Eternal Life

A devotion that I wrote for our church today.

Eternal Life
John 19:41-42, 20:1, 11-16, 18


The story of Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Jesus is a beloved story. The popular 1912 hymn “In the Garden” was inspired by the story: “I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses; And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses.”

The four Gospels provide different accounts of the Resurrection, differing on details about who visited the tomb, how many visited the tomb, and what was said (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20). But all of the accounts agree that Mary Magdalene visited the tomb that day. In John’s account, Mary gets there first, goes back and tells Peter and John, who then rush to see the tomb. Peter and John leave, without experiencing Jesus or angels, but Mary lingers sadly.

Mary’s sorrow alludes to John 16:20-22, where Jesus promises that his friends will mourn and weep but then will experience joy. Interestingly, in John’s story, Jesus does not appear to Peter and John, but to Mary.  She does not recognize him and assumes he is the gardener. Why doesn’t she know who he is? The resurrected Jesus is a spiritual body, visible and tangible but no longer limited by time and space. What nature will any of us have, when we raise as spiritual bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-56)?

Jesus asks Mary whom she was looking for. Remember John 1:38, where Jesus asks two disciples, “What are you looking for?” John’s whole gospel is thus framed by an invitation of Jesus, essentially saying: who or what are you looking for? Follow Jesus and learn more about him! He is what you’re looking for—and see how much love he has to give!  

When Jesus speaks Mary’s name, she recognizes him.  Earlier in John, Jesus had said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). From now on, in whatever way Jesus speaks to us, we will recognize him and follow him and share in the life that he has promised.

When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), he emerged still wrapped in his grave cloths. Lazarus was resuscitated and restored, but eventually he would physically die again. The neatness of Jesus’ abandoned grave cloths shows us that he left death behind. Physically, we will all die someday, but because of Jesus, our lives will extend beyond the physical world and we will forever be with God. As impressive as the miracle of Lazarus was, all of us share in an even greater event!