26.1 As a group, read Luke 8:1-3; Mark 15:40; John 20:1-2 and 10-18. Invite the group to discuss these scriptures; do they see anything holding them together? Reflect on the previous two weeks' teachings and the core message of them; does this help them to see the connection?
As we reassess the passages, we can see one main thing connecting them: where Jesus was, Mary was (ministry, cross, tomb, resurrection).
Again we see Jesus asking us, 'Do you love me?' and in Mary we see the response He seeks in a sincere heart: If we should say 'Yes,' then that should bear fruit: us wanting - longing - to be always near Him. (compare Psalm 84:1-2,10)
26.2 Re-read Luke 8:1-3 and hone in on the description of Mary. Usually when we read of people with demons they have one or two at most, and whenever a relation took the possessed person to Jesus, the demon would resist and drive the person to fit. Now, imagine that x7.
We know nothing of Mary; whether she was brought to Jesus or ran to Him of her own accord, but we do know it would have been painful.
Coming to Jesus is never easy; there will always be resistance between the flesh and the Spirit. There will always be things we need to lay down and be delivered from... and even after we have met with Jesus, we need to continually surrender. Perhaps this is another reason why Mary was always found with Jesus; she knew that left to her own devices, she would struggle to stand. And perhaps Jesus knew this, too.
26.3 One final, but perhaps the most remarkable, thing about Mary is not just her faithfulness, but rather Christ's faithfulness to her. He could have healed her and sent her on her way but, instead, her stuck with her. He invited her 'into His world'; into His kingdom and never sent her away. In fact, He so wanted her to know He included her that He appeared to her first after He rose.
Week 26: Summary
At New Year, it's surprising to find that Mary Magdalene is the ideal person to study in reflecting upon God's character. At this time of year, when so many are busy making resolutions and dreaming for the future Jesus asks us significant questions that challenge the way we view the days ahead:
- Do we love Him? If we dare say 'yes', then be prepared to get where He is and stay there. as Mark Hall puts it, 'Is your walk with Jesus Christ characterized by personal faith, personal prayer, personal study, and personal disciplines? Or do you get by with the overflow from mature Christians?'
- If we choose to follow Him, we ought not to be so naive that we think it will be easy. It will mean daily surrender and a willingness to be delivered from our own demons. It will be a fight and it could get messy and painful... but, the good news is that
- We don't go it alone. Christ is with us, He is in us and He will stick with us.
What great promises and challenges to start the year with!
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