The First Witness of Resurrection
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her. - John 20:18
Mary’s phrase, “I have seen the Lord,” carried significant meaning in the first century. It was the language of legal testimony. It implied firsthand witness. Mary was saying, “I saw Him with my own eyes. I encountered Him myself.” This was not secondhand information or hearsay.
What makes this moment even more remarkable is who Mary was in the eyes of society. In the time of Jesus, women were not permitted to testify in court. Their words were considered unreliable. Their witness was dismissed. And yet Jesus intentionally chose Mary to be the very first witness of the resurrection.
This is the upside-down Kingdom of God.
Jesus gives a voice to the voiceless. He entrusts eternal truth to redeemed lives. He sends the broken to proclaim hope. Mary’s past did not disqualify her. In fact, it magnified the grace of God at work in her life.
Mary had once been bound by darkness. Jesus had delivered her, restored her, and given her new life. Now, the risen Christ entrusted her with the most important message the world had ever known.
Her obedience was immediate. She went to the disciples just as Jesus instructed. She told them exactly what she had seen and what Jesus had said to her. Encounter led to obedience, and obedience led to proclamation.
When Jesus changes your life, testimony becomes unavoidable. You may not have all the answers. You may not know how to explain everything. But you can always share what you have seen.
Faith was never meant to remain private. Resurrection demands a response. Mary did not cling to the moment. She carried the message.
And the same is true for us. If you have encountered the risen Christ, your story matters. Your voice matters. Jesus still sends ordinary people with extraordinary news.
Mary’s phrase, “I have seen the Lord,” carried significant meaning in the first century. It was the language of legal testimony. It implied firsthand witness. Mary was saying, “I saw Him with my own eyes. I encountered Him myself.” This was not secondhand information or hearsay.
What makes this moment even more remarkable is who Mary was in the eyes of society. In the time of Jesus, women were not permitted to testify in court. Their words were considered unreliable. Their witness was dismissed. And yet Jesus intentionally chose Mary to be the very first witness of the resurrection.
This is the upside-down Kingdom of God.
Jesus gives a voice to the voiceless. He entrusts eternal truth to redeemed lives. He sends the broken to proclaim hope. Mary’s past did not disqualify her. In fact, it magnified the grace of God at work in her life.
Mary had once been bound by darkness. Jesus had delivered her, restored her, and given her new life. Now, the risen Christ entrusted her with the most important message the world had ever known.
Her obedience was immediate. She went to the disciples just as Jesus instructed. She told them exactly what she had seen and what Jesus had said to her. Encounter led to obedience, and obedience led to proclamation.
When Jesus changes your life, testimony becomes unavoidable. You may not have all the answers. You may not know how to explain everything. But you can always share what you have seen.
Faith was never meant to remain private. Resurrection demands a response. Mary did not cling to the moment. She carried the message.
And the same is true for us. If you have encountered the risen Christ, your story matters. Your voice matters. Jesus still sends ordinary people with extraordinary news.
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