There is a universal condition in our world today: people are searching.
Some are searching for peace. Others are searching for identity, purpose, fulfillment, or hope. Solomon himself searched for all of those things. He searched through wealth, relationships, advancement, pleasure, and achievement, yet he finally concluded: “All is vanity.”
Why? Because he was looking for fulfillment in the wrong places.
Mary Magdalene represents a transformed life. We first meet her in Luke 8 where Jesus casts seven demons out of her. Talk about a life changed by the Gospel. She had once been under the influence and bondage of Satan, but Jesus completely changed her life.
Mary loved Jesus deeply. The Bible says she ministered unto Him with her substance.
But now in John 20, Mary is heartbroken. She stands outside the tomb weeping. She came prepared with spices to anoint the body of Jesus because she expected to find Him dead.
Mary is sincere. Mary is devoted. Mary is searching.
But she is looking for life in a graveyard.
This describes so many people in our world today. They are sincerely searching, but searching in the wrong places.
I remember speaking with a husband and wife who attended our church years ago. The wife was exploring various religions and philosophies trying to discover purpose in life. After speaking with her, I said, “The problem is not that you are searching. The problem is that you are looking in all the wrong places.”
People today scroll endlessly through phones looking for:
- Validation
- Connection
- Identity
- Meaning
Yet when the screen turns off, they still feel empty.
Why?
Because they are trying to find real life in dead things.
Mary is standing at a tomb looking for life (Ecclesiastes 1:2, Luke 8:2, Jeremiah 2:13).
We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God's smiles in him. None know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a deserted soul, which has had comfortable evidences of the love of
God in Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear? Christ, in manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their expectations. See how Mary's heart was in earnest to find Jesus. Christ's way of making himself known to his people is by his word; his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in particular. It might be read, Is it my Master? See with what pleasure those who love Jesus speak of his authority over
them. He forbids her to expect that his bodily presence look further, than the present state of things. Observe the relation to God, from union with Christ. We, partaking of a Divine nature, Christ's Father is our Father; and he, partaking of the human nature, our God is his God. Christ's ascension into heaven, there to plead for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort. Let them not think this earth is to be their home and rest; their eye and aim, and earnest desires, must be upon another world,
and this ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore I must seek the things which are above. And let those who know the word of Christ, endeavour that others should get good from their knowledge.
There is a universal condition in our world today: people are searching.
Some are searching for peace. Others are searching for identity, purpose, fulfillment, or hope. Solomon himself searched for all of those things. He searched through wealth, relationships, advancement, pleasure, and achievement, yet he finally concluded: “All is vanity.”
Why? Because he was looking for fulfillment in the wrong places.
Mary Magdalene represents a transformed life. We first meet her in Luke 8 where Jesus casts seven demons out of her. Talk about a life changed by the Gospel. She had once been under the influence and bondage of Satan, but Jesus completely changed her life.
Mary loved Jesus deeply. The Bible says she ministered unto Him with her substance.
But now in John 20, Mary is heartbroken. She stands outside the tomb weeping. She came prepared with spices to anoint the body of Jesus because she expected to find Him dead.
Mary is sincere. Mary is devoted. Mary is searching.
But she is looking for life in a graveyard.
This describes so many people in our world today. They are sincerely searching, but searching in the wrong places.
I remember speaking with a husband and wife who attended our church years ago. The wife was exploring various religions and philosophies trying to discover purpose in life. After speaking with her, I said, “The problem is not that you are searching. The problem is that you are looking in all the wrong places.”
People today scroll endlessly through phones looking for:
Yet when the screen turns off, they still feel empty.
Why?
Because they are trying to find real life in dead things.
Mary is standing at a tomb looking for life (Ecclesiastes 1:2, Luke 8:2, Jeremiah 2:13).
We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God's smiles in him. None know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a deserted soul, which has had comfortable evidences of the love of
God in Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear? Christ, in manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their expectations. See how Mary's heart was in earnest to find Jesus. Christ's way of making himself known to his people is by his word; his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in particular. It might be read, Is it my Master? See with what pleasure those who love Jesus speak of his authority over
them. He forbids her to expect that his bodily presence look further, than the present state of things. Observe the relation to God, from union with Christ. We, partaking of a Divine nature, Christ's Father is our Father; and he, partaking of the human nature, our God is his God. Christ's ascension into heaven, there to plead for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort. Let them not think this earth is to be their home and rest; their eye and aim, and earnest desires, must be upon another world,
and this ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore I must seek the things which are above. And let those who know the word of Christ, endeavour that others should get good from their knowledge.