Jesus Use Name Recognition

What Did Jesus Do?

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,
“Rabboni!”(which means Teacher).
John 20.16

A frantic, and no doubt winded, Mary Magdalene stood weeping outside the empty tomb (John 20.11), having run to summon Peter and John, and then hastened back to the garden where the body of Jesus had been placed in the grave borrowed from Joseph of Arimathea. Through her tear-blurred eyes she looked into the sepulcher and saw two angels sitting by the place where Christ’s body had lain (John 20.12). Asked by the divine messengers what was the reason for her crying, Mary confessed that her anxiety was for the body of her Lord, which she feared had been stolen from the grave (John 20.13).

Despairing, Mary turned to go, certainly to continue her search, whereupon she encountered a man she did not recognize, but presumed to be the caretaker of the garden, who asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” In fact he was the very man she was seeking, but, of course, she was looking for a dead body, not a Risen Savior (John 20.14-15). Mary repeated to the man that her quest was to locate the remains of the Lord, the One who had set her free from the torment of seven demons (see Mark 16.9). Then, with just one word, the man radically changed Magdalene’s life a second time.

You see, the Good Shepherd knows his sheep, and he calls them by name (see John 10.3), and the sheep know him (John 10.14). Though she didn’t know the man by his voice or visage, she knew her Teacher when he called her, “Mary.” The risen Jesus used name recognition to reveal himself to Mary, and he still makes himself known to all those he saves by calling them by name.

Salvation is no indiscriminate thing, it is absolutely personal and most intimate. No one is saved by a stranger, but by the One who knows us better than we know ourselves. We may well not know him when we see him, though his startlingly white raiment, and most beautiful and glorious countenance, should give him away. But, we will surely recognize him when we hear his voice call to us personally by name. Mary Magdalene did.

Evangelism may be conducted through crusades, and electronic media may be used to reach out to the masses, but salvation comes to a lost sinner when he or she hears the Lord’s voice calling him or her personally. Jesus still uses name recognition to make himself known to those who are being saved.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4