Introduction

Beloved congregation, it is with a heart full of joy and a spirit brimming with gratitude that we gather here today, united in the love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are blessed beyond measure, not only to be in each other's company but to be in the presence of God, who continually showers us with His unfathomable grace and unending mercy.

Today, we turn our hearts and minds towards the Gospel of John, specifically chapter 20, verses 19 through 31. Let us read:

"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, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.' Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.' Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.' Thomas answered him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, 'Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

Manifestation to Mary Magdalene

In the quiet dawn of the first day of the week, a woman named Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb where Jesus had been laid. Her heart was heavy with grief, her eyes swollen from tears. She had come to anoint the body of her Lord, but instead, she found the tomb empty. In her despair, she wept. But her sorrow was soon turned to joy when she encountered the risen Christ. This encounter was not a mere chance meeting. It was a divine appointment, a manifestation of the risen Lord to a woman who had been delivered from seven demons, a woman who had followed Him, served Him, and loved Him.

This encounter is significant for several reasons.

First, it underscores the transformative power of Christ's love. Mary Magdalene was not a woman of high social standing. She had been possessed by seven demons, an indication of the depth of her spiritual bondage. Yet, Jesus had delivered her, restored her, and given her a new life. Her encounter with the risen Christ is a testament to the transformative power of His love, a love that reaches out to the outcasts, the broken, the lost, and the hopeless.

Second, this encounter highlights the personal nature of Christ's love. Jesus could have appeared to anyone after His resurrection. He could have appeared to the religious leaders, to the Roman authorities, to His disciples. But He chose to appear first to Mary Magdalene. He called her by name, turning her mourning into dancing, her sorrow into joy. This personal encounter underscores the personal nature of Christ's love. He knows us by name. He sees our tears. He hears our cries. He meets us in our moments of deepest despair and turns our mourning into joy.

Next, this encounter underscores the missional aspect of Christ's love. After revealing Himself to Mary, Jesus gave her a mission. He told her to go and tell the disciples that He had risen. Mary Magdalene, a woman who had been delivered from seven demons, became the first evangelist, the first to proclaim the good news of the resurrection. This underscores the missional aspect of Christ's love. His love is not meant to be hoarded. It is meant to be shared. It propels us into mission, into proclaiming the good news of His love and resurrection to a world in desperate need of hope.

Finally, this encounter underscores the hope-giving aspect of Christ's love. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb expecting to find a dead body. Instead, she found an empty tomb and a risen Savior. Her despair was turned into hope, a hope that is grounded in the reality of the resurrection. This encounter underscores the hope-giving aspect of Christ's love. His love brings hope, a hope that does not disappoint, a hope that is grounded in the reality of His resurrection.

Meeting with the Disciples

In the Gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19 through 23, we find Jesus appearing to His disciples in a locked room ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO