Friday, April 9

Prayer: Thank the Lord for the truth of his resurrection and for inviting you to live in a personal relationship with him.

Read:
John 20:10-18
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

Jesus said, “Do not hold onto me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your God, to my God and your God.”

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.


“I have seen the Lord!”
This five word statement lies at the heart of the Christian faith. Mary does not try to explain how the stone was rolled away; she does not try to prove the scientific possibilities of the resurrection; she does not offer a theological or philosophical argument – she simply testifies to what she has experienced, “I have seen the Lord.”

Surrounded by a world steeped in skepticism and unbelief, we sometimes feel we need to produce convincing arguments for the truth of our faith. But while science, history, philosophy and theology should be pursued vigorously as we defend our faith, perhaps the most powerful testimony we can ever offer is simply, “I have seen the Lord!”

Because of the resurrection, Jesus is alive. Because Jesus is alive, he is personal. Because Jesus is personal, we can know and experience a relationship with him through the Holy Spirit. Because we have a relationship with Jesus, we have the great privilege of bearing witness to that relationship.

The next time you feel somewhat intimidated by a world that seems to challenge your faith at every turn, remember that you don’t need to have an answer for every skeptical question. Although there is great historical and scientific evidence to support the Biblical story, you just need to bear witness to the truth that Jesus is alive – and that he lives in your heart by his Spirit!

Take a few minutes and write down in your own words how you came to know Jesus and what his presence in your life means to you.