What Jesus Did : John 20:17-18 - Don't Cling to Me, Go Tell
by Phil Ware
Don't Cling to Me, Go Tell - John 20:17-18
Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me. I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers (followers) and tell them this: 'I am going back to my Father and your Father. I am going back to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went to the followers and told them, "I saw the Lord!" And she told them the things Jesus said to her. (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
The biggest task we have as Jesus' disciples is to not cling to Jesus—to cocoon ourselves in church and in the presence of the Lord—at the expense of going to tell others about him. We have a message of hope and a never-ending life to share with others who are trapped in hopelessness and despair. As disciples, we are not to spend the majority of our time in holy pep rallies, but in the world, touching its hurt and offering it hope in a Jesus who lives in us and can live in them. Jesus accompanies us when we go share that message and go serve those who are broken just as much as he does when we meet together as his people. So let's get out there and give others his message in word and deed.
Today's Prayer
Father, forgive me for being part of a watered down faith that spends so much time on sharing Jesus with itself and avoids entering the world to serve as Jesus served and to show that Jesus is alive today by our actions. Help me share Jesus' message with those around me, not arrogantly or self-righteously, but with genuine concern and through authentic service. In Jesus' name, and for Jesus' sake, I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Early on Sunday morning Mary Magdalene went to the tomb {where Jesus' body was}. It was still dark. Mary saw that the large stone {that covered the entrance} was moved away. So Mary ran to Simon Peter and the other follower (the one Jesus loved very much). Mary said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb. We don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other follower started going to the tomb. They were both running, but the other follower ran faster than Peter. So the other follower reached the tomb first. The follower bent down and looked in. He saw the pieces of linen cloth lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came from behind him. Peter went into the tomb. He saw the pieces of linen lying there. He also saw the cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up and laid in a different place from the pieces of linen. Then the other follower went in. This was the follower that had reached the tomb first. He saw what had happened and believed. (These followers did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from death.) Then the followers went back home. But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. While she was crying, she bent down and looked inside the tomb. Mary saw two angels dressed in white. They were sitting where Jesus' body had been. One angel was sitting where Jesus' head had been, and the other angel was sitting where Jesus' feet had been. The angels asked Mary, "Woman, why are you crying?" Mary answered, "Some people have taken away {the body of} my Lord. I don't know where they put him." When Mary said this she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Mary thought that this was the man that takes care of the garden. So Mary said to him, "Did you take Jesus away, sir? Tell me where you put him. I will go and get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." Mary turned toward Jesus and said in the Jewishlanguage, "Rabboni." (This means "Teacher.") Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me. I have not yet gone back up to the Father. But go to my brothers (followers) and tell them this: 'I am going back to my Father and your Father. I am going back to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went to the followers and told them, "I saw the Lord!" And she told them the things Jesus said to her.-- John 20:1-18 (ERV)
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