It didn’t seem real. Less than three years before, she had been tormented beyond belief. She did things she didn’t want to do but it seemed she had no control over her own body. Deep in sin, she tried to drown her agony in intoxicating drink but it only made things worse. She often woke up in strange surroundings, sometimes next to a man she didn’t know nor remembered anything about. It was like she was two, no seven different persons. She was held a prisoner without bars by demonic spirits.
But that all changed one day. She knew something was about to happen when she saw Him in the distance – The man from Galilee they called Jesus. He began walking towards her and now He was looking her straight in the eye. The demonic host within her made her cry out and writhe in pain the closer He came. Then He touched her. Where she lay, half naked and out of her mind, when everyone else was terrified of her, He bent down and touched her and simply said, “Woman, be free.” In an instant seven demon spirits left her. She felt weak and trembly, but cleaner than she had felt since she had been a little girl. From that day forward, she cleaned up, never touched a drop of alcohol again, and without remorse, followed Jesus.
She saw Him work miracle after miracle, and when He claimed to be the Messiah, she had no doubt that He was indeed Him. But now she stood near the foot of the cross on which the authorities had hung Him, crucifying Him. He had been so severely beaten that He was hardly recognizable. She wept, uncontrollably as her Master hung in crucifixion. And then He died.
Some of the other women had followed to see where they would lay him and she went along. The tomb was that of a Pharisee, but he was not one who had agreed with the decision to crucify Him. Joseph, of Arimathea, had asked Pilate for His body. That was good because most who were crucified were simply thrown over the hill like trash, to rot. But Joseph felt something good in Jesus that made the other Pharisees cringe. He took the body of Jesus and had it placed in the tomb he had made for himself. The women took notice and made plans to return after the Sabbath to make sure His body had been properly prepared.
That morning, as they made their way to the tomb, they realized that a heavy stone had been rolled over the mouth of the tomb because the rumor was that Jesus’ disciples would try to steal His body to substantiate His claim that He would rise from the dead. A guard was placed there to secure it. They wondered how they would get past the guard and how they would manage to roll the stone from His tomb. But those concerns did not stop them from going.
But when they arrived, the stone had been removed and lay to one side revealing the open mouth of the tomb. They guards were nowhere to be found. They arrived and found two men, angelic looking, who told them that Jesus was not there, that He had risen. It was startling but also filled their hearts with unexpected joy. They returned to where the disciples were staying and told them what they had seen.
Peter and John immediately ran to the tomb and Mary Magdalene followed. She watched as first Peter, then John entered the tomb. She could see the silhouettes of them talking with two men – probably the same ones she and the other women had spoken to earlier. Then Peter and John left and she was there alone.
Her heart filled with sorrow and tears falling from her cheeks, she longed for her Lord, her Savior, the Messiah Who had freed her and given her hope when she had none. Lifting her face, she saw a figure walking in the garden. “It must be the gardener,” she thought. Going to him she asked, “Please sir, can you tell me where they have taken my Lord? I will take Him away.”
He simply said, “Mary.” Wait, it sounded like Him. She turned and looked and standing right there in front of her was Jesus! She fell before Him and cried, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). It also could be interpreted as “Master, Chief or Prince.” Jesus was all these things.
This Easter, we need to see our Master. We need to look beyond the spring colors, brightly decorated eggs, chocolate bunnies and attractive baskets. We need to see past our Easter dress or suit and find our Master. I know the teachings that all the other Easter hype came from pagan beliefs. But unless we are worshipping a pagan deity, there’s no harm in an Easter egg hunt, and giving our kids a pretty basket. But we need to make certain that they understand that after all the other stuff, Jesus walks in the garden of our lives. He wants to be our Rabboni.
It’s real, you know. Jesus is real. The story of Easter – the true one, is real. Jesus did indeed rise from the dead. He is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father, just as the Bible says.
Mary Magdalene followed Him after He had delivered her from seven demons. He wants to free us from what is wrong in our lives too. You may not be filled with demons. But there are things that haunt you just the same. Why not be freed in Christ? Why not, this Easter, look past all the stuff and see Jesus, and along with Mary cry out, “Rabboni!”
— Jerry D. Ousley is the author of “Soul Challenge”, “Soul Journey”, “Ordeal”, “The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional” and his first novel “The Shoe Tree.” Newer books include “Finality” and “Dividing God’s Church.” Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.