Page 55 - No Apologies

John 20:11-18
Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and
looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and
one at the feet, where the body of Yahshua had been lying. And 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." When she had said this, she
turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Yahshua.
Yahshua said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"
Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him
away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Yahshua said to
her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means,
Teacher). Yahshua said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to
the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your
Father, and My God and your God.’" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the
disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her.

Was it not a great honor to be the first among all mankind to see the resurrected Lord?
Those who confuse governmental order with the love of God would certainly think that
Christ would reveal Himself first to a man. I am persuaded, however, that the one who
loved Christ the most saw Him first. He could not delay in bringing comfort to one who was
so grieved at being separated from Him. Notice how she clung to the feet of Yahshua when
He appeared. Mary did not want to ever be separated from her Lord again.
Sisters in Christ, I ask you, if rumor had gone out that you had died, and you knew
that this saying was causing distress among your family and friends, who would you show
yourself to first to demonstrate that you were actually alive? Would it not be the one you
knew would be the most grieved to experience your loss? Would not your love for that
person compel you to go straightway to them?
I know of no greater testimony in Scripture that women are counted as worthy of the
love and favor of God as men than the fact that Christ showed Himself to Mary Magdalene
before He showed Himself to any other. Not even John, the beloved disciple, met the
resurrected Christ before Mary.
God does not judge as man judges. Man is impressed with position, success, and fame.
God, however, looks upon the heart. He knows those who love Him. He sees that it is often
those without position, even in the church, who are the most faithful and devoted. The Bible
tells us that Christ had twelve male disciples whom He handpicked. Only one of them was
mentioned as being present at His crucifixion. All others had fled. Only John was in
attendance. Yet among the women who had followed Him, we are told that there was a
number present during this darkest, and most sorrowful moment of His life.

John 19:25
But standing by the cross of Yahshua were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary
the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

The male disciples of Christ had fled, fearing the persecution of the Jewish leaders and
the Romans. The threat was just as imminent for these women, but not even fear for their
lives could keep them from the One they loved so dearly. It is significant to note that the one
male disciple who was present at the crucifixion of Christ was known for his love of Christ,