Missionary Renegade: The Daily Guide grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 30 March 2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Daily Guide grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 30 March 2016 - “I’ve seen the Lord”

The Daily Guide grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Wednesday, 30 March 2016 - “I’ve seen the Lord”
Daily Scripture: John 20:14 As she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but she didn’t know it was he. 15 Yeshua said to her, “Lady, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you’re the one who carried him away, just tell me where you put him; and I’ll go and get him myself.” 16 Yeshua said to her, “Miryam!” Turning, she cried out to him in Hebrew, “Rabbani!” (that is, “Teacher!”) 17 “Stop holding onto me,” Yeshua said to her, “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” 18 Miryam of Magdala went to the talmidim with the news that she had seen the Lord and that he had told her this.
Reflection Questions:
Mary thought Jesus was “the gardener.” In symbol, he was—Adam failed, but Jesus would tend earth’s “garden” well (cf. Genesis 2:15, Romans 5:15-21). Mary didn’t recognize Jesus (scholar William Barclay suggested she may have been blinded by her tears), but it seems his voice, the way he said her name, was unmistakable. Then Jesus sent Mary to be the very first eyewitness to the risen Christ.

At the sound of Jesus' voice, Mary moved in a flash from utter despair to unbelievable joy. How can you more and more come to know the “sound” of Jesus' voice? What steps will help you keep your relationship with Jesus personal, a link between your heart and his, rather than just an academic exercise?
Scholar N. T. Wright said, “If someone in the first century had wanted to invent a convincing story about people seeing Jesus, they wouldn’t have dreamed of giving the star part to a woman. Let alone Mary Magdalene.”1 What does Jesus’ trust in Mary to share the good news of Easter tell you about how Jesus saw the value of both women and men in his new creation?

Today’s Prayer:
Lord Jesus, in the beginning you created. Then, when everything went wrong, you came and launched a new creation. I want to be part of that, and join Mary in sharing the news of a risen Lord. Amen.
1 N. T. Wright, John for Everyone, part 2. (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004, p. 148.)Insights from Rev. Steven Blair

Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care Pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforward
Shakespeare famously asked “What’s in a name?” in Romeo and Juliet. While we have spent time discussing the meaning of names and words, we rarely discuss the power of names. Knowing someone’s name is powerful. A person can make you turn your head in a crowded room by simply saying your name. A person can make you feel known.
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and was surprised to see it empty. She mistook the Resurrected Jesus for a gardener, which turns out to be truer than it was false. Mary didn’t know it was Jesus until she said her name–“Mary.” It caught her attention. It let her know that she was known.
Do you hear Jesus saying your name? He knows it. He reaches towards you as he did with Mary and many others. Let Jesus catch your attention today. Realize you are known, then lean forward. Jesus has something important to say to you, too.