The Risen Jesus Called His Own By Name

What Did Jesus Do?

Jesus said to her [Mary Magdalene] ,”Mary.”
She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!”
John 20.16

It was 48 years ago on Easter morning when I first heard John's account of the Resurrection. Young Rev. Doug Smith, Associate Pastor at the Wyckoff Reformed Church, was preaching at the 9:30 service (Rev. “De,” that is Wilbur DeRevere, the Senior Pastor, having done the earlier Sunrise Service). I was ten, sitting up in the balcony of the historic stone church in the center of the town where I grew up in New Jersey.

I really don't remember anything else about the service, or the sermon, but I can still hear Doug Smith reading from John's Gospel. He sure convinced me that Mary was beside herself with grief, and absolutely frantic over what she believed to have been the desecration of the tomb where Jesus had been laid by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, and the stealing of the Lord's body. This was a heart-broken woman. I believe the whole congregation was about to burst into tears along with the stricken Magdalene.

But then Rev. Smith got to verse 16, read, “Jesus said to her...” and paused dramatically for a moment. I know I held my breath. It seemed like we, and the grieving woman, hung there for minutes. Then Pastor Doug/Jesus said, “MARY.” I had never heard a name spoken with such tenderness, such warmth, such compassion, such love. “MARY.” My heart started to beat again, for I think it had frozen, along with my breathing. And, I am sure, no one has ever said, “Teacher!” or “Rabboni!” in Aramaic, with more emotion and joy than Doug Smith did with his impersonation of Mary Magdalene.

Ever since then I have been looking forward to the day when the Risen Lord will call to me by name (I get goose pimples just thinking about it!). It's even stuck in my mind, contrary to all the people who talk about how we will instantly recognize Jesus when we first see him, that, among all the glorified saints in heaven, it will take Jesus calling us by name as he greets us before presenting us to the Father, for us know that we have come face to face with our Savior.

I've heard a lot of Easter sermons, and preached a bunch of them myself, but the Easter message that has stuck with me, and has meant the most to me, is that sermon by Doug Smith all those years ago. The cry of disciples on Easter morning is, “He is risen!” But I think a disciple's greatest joy is hearing the Risen One call us by name. That's what Jesus did!

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4