t give me back His body!!!”? Think about Mary, she was a rough gal, I wonder how it was, we’ll have to ask her one day

It is then that He disclosed Himself to her in response to her level of desire to be with Him

PRINCIPLE: You are not going to find more of Jesus then what you are looking for!!!

Vs. 16 - He broke in, “MARY” He couldn't take it any longer, hide and seek was over, He wanted to be found by the one who longed for Him so. Her longing was NOT based upon future aspirations of ministry and selfish desires, HER ONLY MOTIVE WAS LOVE.  She missed the one she had come to love and hope in.

Vs. 16a – He called her name, “MARY”

Vs. 16b - Immediately she recognized Him

Vs. 17 – yet Jesus told her not to cling to Him but rather to GO and tell the others! 

In the moment of rejoicing, Jesus required of her to not cling to Him but to GO! Jesus had drawn her out and now He commands her to GO!

Vs. – 18 Mary obeyed! 

His command to you is similar today. Yet many women feel stuck, like they can’t do anything for the Kingdom of God.  Why?  Often for a variety of reasons, many of which we nailed to the cross last week!

But what does today’s account of Jesus and Mary Magdalene tell us of Jesus? Who would Jesus reveal Himself to first?  The future pillars of the early church. NO! The writers of the New Testament? NO! 

Or a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who had learned what forgiveness and love was all about and who stood outside His tomb seeking Him?  YES!!!

That’s the key – to learn what forgiveness and love is all about and to SEEK JESUS!  

Last week, we pinned all sorts of things to the cross.  We left them there for Jesus to take care of.

This week He is asking us to walk away from our old lives and to be transformed by God to live a NEW life.

PRAYER SHEET:

1. Thanksgiving Prayer – Write a prayer of thanksgiving to God based on the revelation that He has given you of Himself today.  Spend some time worshipping Him in this prayer.  Declare who He is in this prayer and tell Him that you LOVE Him in this prayer. 
2. Listening Prayer – In what areas is God asking you to walk away from old patterns of behaviour and attitudes and walk in new life in Him?   
3. Personal Prayer – Ask Him to give you a deeper revelation into the forgiveness He offers you if you have genuinely repented of your sin.  Ask Him also to give you deeper insight into His love for you and how He accepts your love.  Ask Him to give you a word, thought, picture or verse about how He is transforming your life.  

PRAY FOR YOURSELF:

• Ask the Lord to give you a desire to seek Jesus
• Ask the Lord to give you a heart that is passionate about the Word
• Ask the Lord to help you walk out the forgiveness and love found in God
• Ask the Lord to transform your life
• Ask the Lord for healing in any of the following areas - physical, emotional, mental

References:  The Excellencies of Christ by Allan Hood