Hello Dear Listeners, welcome to overcoming temptations. My name is Oyisi. Today our topic is titled: Mary Magdalene .
There are about 7 Mary’s in the bible. Some include Mary the virgin mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany (Sister of Martha and Lazarus), Mary of Clopas, Mary Mother of James and Joses and Mary Magdalene.
The bible shows no record of Mary Magdalene being a prostitute of having an intimate affair with Jesus, people who carry this falsehood only try to wickedly portray her or Jesus in bad light. However in Mark 16:9 the bible did say she was possessed by 7 demons and Jesus healed her. That same verse tells us something very special about Mary Magdalene, she was the first person to see the resurrected Jesus. He did not first appear to any of his 12 or 11 disciples who were all men.
I will like to read from John 20:11-18. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
In Mark 15:40 we read that some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene. So Mary was a strong follower of Jesus throughout.
We cannot say for certain why Jesus first appeared to her, but one clear reason is that because she was available. God will always use the available not the most qualified or competent. So the available takes precedence of over the desirable. Saul was the chosen king but David a common shepherd boy was available and God made him king instead of Saul. It is just common sense. If you go to the supermarket to buy a loaf of bread you can only buy what is available, if there is no bread you can’t buy it, you may now consider buying biscuits or cookies if that is what is available. The point is that you cannot choose what is not available.
Likewise when you make yourself available to God, He will use you like he did to Mary Magdalene.
The bible says in Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” So God is not forceful but gentle, he will use those who yield to him. Make yourself available to God by prayers, worship and meditation and He will do mighty things through you. Wish you a blessed day.
