Have We?

 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.  John 20:18

...."We talk about the resurrection, but have we seen the Lord?"  Vance Havner

After Mary Magdalene's wondrous encounter with the risen Christ, she went and reported to His disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" We can only imagine the emotional, mental, and spiritual state of the disciples and what they must have been talking about. They were depressed, discouraged, and fearful. They also had surely been talking about things He had told them and promised them. One of them had to be His words about His death not being final, that they would see Him again. They didn't understand all that was involved in that, or what His resurrection would "look like," or if it was even possible. Now Mary was with them and proclaiming that she had indeed seen Him.

With this announcement, a whole new level of conversation must have arisen. Excitement, hope, joy....as well as doubt and even unbelief at the report. I think it certain that they were now talking about His resurrection and there were likely many ideas and views as to what that entailed. However, all that they were talking about was just that, talk. None of them had seen and experienced Him, their risen Lord. Only Mary had. That's where we get to Havner's question, and it's a timely one. In His church, do we just talk about His resurrection, about our risen Lord, or....have we actually "seen" and experienced Him?

Only those who truly have can understand how to answer that question. To believe upon Him is to have eyes of faith. Eyes of a living faith. To believe upon Him opens the door to actually experience Him and when we experience Him, we, in a very spiritual way, see Him. We know He's real. We know He's risen. We know that He's alive. With our eyes of faith we see the one who is invisible, and we hear His whispers into our hearts and spirits. If you've only heard the report, talked about what you've heard, but have never stepped out in faith with a heart yearning to experience Him, then your experience of the risen Lord remains little more than talk. He wants to be seen and experienced. He wants us, you and me, to see and experience Him. Have you? Do you want to not merely talk of Him, but see and experience Him? You can and will when your talk turns into faith. Are you ready to really see and experience the risen Christ?

Blessings,
Pastor O