30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 24 9-12 MEETING THE RISEN LORD 03 10Mar2022 Luke 24 09-10 He is with us. Are we with the Lord
📖 Luke 24:9-12
03 – 10Mar2022 – He is with us. Are we with the Lord? - Luke 24:09-12 - MEETING THE RISEN LORD - Bible reading: Proverbs 3:5-6
“Thank You, Lord, that You are concerned for each of us, personally. You are building us on a strong foundation, in You. Your desire is that each of us be driven by the Holy Spirit, to serve You faithfully. We give You all the glory and praise and in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
Luke 24:9-10 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. (10) It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
We saw yesterday how the Lord met with the women. Here we see the name of Mary Magdalene being mentioned. It was not the women who were the first to meet with Jesus after His resurrection, but it was Mary Magdalene. We will now look more closely at this encounter that Mary Magdalene had with the risen Lord.
Mark 16:9-11 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. (10) She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. (11) And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
It looks as though Mary was on her own personal journey with the Lord. We had seen in Luke that the women went to the tomb, early in the morning, on the day after the Sabbath. Here in Mark and John, we read that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark.
John 20:1-2 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (2) Then she ran and came 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, and we do not know where they have laid Him."
We then see that Mary ran to Simon Peter and John and expressed her anguish. She assumed that the body of the Lord had been taken away and laid elsewhere by someone.
Her understanding was that those who had crucified the Lord, both Jews and Gentiles, or Joseph and Nicodemus, had taken away His body. She could not understand, what was happening. Mary was deeply troubled and perplexed. She needed to do something about this situation but she did not know what she should do.
As we follow the rendering in the Gospel of John, we see that Mary returned to the tomb, for her whole life was centred on Jesus.
John 20:11-18 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.
Mary expressed the same pain and confusion that she had about the missing body of Jesus, to the angels.
(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."
This was a big burden and struggle for Mary. Mary was holding on to Jesus. Jesus was her Deliverer, her Healer and her Problem-Solver. She was not going to let go of Jesus, even if it was His dead body.
When we look at what was taking place, from a distance, we see that Mary need not have been disturbed at all. Jesus had risen. He was standing by her side but she did not recognise Him.
This is how we are. We see the pain of others from a distance and we are quick to give them advice and solutions, for we think that we can see things better than the victim. We even tell people that the Lord is by their side
We are right with our solutions but the Lord reaches and touches us at the point of our trouble. It was at this very moment of Mary's confusion that the Lord was there by her side. The Lord knew and felt the pain of Mary’s heart. The Lord knows our pain and He meets us at the point of our need .
(14) Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
The word of God, repeatedly, encourages us that our Lord is with us.
Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
The Lord is always with us but are we loving, trusting and obeying Him? The question is, “Are we with the Lord? Are we walking in His ways? Are we submitting our ways to the Lord?”
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; (6) In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Yes, the Lord is always with us but we need to be those who acknowledge Him and allow Him to direct our paths.
Thought to ponder
Are you still looking to Jesus only as your Problem-Solver or have you surrendered to Him as your King?