Bible Study with "Me" and The Cowboy

SET FREE
&Luke 8:1-2
John 20:1-20

    I Mary Magdalene had an encounter with Jesus Christ.  He cast seven devils out of me and my life was never the same again.  

I was so full of anger from all the things that had happened to me in my lifetime.  I hated everybody, especially men, but I was jealous of people too, if they had nice lives, with families that loved and cared for them.  I was guilty and ashamed that maybe all of these bad things that happened to me were my fault. `

I had unforgiveness in my heart for what had been done to me, and fear filled me when I looked at myself and realized I could depend on no one.  No one wanted to be around me, but pride kept me from revealing what was really in my heart, and I would not take any help from anyone, especially God.   All of my sins made me sick, and I was in constant pain, in my body and in my soul.

Then, I came face to face with the loveliest man I had ever met.  Jesus touched me with his hand, and lifted me up and spoke to me in the most melodious voice I had ever heard in my life.  He looked at me with such kindness and love in His eyes that I was in shock that anyone could show love to me.    

He spoke to me as if He knew me, and still He loved me as I was.  He changed my stony heart in a twinkling of an eye, and gave me a heart of flesh that could cry and laugh, and face evil and not be afraid, so I could now receive love and give love in return.

I floated on air everywhere I went and I had such joy in my heart.  I could hardly believe this could happen to me.  I followed Jesus everywhere He went and became one of His most devoted disciples.  I spoke of Him to everyone I met, and told them what He had done for me.

But now Jesus has been crucified before my very eyes, and before the whole world, in a most shameful way.   My heart is so broken because of the pain He suffered, and because He was an “innocent Lamb,” and because He has been taken from me and from those that loved Him deeply.  

Today, I “came early to the grave when it was yet dark.”  (John 20:1)  When I got there I found the stone was rolled away from the entrance of the grave.  I immediately ran to the home of Simon Peter and John and told them that “Jesus had been taken away, and I did not know where they had laid Him.”  

The three of us ran to the gravesite and Peter and John saw for themselves that what I said was true.  They went into the grave and saw the linen clothes were there, but Jesus was not.  They then went away to their own homes,” but I stayed weeping outside the tomb.  I stooped down to look again into the cave and saw ‘two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, of where Jesus body had been.’

They said to me, “Woman, why weepest thou?”  I said, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.’  Then I turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but I did not know it was He.  Jesus said to me, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?”  I believed Him to be the gardener, so I said to Him, ‘Sir, If thou have borne Him hence, tell me, where thou hast laid him, and I will take Him away.’ (John 20:15)  

Jesus then said to me, “Mary.”  I immediately turned and said unto Him, ‘Master!’  I grabbed onto His feet with all my might, for fear that He may disappear from my sight.  He said to me, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father; and your Father, and to my God, and your God.”

I was convinced that He would not disappear from my life again, so I ran as fast as I could to tell the Disciples that I had seen our Lord and that He had spoken to me, and I told them all that he had said to me.  They had me tell them over and over again what He had said.  We were all in hiding because of what had happened to Jesus and we were afraid of what might happen to us if we went out on the streets.

In the evening of the same day, the first day of the week, Jesus appeared to all of us assembled there and said to us, “Peace be with you.”  Then He showed us His nail-pierced hands and His pierced side.  The Disciples were so glad to see Jesus alive again and they knew it was Him.  

Then He said to them again, “Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you.”  Then He breathed on them, and said, ‘Receive you the Holy Ghost; whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins you retain, they are retained.’ (John 20:19-21)

This was the most marvelous encounter I had had with Jesus.  My heart was so full and I was so joyous.  Death has no fear for me now, or did it ever again.  “Jesus Is Risen.  Hallelujah!”