TEXT: John 20:1-21
IT was early, early in the morning. Mary Magdalene was going to the place where Jesus had been put when He was taken down from the cross. Mary had something nice that smelled sweet to put on Jesus. Mary was a special friend of Jesus.
Stop! Look! Where is Jesus? The place where Jesus was laid was empty. Jesus was gone! Jesus was not there! Where was He? Who took Him away?
Mary looked again into the tomb to be sure, but no — Jesus was really gone. Mary did see two angels there. Mary started to cry because she felt so bad. One angel said, “Woman, why weepest thou?” Mary said, “Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.”
Mary turned around. She felt so sad! She was crying hard. You know what? Jesus was standing right there — right there by Mary. Jesus was alive. Mary was crying so hard she did not know it was Jesus. She thought it was the man who kept the garden nice.
Then Jesus said her name, “Mary.” Mary turned around and looked again. She knew Jesus’ kind voice. It was Jesus! Jesus was right there by her. He was living again just as He said He would. Mary was not crying anymore. She kneeled down by Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him.
Jesus surprised some of His other friends that day, too. He walked along the road with two of them. He ate dinner with some of them, too.
Ten of Jesus’ helpers — one-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten helpers were sitting together Easter Sunday night. All of a sudden in came Jesus, without opening a door. He knew where they were just as He knows exactly where you are all the time. His helpers were so surprised they could hardly believe it was really Jesus. They even walked over and touched Him. Yes, it was their dear Jesus, alive and well.
Jesus talked to His helper friends a long time that Easter Sunday night. They were so happy to talk to Him again.
We cannot see Jesus, but we can talk to Him any time we want to and He always hears us. We pray — that is how we talk to Jesus. He wants us to talk to Him every day.