“Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’” - John 20:15
We’ve spent a week walking through the final days of Jesus, and now we get to the culmination of our time together. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but now we have arrived at the climax of the story: He is risen! He is risen indeed!
As John wraps up his account of the gospel narrative, he takes us into a montage of ‘where are they now’ stories. Each example shows how the individual fails to recognize Jesus until He reveals Himself to them.
Don’t you find it interesting that it is a woman who is the first EASTER SUNDAY: WHOM ARE YOU SEEKING? APRIL 12, 2020 READ: JOHN 20:1-21:25 person to see the risen savior? Not only would her testimony be considered invalid in a legal setting, but even the disciples don’t believe her. This encounter is beautiful. Mary Magdalene is weeping as Jesus is talking to her, whom she thinks is a gardener, but when He calls her name, she recognizes Him.
It was over a week later, but doubting Thomas still hadn’t seen Jesus and He refused to believe unless He could physically touch Him. Let’s be honest, we are all a bit like Thomas. There are a lot of things we refuse to believe in the face of overwhelming evidence. But Jesus appears to Thomas. He lets him touch His hands and His side, revealing the eternal marks of His death. He truly died, and He truly lives.
Then, much later, after Peter and the others went back to their lives, Jesus has one more storyline to wrap up. Can you imagine Peter going back to fishing after spending three years under Jesus’ teaching and witnessing the resurrection? Still, Peter finds himself back in his old life, harboring the guilt of denying Jesus three times. So Jesus patiently and lovingly walks Peter through his identity, purpose, and destiny.
Each story gives us a glimpse into the unique people who followed Jesus, whom He loved, and who would go on to spread the good news throughout the entire world.
Adam Miller is the president and host of Songtime Radio and serves as the pastor of South Chatham Community Church. This article is a condensed version of one of his sermons.