The Wondrous Work of our Savior

Holy Week is such an exciting time at our church. We live upon the glorious truth of the resurrection every day as believers, but the observance of Easter provides the platform for an annual, all-out, awesome celebration.

One of my favorite things about this week is the contrast between our Good Friday Service and Easter Sunday. Friday, we have the lights down, the music is reflective and the mood is somber as we remember the day our Savior died and satisfied the wrath of God on our behalf for His glory. We leave the service in silence.

Then Sunday morning arrives, and the difference couldn’t be any more obvious. The lights are bright, the band is big and smiles cannot be contained. Even the clothes people wear change from dark and muted to bright and vibrant. Yes, even I break away from my standard gray-scale wardrobe and wear a slightly brighter shade of earth tone. Ah! I can’t wait.

One of my tasks as the administrator for our church is to maintain our social media platforms. Last week I began planning out our posts for holy week and decided on a series of graphics that are connected in a way that I’m sure only I and the two people I’ve shown will appreciate. But, hey! I’m excited with how it turned out.

The task of choosing the Scripture I would use for the posts necessitated that I reread the resurrection story. These are passages that I have read many times throughout my walk with Christ. I expected to find some stand out verses to sum it all up that I could artistically put across Instagram and Facebook. I did not expect to be moved to tears.

I read the following passage from John 20:1-16:

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”

Mary Magdalene was heartbroken, under the assumption that someone had stolen the body of her Lord. Jesus sees her and approaches her. He sees her grief, knows the source of it and yet still inquires of the troubles of her heart.  

Then she looks at him. Looks right at him, but doesn’t recognize him! He was standing next to her, speaking directly to her, but it wasn’t until He called her by her name that her eyes were open and she beheld her Savior. 

This moment should bring us a humble hope! The resurrection story is deeply personal. No soul saved is accidental. It is Jesus who intentionally calls out to His people and brings life to dry bones. The same power He used to defeat the grave is the power He uses to melt hearts of stone and turn sinners into saints. He alone is the author and perfecter of our faith - salvation rests in the person of Jesus. It wasn’t Mary’s devotion that saved her. It wasn’t her good work of trying to find Jesus’ body. It was the simple fact that Jesus called her to himself.

May you all rejoice as we reflect on the beautiful foundation of our faith!

For He is risen! Yes, He is risen indeed!