“The 7 Next Words of Christ: Who Are You Looking For?”

The 7 Next Words of Christ: Finding Hope in the Resurrection Sayings

“Who Are You Looking For?”

John 20:11-18 (New Revised Standard Version)

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other 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.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” 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 Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

Mary was so focused on finding the body of Jesus, the missing item, that when Jesus himself appeared to her and asked her, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” She didn’t even recognize him!

Mary had arguably the strongest faith and devotion to Jesus than anyone else, and yet on this day, she stood before the risen savior and didn’t even recognize him.

How many of us get so focused on the details of our lives, and so focused on the idea that we need to find the missing piece that we fail to recognize the obvious; that the piece we thought was missing is actually sitting right in plain sight?

Jesus remains at the tombs of our lives, in the dark corners of our past, begging us to look inside and see the power of new beginnings.

Jesus was known for his compassion and patience, but he could also probe deeply into a person’s soul when wanting to make a point or elicit a reaction.

This was a tactic he used before- watching patiently for the right opportunity to insert a question or statement that might, unbeknownst to the person, begin the process of healing.

While consumed with the details, Mary missed the blessing.

What do you see when you peer into the tomb of your life?

Do you get so consumed with the details that you miss the blessings of Christ?

Or are you able to peer inside and see hope and a risen Christ?