And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.  Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace to you! Then He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, an put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. 

John 20:26-27 

Christ is the Savior of the individual. We find He sought out specific people to whom He ministered in particular ways. He sought out the woman at the well, the man at the pool of Bethesda, and the maniac of Gadara. These are a few examples of many. In the case of Thomas, Christ made a personal appearance, apparently especially for Thomas’ benefit. The other disciples had already seen Christ alive from the dead the week before. When they had related the account to Thomas, his response was, ‘Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ Christ, knowing all things, was aware of Thomas’ reaction. Thus, He appeared to him personally. This shows us the overwhelming compassion of Christ to His struggling saints. Thomas certainly would have wanted to believe that Christ had risen from the dead. He struggled with his unwillingness to take someone else’s word for it. He insisted on seeing for himself. Christ was gracious to him. We are often like him. In our unbelief, we need more. Christ very often accommodates our weakness and makes a Personal appearance.  

Our Gracious, Loving Savior. 
We rejoice that You understand our weakness. 
We praise You that You show Yourself to us, 
when we need to see you most. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her. 

John 20:18 

When we have seen the living Christ we cannot be silent. As soon as Christ departed to complete His unfinished business, Mary went to where the disciples were and told them she had seen Him.  She went on to relate what He had said to her. This was her natural response to having seen the living Christ and spoken with Him. At the moment she spoke to the disciples they did not believe her. It would take their own sight of the resurrected Christ to cause them to believe. When that happened, they also would ‘cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.’ This is the behavior of many who have encountered Christ. They have gone to all the world with the message that Christ has risen from the dead and spoken to them. In every age, every climate, every culture, and every context, those who have embraced the living Christ have spoken of Him. His message is still going forth. His gospel is still preached far and wide. We add our voices to the great company who speak of Christ. He is risen indeed and still speaks. 

Our Gracious Master and our God, 
we rejoice that You reveal Yourself to Your people. 
We praise You that You send them forth to all the world, 
to speak of You. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Jesus said to her, Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God. 

John 20:17 

Mary Magdalene clung to the living Christ with all her might. Having lost Him once, beheld Him alive, she clung to Him with fervent love. This is the soul-response of the one who loves Christ and sees Him alive from the dead. We understand her fervor. To Mary Magdalene, Christ was everything. He had found her in the depths of her misery, possessed by seven demons. He had cast out the demons, transformed her life and she had followed Him ever since. She had seen Him heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed the multitudes. She had heard the gracious words that proceeded out of His mouth. She had seen His agonies, and watched him die. All her hopes had died with Him. Now He was standing before her and she clung to Him as if she would never let Him go. Christ did have to bring her to the point where she released Him because He had things to do that were, as yet, incomplete. Her embrace however, was an indication of her love and fervent devotion. When we have gotten a clear sight of the living Christ, our souls cling to Him as hers did.  

Our Glorious, Living Christ, 
we rejoice that You are alive from the dead. 
We praise You that every sight we have of You, 
increases our love for You. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 

John 10:3  

Jesus said to her, Mary! She turned and said to Him, Rabboni! (which is to say, Teacher). 

John 20:16 

Christ says He calls His Own by name. In the broad sense, we can apply this to His call of His redeemed unto salvation. In the narrow sense, we can say He calls His Own by name in specific instances and on special occasions. He spoke to Saul of Tarsus by name on the Damascus Road. He spoke to Peter by name to convince him to take the gospel to the gentiles. In our text, He spoke to Mary by name to reveal to her that He had risen from the dead. This was a wonderful moment for Mary. She loved Him deeply; had followed Him faithfully; seen Him die horrifically; mourned Him thoroughly; and now sought to bury Him properly. What she was not expecting was to hear Him audibly call her by name. The recognition that came with Christ calling her by name thrilled her thoroughly. It gave her hope, faith, and joy. She turned to embrace the One she loved most. When we are at our lowest, have lost our sight of Christ, and are grieving deeply, it restores our faith, hope and joy to hear Him call us by name. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He still does.  

Our Gracious and Loving Savior, 
we praise You that You know us by name. 
We rejoice that when we are at our lowest, 
You call us and turn our eyes to You. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

Then they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him. 

John 20:13 

Mary Magdalene was utterly heartbroken. On the Sunday morning that followed the crucifixion of Christ, she was standing before His empty tomb, unaware He had risen from the dead. As she peered into the tomb, ‘she saw two angels in white, sitting one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.’ Our text contains their question to her and her response. What reason did she give? ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.’ She was mourning the loss of Christ, everything that remained of Him was gone. Thus, her devastation was complete. She could not honor what was left of Him. For those who love Christ, there are moments when He is lost in sight to the eyes of faith. For whatever reason, we may have times when we are unable even to find traces of Him. This is a devastating experience for the believer. It is the cause of much weeping. Christ does not leave us in that condition, even though we may feel His absence keenly. A believer who has lost the clear sight of Christ will mourn until they see Him again.   

Our Gracious Master, and our Loving God, 
we rejoice that You see us in our mourning. 
We praise You that when we have lost sight of You, 
You reveal Yourself to us again. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning