“Early on the first day of the week Mary went to the tomb . . . Jesus said to her, ‘Mary’ . . . and she said Rabboni.” John 21

“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life.” Rev. 2:10

The first witness to the resurrection was a woman.  According to St. Mark it wasn’t just Mary, it was a number of women. 

Think about that for a moment.  A woman, not a man.  Do you note the irony?  The history of the Christian Church has been one dominated by men.  It has at times resembled more of a patriarchal and secret society populated by “Good Old Boys” than it has a church.  Throughout history some of the worst treatment of women has been by men . . . in the church.  In Christ’s Church.  Let me say that again, In Christ’s Church. Among the male followers of The One who treated women as equals—and sometimes more—as is evidenced in His life, and in His death.

The appearance of the women at the tomb on this first Easter is a powerful reminder that some of the most important lessons to be learned about God can and should be learned from women.  Mary calls Jesus “Rabboni”, which means “Teacher”, but what is it that she learned from Him?  And what can we, by extension, learn as well?  One of the church teachings is that Mary Magdalene had seven demons driven from her by Christ.  Whether that is true or not I don’t know.  But we can use that number seven, a number of completion, to remind us of the Resurrection Life Lessons from Rabboni.

1.  God does some of the best and most divine work in the dark.  On the day of Jesus’ death, which is called Good Friday, darkness covered the land.  There was a night.  It is a metaphor for all the darkness that covers the interior landscape of our lives.  It is a reminder that when life seems to be the darkest, when I can’t find my way or know what direction I’m going, God is at work.
2. God exceeds our wildest expectations.  Never, ever, never, ever, could Mary and the women expected to find an empty tomb.  There was, without a doubt, a LOT going through their minds on that First Day of the New Creation, but failing to find the body of their loved One was not one of them.  It’s a powerful reminder of what St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen nor ear has heard what God has prepared for those who love Him.”
3. God is Full of Surprises!  Easter is a time of surprises.  Remember how excited you were as a kid to see what the Easter Bunny had brought?  I still remember one Easter having a new baseball glove in my basket.  Faith in The Risen Christ results in receiving so many surprises!
4. Many times in our lives Jesus is hidden.  The Latin phrase is “Deus Absconditus.”  Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener.  She doesn’t recognize Him, even though He is hiding in plain sight.  The same holds true for us today.  It’s not that Jesus isn’t with us, whether in other people, in the Word, or in the world, it’s just that we fail to recognize Him.
5. The Risen Christ Personally cares for us!  This is seen in how He calls Mary by name.  He calls you and me by name as well.  Our names are written not only in heaven, but on Christ’s heart.
6. We aren’t to cling to the “old Jesus.”  The old Jesus for me is all the ideas and identities I had about Jesus that were off-base.  I believe that God calls us to drop the old rags of our previous beliefs that cover our eyes like the rags left in the tomb, and have our eyes opened to a new way of seeing, believing, and living.
7. Christ calls each of us to go and tell others, just as He did Mary.  The key is to do it in a winsome, loving, and joyful way.  To do so not to get others to join our church, believe what we believe, or live like we think they should live, but simply and solely for the sake of the resurrection joy, hope, and love that lives within us.  To go and tell not merely with words, but even more importantly with our lives, so that others can see our works of loving service and glorify God.  In that respect it is not so much of “go and tell” as it is “show and tell.”

There is so much that can be learned from Mary and the women who were first to the tomb, and dare I say first in faith.  And so much more that can be learned from our Rabboni.

I wish you a joy-filled Easter!