OUR FATHER WHOSE SON ROSE FROM THE DEAD TO ASCEND BACK TO HIM

The book 0f John chapter 20 verses 11 - 18 was the first recorded encounter that a person had with the Lod Jesus after He had risen from the dead.

Mary Magdalene was emotionally distraut about the  Lordˋs crucifixion and now, she found that His body was missing from the tomb where it had been laid and wept over the whole situation.

She stooped to look into the tomb and saw two angel in white  sitting where Jesusˋ body had been.

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

Mary was asked by the angels why she was weeping and she expressed her distress over the removal of the body of her Lord.

She turned and saw a man standing in the garden whom she did not recognize and when He asked her what she was look for, she asked the man if He had taken her Lordˋs body and if so, she would take responsibility for it and take the body.

The man she had supposed was the gardner called her by name and when she turned to Him, she recognised Jesus and called Him by His title, ˋteacherˋ.

Jesus told her not to cling to Him because He had not yet ascended to His Father but that she should go and tell the disciples that He was ascending to His Father and their Father and to His God and their God.

Mary relayed the message to the disciples that she had seen Jesus alive and what He had said to her.

Amen.

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