John

Check out all the previous John readings here.

John Reading Plan | Week 16, Day 2

Prayer

Give your soul a moment of silence to align with your body. Express gratitude to God for the opportunity to be with Him and invite Him to meet you at this time.

Bible Reading: John 20:11-18

Read these verses three times slowly.

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

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.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

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.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

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.’”

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.

Reflection & Questions

Yesterday, we read that Mary had come to Jesus’ tomb, probably to be close to Him and to grieve. But to her horror, she found the body was gone. We read today that she “stood outside the tomb crying.” Not only had her savior died, now she couldn’t even grieve near his body. Everything was going from bad to worse.

But right there in her midst, Jesus was with her, speaking to her. She didn’t notice it was Him. She thought he was the gardener. But when He spoke her name, the lights came on. She ran up to Him and hugged him and held onto him. In a matter of moments, the worse went to wonderful. Tears of desperation turned to tears of joy. Jesus was ALIVE!

In this transformative and tender moment, Jesus gives her the assignment of a lifetime. She gets to tell the disciples that Jesus is alive! But don’t miss the profound message Jesus says: “Go to my brothers and tell them ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” It is the creation of a family. Jesus calls the disciples “my brothers” and says “I am ascending to my Father and your Father.” His death and resurrection has created an eternal family, a forever family. If we are in Christ, we are His brothers and sisters and God is our Father. That is what Jesus’ work has won! Amen!

1. What word or phrase sticks out to you from these verses? Why?
2. What does it mean that we are now brothers and sisters of Jesus? How should we treat each other?

Prayer

Talk to God in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

---

Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.

Questions?