We introduced our sons to the TV series Lost in which marooned passengers from a crashed jetliner try to survive on a mysterious island. It didn’t take long for our boys to start to groan at the end of each episode, aware of how masterful the writers were at creating cliffhangers. There appears to be no ending, only a series of new beginnings.
In John’s telling of Jesus’ resurrection, he reveals that this is not the end of a story but rather a fresh beginning of a story (John 20:11-18). Jesus’ resurrection didn’t merely conclude His earthly ministry, it provided resounding assurance that He is Lord of the world (John 20:18; Acts 5:30-31). The resurrection signaled not only that the God-man rose from death but also that—through Jesus—the whole of creation would be set free from death of every kind (Romans 8:20-21).
When the risen Jesus revealed Himself to Mary in the garden, she was overjoyed. Bewildered and elated, she must have held on to her Teacher as if she would never let go. “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). Jesus instructed Mary to go tell the disciples that He was alive—and that He would only be with them for a little longer (John 20:17). He returned to the Father because there, enthroned at God’s right hand, He rules over the world, offering healing and salvation, securing and completing the redemption already begun (Ephesians 1:20).
Whatever sorrows we know, whatever heartaches we find in our family or our friendships, whatever failures we’ve amassed, wherever we feel broken or useless— know this: We’re experiencing only the beginning of the story. Jesus rose from the dead, and the story of new life and new possibility has only begun.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Numbers 12:1-16
More:
Take ten minutes and make a list of a few of the places, relationships, and issues in your life in need of God’s redemption and resurrection. How can you pray for God to write a new story there? How does Revelation 21:5 encourage you?
Next:
How does it alter the way you see your life to think that what you experience now is the beginning (not the end) of God’s story? What hope has God brought you today?
Gary Shultz on February 18, 2017 at 5:40 am
Hi Winn: A great passage to be sure. The scene has often captured my attention, but nothing else does as just one word, “Mary”. The world freezes there for a moment for me. All that was happening at that time, the emotion, pain and confusion. Jesus speaks along with the whole atmosphere of the moment and then shatters it with one word, “Mary”. Love of a maximum proportion, just to one woman who loved in full devotion. Jesus opened personally to Mary an avenue of love and hope and it was “Only the Beginning”. Yes, Winn you are right another new beginning, for our lives and in history, we are going some where. Every time we hear the call to us, personally, and lean on God’s power in obedience we begin a new path of God’s will for our lives. We can not hide we cannot shade areas and portions of life, as you allude to, but must respond in faith, driven by hope. Could it be as fresh and powerful as it was for Mary? Thanks Winn
don777 on February 18, 2017 at 7:25 am
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. This is the pivot point. If there was no resurrection than this is all in vein. Could you imagine Mary when her eyes were opened to Jesus, 🙂 I guess all of us have our eyes opened up to Jesus at some point. That you know that you know. Only by the Father in Heaven / Holy Spirit that Jesus is revealed +>i 🙂
trowe3 on February 18, 2017 at 10:09 am
When I read the verse I first read that Mary saw two angles “where Jesus body had been” our HOPE. I can almost hear Jesus myself call out to “Mary”. It was not until Jesus called out to her did she knew it was Jesus. This reminds me of the verse John 10:4. Then know me by my “Voice”. John 10:4 NIV When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
minkjh on February 18, 2017 at 6:59 pm
Our hope should rely on the fact that we serve the living King of kings and Lord of lords who reigns eternally. No other potentate from all of history can claim that title nor is worthy of our homage. Psalm 2 firmly establishes that divine kingship trumps (no pun intended) that of all human rule.
pilong56 on February 18, 2017 at 9:31 pm
Dear ODJ: My favorite chapter comes from Ephesians2:5-10,which also comes from the title of By Grace Through Faith, When we were dead in trespasses made us alive
together with Christ by grace you’ve been saved,and raised us up in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus,that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.For by grace you’ve saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is The gift of God,not of works,lest anyone should
boast.But we are His workmanship created in Jesus Christ for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.It comes from the prison epistle
of Paul
pilong56 on February 18, 2017 at 9:39 pm
Dear ODj:I often forgot to put my name
Love,Liebe,Sarang,Amore
Bobby.Park(The Son of the late Pilong56)
pilong56 on February 18, 2017 at 9:51 pm
Dear ODJ: My favorite chapter comes from Ephesians2:5-10,which also comes from the title of By Grace Through Faith, When we were dead in trespasses made us alive
together with Christ by grace you’ve been saved,and raised us up in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus,that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.For by grace you’ve saved through faith and that not of yourselves it is The gift of God,not of works,lest anyone should
boast.But we are His workmanship created in Jesus Christ for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.It comes from the prison epistle
of Paul.
Love,Sarang,Amore,Liebe auf Wiedersehen,(In the korean saying of how do you do)Angyong Hashimnikka
Bobby.Park(the son of the late Pilong56)