John 20:14-16
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
This day changed everything—it is the day of victory, the resurrection day! To the disciples, death had appeared to win, and sin seemed to have triumphed. Even Jesus’s closest followers believed they would never see Him again. They doubted the reports of His resurrection and struggled to see the truth that was right before them. Yet, it was real: He had risen!
Even as Jesus walked among them, speaking to them, they lived in defeat, despair, disbelief, and doubt. We can read about their struggles—like Mary mistaking Him for the gardener, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Thomas’s doubt, or the fear of the others—and think we would have done better. But in truth, we’ve all been in their position. Perhaps not to the same extent, but we’ve all faced despair, doubt, and uncertainty, even while our risen Savior is present with us.
Just three days before, their hopes had been crushed. The One in whom they had placed their faith, their love, and their confidence had been crucified, buried, and left in a tomb. By now, they feared His body might even be decaying. Their hearts were gripped with fear: “If they did this to our Master, what will they do to us?” Doubts clouded their minds: “I thought He was going to deliver us from Rome!” Some were even hostile to the idea of His resurrection, saying, “I won’t believe it until I see it!”
We don’t handle disappointment well, do we? Often, Jesus doesn’t “meet our expectations.” He works out His perfect plan, but it can look very different from what we imagined. In those moments, we may feel abandoned, ask why He allowed our circumstances, or even hide in fear of what’s next. All the while, the risen Lord is right in our midst.
Mary was so focused on her grief that she didn’t recognize Jesus. She asked the gardener where the body was, searching for a dead Savior while the living Savior stood before her. How often do we do the same? We treat Jesus as though He were a figure of the past—someone to commemorate on Sundays, perhaps offering a few words of respect before returning to live our lives.
But Jesus is not dead. He is alive! My prayer is that this morning, the risen Savior confronts you personally, calls you by name, and reminds you that we serve a living Lord who walks with us daily.
For Mary, all it took was the sound of her name—“Mary.” That one word opened her eyes. She knew that voice. It was the voice that had called her out of darkness and changed her life forever. It was unmistakable. At the sound of his voice her fears and doubts melted away. She knew her Savior was alive, and He cared for her.
Whatever has gone wrong in your life, it is not beyond the power of the risen Christ. Just as Jesus turned Mary’s despair into joy, He can bring peace and hope to your heart today. He is closer than you think, and He cares more than you can imagine.
When Mary realized Jesus was alive, her response was: “Master.” That encounter gave her a holy zeal. She ran to the disciples with the good news: “He is alive!” The same zeal gripped the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Once their eyes were opened, they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell others. Peter and John did the same.
And to this day, the voices of downcast disciples who come face to face with the risen Saviour proclaim the same message: “He is alive!”
Oh Lord, speak to our hearts today. Let the reality of Your resurrection fill us with joy and urgency to share the good news: Jesus is alive!
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