Text: John 20:11-23
No one will ever accuse me of needlessly holding onto things. I consider myself organized, if not clutter-loathing. An older relative of mine, on the other hand, lands far on the other end of the spectrum. She just so happens to currently have seven cars parked in her driveway. And though I get frustrated having to play automobile Tetris each time I go to her house for dinner, her reasoning for possessing these cars is actually quite sweet—they belonged to her loved ones.
Among the vehicles are her father’s Cadillac, her mother’s Honda, and the barely-driveable GMC minivan that her now-grown children practically lived in for most of their middle-school and high-school sports careers. I’ve tried multiple times to convince her to donate these cars to a charitable organization, but she just can’t bear to let go. She wants to hold on.
This sentiment of holding on to the past is one most of us can, at least somewhat, relate to. But it is even more exaggerated and understandable when we see Mary experiencing the risen Christ for the first time. When Mary finally realizes that the man talking to her outside the tomb is not the gardener but Jesus Himself, she addresses Him as “Rabboni,” meaning “my great teacher.” She sees Him as the person He was to her in His time on Earth, the man in the flesh, not what He is now—her Lord and Savior.
Of course she would want to hold on to Him! He was the man who had quite literally set her free from the hold of demons. He had been her friend and her mentor. The last time Mary had laid eyes on Jesus, He had been brutally murdered—crucified—and she’d been weeping over the loss of Him for the past three days.
But Jesus wanted more for Mary than for her to cling to the past. He wants more for us, too. He had returned to give an assignment and to make a promise.
“Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
-John 20:17
Jesus gives a similar commission when He appears to His disciples, who are locked in a meeting room upstairs. He greets them with peace but does not linger. Instead, He promises that His very presence will be with them now and into eternity. With a first-hand account of His resurrection and Jesus’ guarantee of help from His Holy Spirit, the disciples are sent off to do the work of setting others free with the message of the gospel (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus calls us, as the Church, to that same beautiful work. Are we sharing the good news of His life, death, and resurrection? Are we parking it away in our hearts, or are we passing it on? What keeps us from sharing the gospel with those who need its truth just as desperately as we do?
If the sound of Christ’s commissioning words in John 20:21, “I am sending you,” causes a lump of fear, or pride, or disbelief to rise in your throat, remember this: when we take the gospel to others, just like those first disciples, we are not sent out alone. We bring with us His Word, planted in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). We bring with us the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11), Who grows good fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23). We bring the security of knowing our home is not here, but in eternity with God (Philippians 3:20).
This holy work—done in fellowship with the very Spirit of the risen Christ—is an immeasurable gift, worth more than anything else we cling to. We have been invited to tell a lost and aching world the truth of the resurrected Jesus. We’ve been asked to tell others Who He is and how fully He loves us. By God’s grace, may we do that today and every day—right here, and to the ends of the earth.
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103 thoughts on "Encounters with Christ: Mary Magdalene & The Disciples"
I love that Jesus showed Himself to a woman first. It just shows that Jesus loves us all.
♥️ Loved this. Yes the past is with us and while it’s okay to reminisce and remember we must also remember to keep moving forward while living in the present and preparing for the future God has planned for us.
Anyone else just feel like this moment between Jesus and Mary was so intimate? He addresses her by just her name, knowing she’s unaware of His identity. And then even further basically says, I want you to receive a promise of transformation and salvation, not just wisdom and knowledge. Like woah, what an interaction. And what an amazing way to reintroduce yourself to someone!
This plan is like music to my ears. I have lived so many years regretting a lot of things I did. The thoughts would keep me up at night and it was hard to forgive myself. I thought I had to carry all the pain until the ends of my days. After reading this I feel like there is hope and forgiveness. My heart feels content because God is by my side helping me to overcome my pain. He is making me realize that the past doesnt define who I am and that makes me feel loved by God.
I love the part where it says what we take with us when we go out representing Jesus: the word, His spirit, the fruits of the spirit, and the security of knowing we will spend eternity with Him. I was thinking to myself the other day, it takes a lot for me to pray for someone and the times that I have, I have blessed them but not necessarily asked them if they wanted to accept Christ. This is a great encouragement for me to help me see how equipped I am and that this is what Jesus wanted us to do on earth.
Late to the journey through the resurrection but what an amazing reminder in any season were in-not just lent. Jesus rose! Jesus has plans and dreams for us with His Holy Spirit. We are able because of Him if we are willing!
I settle far too easily for what seems good or is immediate not trusting that the Lord has far greater things in store for me. He has so much more for me, wants so much more for me, simply IS so much more than the box I try and fit Him into in my life. Jesus keep me close show me more.
This is not our home but while we are here we have a mission! To share Christ. And we are not alone in these endeavors. God is with us always. He is working through us. Clinging to the beauty of the gospel will inspire us to live for Christ.
I love this plan so far. Lent is always an exciting yet challenging time to grow in my faith, but I have been praying for something to keep me grounded after Lent ends. He never fails to answer our prayers. Lord, help each woman of the She Reads Truth community to take the gospel to others.
‘When we take the gospel to others, just like those first disciples we do not go out alone” — I experienced this firsthand last night as a friend opened up to me about her current circumstances and trials. I wasn’t expecting her story to come out as we drove across town, but more than anything i didn’t expect MY reply; See just that morning, I had prayed for this friend — that God would reveal himself to her & that she would learn the truth about who He is. And then last night as she finished telling me her story and asked me what I thought, WORDS STARTED POURING OUT OF ME — words I didn’t know I knew, verses in the bible I had read a hundred times and some I only had read once or twice. God provided my lips the perfect response to my friend in that moment, and WHO KNOWS what will happen now that this seed has been planted in her heart?? So sisters I ask if you could, pray for my friend — that the word of God would permeate her heart and sink into her soul. And thank You, Lord, for new opportunities every single day to share your goodness in our lives, for Your glory.
Kylee, I am praying for your friend this morning. God is good.
That’s incredible, God is good! Praying for your friend now.
I’m praying for her too. :-)
How can I open already purchased plans (from iPhone) to iPad?
you can’t. that is why I stopped buying them.
Hi Heather! So sorry you were under that impression! As long as your two devices are under the same Apple ID, you can sync plans by clicking ‘Settings’ and ‘Restore in-app purchases.’ We love having you in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Hi Daniela,
You can transfer your purchases by clicking ‘Settings’ and ‘Restore in-app purchases.’ Let me know if that doesn’t work!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Great post! May we be BOLD!
Very true, Autumn! I agree and also struggle with this at times. One thing the Lord has shown me is the power of the Holy Spirit’s help. We know our Shepherd’s voice (though that can need cultivating in this noisy world) and He will give us opportunities and leading. Trust Him! Practice does make those leadings more apparent. Ask Him to show you!
Second, we ourselves are the testimony to those in our lives and who cross our path. As we are refined we glow brighter and testify! Do not underestimate the influence of your life as you walk in intimacy. Seeds are planted you may never know about!
So much of this hinges on our cultivating intimacy with the Father. Holiness and obedience (indeed, fruit!) flow from that place naturally. It doesn’t have to be forced. My professor in college used to say, “does an apple tree say (grunting and pushing), ok…arrgghh I am gonna make an apple!!!? No, it does what God designed it to!” And, so do we! (Unless we resist Him and our growth is certainly hindered).
Just some thoughts!
I definitely needed to hear this. I struggle with creating or feeling intimacy with our Lord, and then wonder why growth is so stagnant. I truly needed to hear your words.
Sometimes, most of the time actually, I feel so unequipped. I feel like I cannot share anything until I myself know the answers, you know? I feel like I cannot give Jesus the credit he deserves when I talk about him, and that makes me hold back sometimes with sharing His good news. Any direction on this? I feel sometimes that I am going to do more harm than good when talking about Him, if I do not have the answers to the questions the person I am sharing with asks me.
Kayla, I used to feel this exact same way: how could I share the word if I didn’t “know” everything about the word, but the truth is, we don’t have to know and understand everything… we know how much Jesus loves us, we know He loved us so much that He was willing to die for us so that we may have eternal life with Him. Sometimes we overlook how powerful that is…just sharing how awesome His love is.
I heard a great sermon on this a couple of weeks ago. The pastor asked the entire congregation to repeat, “Jesus Christ loved us so much He died on a cross for our sins. He was buried. Three days He raised to life and people saw him.” Then the pastor congratulated everyone for sharing the gospel. Any other questions can be researched together with who ever you’re sharing. But sharing those three sentences is where’s it at. I love the simplicity! :-)
This might not be short but it speaks to my heart & how I felt for a long time. I’ve learned it’s a very western thing to be knowledgeable, study, & have the answers. These things are good & we should desire them as our relationship with the Lord matures. But sometimes sharing doesn’t look like a 3 steps process. Sometimes it’s spending time with your neighbor nobody likes, loving on your local coffee shop owners…in the name of Jesus. Start with relationship :) I still don’t know A LOT but I work with the knowledge I do have and hopefully being obedient to those nudges from the spirit.
I am ready for a ‘brave new world’ not holding on the past, that is the power of The Resurrection
Good morning from Kenya, dearest sisters. I have never posted a comment before, but today I feel convicted to do so
As I did the study, the words “Do not hold on to me” (John 20:17) really stood out to me. I imagined myself wrapped in a blanket for warmth. But my neighbour can’t experience the same warmth if I hold on to that blanket. Jesus is like that blanket, and he wants us to share the Gospel with others, so that they too can experience the warmth that is God’s grace and His amazing love. Don’t keep Jesus all to yourself. Share Him :)
I am so grateful to God for all of you and this study. I consider you my sisters, and I feel a strong connection to you all, even though we are miles apart. Blessings to you all.
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing Chebett! I feel the same way and am so thankful for SRT and for each one of you!
Wow, thank you for this. What an amazing way to look at sharing the good news. “Don’t keep Jesus all to yourself. Share Him!” I love it!
So wonderful to hear you share, Chebett
Wow! Thank you for that. I am new to this community and am so happy to have found all of you. Xoxo
I am new to this community and feel like I am at home. Many thanks for your thought, prayers and encouragement. He is real!!!
A sweet reminder that the past is not what defines us.
This is exactly what I was thinking when I read this message…and definitely one that I needed to hear as I try not to ruminate on my past mistakes, but instead focus on what I have learned from them and how to better myself for the future.
This is so poignant as I turn 32. I have fond memories from my past that are jaded by the pain of the lifestyle I lived for a good portion of my 20s. Thank God for deliverance
Today, I will let go of who I was and embrace how God sees me. I know he is grooming me for greatness and I’m ready for the challenge.
Love to Mian! I’m a year younger and have the same testimony!
I have a very similar story and I am just a year older. You are right, “Thank God for his deliverance!”
Hi Autumn
Amen!
Doing what Jesus did is an intriguing and challenging mixture of intimacy with the Father (which expresses itself in our lives and behavior), displaying God himself in bearing the fruit of the Spirit to those around us, and accepting the invitations of the Holy Spirit to share, teach, exhort, and encourage as people cross our parh.
Though I still struggle with feat, it encourages me to know that I can hear my shepherd’s voice and follow his leading. My flesh and the enemy tend to make this feel more complicated or confusing than it truly is. It is as simple as Jesus said it:
” I will be with you.”
The Lord didn’t say it was BETTER that he leave for no reason! Then, the Helper would come to us. For every moment thereafter. This puts our relationship with the Holy Spirit (and His strong ability to help us) into the right perspective.
I recently was called to make a deeper commitment with the Lord, by diving into his word and I am so thankful for this study. I “know” the gospel but I am having a hard time with understanding the differences between the books. yesterday’s reading said there was one angel by the tomb and today’s said two.. and other slight differences. Does anyone have some insight on this?
I like what the preacher in church said yesterday about this. That the four different gospels were written by four different men (inspired by God). And their perspectives were different. And instead of looking at the four different versions as contradicting each other (one angel vs two), they can come together to give a more complete picture. I think John (out of the four gospel writers) was the only one to went to the tomb. I hope that helps.
That helps tremendously! Thank you for your input!
The writers of the gospels had quite different audiences in mind when they were recording events, and they weren’t as concerned with recording “history” as we see it today. Rather they were passionately recording a theological proclamation about the risen Lord! Think about how much stronger it makes the story when we have multiple people proclaiming the greatness of the Risen Lord! :)
Yes I love that perspective! I was afraid I was missing something or a key piece when it is really quite simple :)
As I was reading the devotion I was reminded of the sweet missionaries in my home church. They traveled thousands of miles away from home to share the gospel with those who live in a hostile environment and are less than 5% Christian. They’re family in the states have missed some important milestones and I’m sure the missionaries were sad to of given birth to their 3rd child without the comfort of home. But as I continued reading the devotion I was reminded that these missionaries are not away from home and they are doing exactly what they should be doing, exactly what Jesus called the first disciples to do to go and share.
I keep coming back to the disciples being locked in the place where they were at. I feel as if they were hiding by how it is written. They were consumed by their fear, I would assume with fear of being murdered by the Jews (fear of death.)
BUT, Jesus came and stood among His disciples and He gave them His Spirit. And I can’t help but think from that moment on, everything for them was different. Their shackles of fear were broken. I see an image in my mind of the disciples unlocking the door taking that first step out all in different directions, no longer bound by fear. It’s also cool to think of how the Gospel literally was spread to us today because of these men’s and the others Jesus appeared to GOING and proclaiming to others, laying aside their fears. I believe they did have many more moments of fear…they were human; but it no longer overtook them the way it once did before they saw Jesus again.
Almost all of the disciples were martyred… and I don’t think they were martyred found locked in a home, hiding in fear. Jesus unlocked the door, and they were obedient and went out to the places the Lord called them to go to & their fear of death was diminished becuase they knew the One who conquered it. How powerful. I have never thought about this passage in this way before.
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, m“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (v. 19-23)
Thanks for your thoughts, Hannah! I love this perspective.
Powerful image! Thanks for sharing.
So true! I never thought about it that way. The only reason there are billions of Christians in the world is because these men acted. They didnt hide their faith. They took the great commission seriously and proclaimed the truth to the ends of the earth. Very convicting.
What a wonderful, yet so very practical explanation! So simple and freeing, just like the gospel. I’d never thought about that moment being the beginning of my being able to receive Him too. Thank you for sharing this insight.
Sharing the Gospel has been a struggle over the years, but also the most rewarding. At one point, we almost completely lost contact with my brother and his family for sharing the truth. God continues to bless our faithfulness in other ways. We are still praying that my brother will accept Christ (10 + years). God calls us to be faithful in sharing.
Carly,
These are a few verses I find helpful during times when I am feeling anxious. I pray that you would find some peace today.
Zephaniah 3:17
Yahweh your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring you quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”
Philippians 4:6-7 says this: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I feel like this was for me today. I’ve been so afraid of the day when my discipler would take me out to talk to random people on my college campus about Jesus. Today is that day, but I’ve been dreading it for a week. This reading reminded me why I’m doing what I’m doing. We’re called to share the good news of the gospel, and I’m doing just that.
Let us know how it goes. I think God will surprise you
Amen!
Lifting you up in prayer today Steph, may you find the peace that comes with knowing Christ as you share the gospel with others today. Trust in Him, scripture tells us not to plan a response that He will give us the words. Praying you will feel the Holy Spirit’s presence with you today.
We are praying for you! Remember you are not alone!
What a beautiful thing, to share the Gospel with those around us! I actually wrote of this on my blog this past weekend! http://messymilestones.com/a-little-more-like-love/
I made a decision recently to forgive a few people who had hurt me long ago and call each one of them. The verse here says – “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.
I am setting them free and also me. never has my constant anxiety diminished so greatly.
Jodi-Ann! What a beautiful and brave testament of Christ’s love! I am so happy to hear that your own anxiety diminished so much. And I’m sure the same was true for the people you called. How did they react to hearing from you?
Hi Helen, they were surprised, not aware of my impression of them, and proud of me for making the call. one of them went very well.
Oh man, I am so guilty of letting fear keep me from sharing the life-saving truth of the gospel. Fear of what those I talk to might think about me. Fear of how they will respond. I know fear is a tool of the enemy, and I am praying for boldness for myself, and for all of us that struggle with fear, that we will not keep the truth inside. It is not easy to share the gospel. But we are more than equipped with everything we need.
Love these thoughts! I read a while back a quote on evangelism that has somehow made it easier for me to realize it is not only a privilege, but a duty to share the Gospel message. D.T. Niles: “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” Isn’t this so true? May we go out and share the bread of life with great joy!
I love that quote! Thank you for sharing!
Great quote! That’s going in the journal!
Love this quote, Nicki! Thanks for sharing it with us today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Share Jesus. Don’t keep the glorious, life-saving truth inside. Such a good reminder. Especially when I know all those debilitating emotions will undermine my desire to give Jesus away.
Love this, Sarah Joy! Thanks for sharing encouragement today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
What a privilege He has given us… To spread the good news of the gospel to those who don’t yet know Him. Not always easy, but totally worth it
http://Www.In-due-time.com
For the past few months I´ve been praying for a friend we see weekly who doesn´t know Jesus. I´ve tried to be very intentional in speaking to her about my faith. Last week I invited her to an Easter service and received a very clear “I´m not interested, you can stop inviting me now.” message back. I have to admit I felt like I got slapped. I thought I was doing everything right. However, even praying over someone and intentionally going about conversation with them isn´t the formula for having them realize that life with Jesus is the way it´s meant to be… there is no formula. It´s the Holy Spirit´s job and He´ll use us if He´d like to.
Until then… what? I pray for her, for her family, for our friendship. I don´t change a thing in the way I speak to my kids in front of her, or praying for our meals around them. Authenticity, Lord. Win her for your glory. Would you pray for K.M.?
Yes, I will!
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
I love this verse and the confidence it can give us. God asks us to be always rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks – which is hard. I believe praying consistently is powerful though. Praying about the same thing is hard but important! I like to see firsthand the fruits of my action, but my timing is so different than God’s he gives a peace that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). I like to see my prayers answered, but I know that God can change hearts. He may be using you to plant a seed in your friend’s heart. He uses each of us in specific ways to change hearts and demonstrate his love. Continually loving your friend, praying for her, and showing her God through your actions may be all you can do. But, our God can (and does) do so much more!
Keep doing what you’re doing! Hearts are funny and fickle and take time to change. Who knows – maybe she’s testing you, seeing if you’ll still be her friend now that she’s made it clear she’s “not interested”. Keep speaking the truth of what God is doing in your life – because it matters to you, and it’s part of you. there’s something winsome about being honest about what God is doing in the life of a believer. Praying for you!
Praying for your friend. It is tough. God will bless your faithfulness in sharing the Gospel. Remember your friend has a free will to accept or reject the truth. Continue to be a witness. God may use others to water and others to eventually harvest.
be encouraged. you are sowing a seed
Thank you for those fresh words. We had discussed how Jesus told Mary not to cling to Him in our Sunday School this week. I had not thought about it also could be symbol of “not holding ” on to the past. Thanks for the fresh words to remind us God gives us the Holy Spirit to be bold in telling others!
Thankful that I don’t have to “remember where I came from”. Jesus set me free from my past. Thank you, SRT. I’ve never thought of this part of the story in such a way – a personal way. WOW!
yessss
amen im letting go of my past also
Mary went and announced “I have seen the Lord!” I love that sharing the Gospel is as simple as that sounds : sharing my own unique encounter with my risen Lord. I don’t need to have all the theological answers or a seminary degree. I just tell my story of meeting Jesus. It may be dramatic. It may not. But it is my story and you can’t argue it away. My past is only relevant in how it relates to the change that occurred when I encountered Him. I no longer hold on to my past because it no longer defines me. I am defined by my new life in Him. New life. Yes, I have seen the Lord. And I will announce : it makes all the difference!
Amen!
I love this reminder that I don’t need to have all the answers to share my story about what Christ has done for me!
Love your comment! Needed to hear it today! May we all “walk in newness of life” Romans 6:4
HallelujAh
Your line that said, “My past is only relevant in how it relates to the change that occurred when I encountered Him” made me cry. It’s something I needed to hear today. I struggle so badly with forgiving myself for my past, and your words really helped me see that I need to let go of it. It isn’t who I am anymore. Thanks for sharing today…. it really did make a difference.
Perfectly said!!!
“And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms and never leave home
Never let these walls down
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I’ll go where You will lead me Lord
You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I’ll go where You lead me Lord
Where You lead me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgAzLKXqcDk
Thank you, Jo. A beautiful song. God bless you today. Psalm 16:11
Thank you so much for sharing! Spoke to my heart!
Please could you pray for me? I’ve been feeling very anxious over the last couple of days and I’m not even sure why. I’m encouraged by today’s reading that even when the disciples felt the same way and were hiding behind locked doors, Jesus appeared there with them, giving them his peace.
Praying for you dear Carly, praying that your heart and soul truly hear the words ‘…Fear not …of the angels , but most importantly the …’Peace be with you..’ from the risen and life giving Jesus Himself…Amen
Sending you a hug from across the pond dear heart….God is with you…xxx
I know how you feel. I pray for you and everything you have to do these days. Love and a big hug! His peace will be with you <3
Lord, we bind that spirit of anxiety and fear and release the peace of Your Holy Spirit in its place. It has to go when we call on Your name! May Carly rest in knowing that the same power that raised You from the dead lives in HER. In Jesus’ mighty and all powerful name. ♥
It HAS to go when we call on YOUR NAME! Hallelujah!
Praying for peace and a quiet mind for you today,Carly
Carly, praying earnestly that your anxiety is replaced with the peace of the Holy Spirit.
I prayed for you, Carly. This is one of my favorite verses when I’m anxious. I repeat it as affirmation. “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”” – Joshua 1:9
Will be praying
Praying
ask the holy spirit to reveal to you what you may need to do specifically to access His peace
Carly,
These are a few verses I find helpful during times when I am feeling anxious. I pray that you would find some peace today.
Zephaniah 3:17
Yahweh your God is among you,
a warrior who saves.
He will rejoice over you with gladness.
He will bring you quietness with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy.”
Philippians 4:6-7 says this: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement.