Jesus Loved Us To the End - Part 890

"I will declare Thy name unto my brethren [and] in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee." And again, "I will put my trust in Him." And yet again, "Behold, I and the children which God hath given me ..." (Hebrews 2:12-13; Isaiah 8:18)

Mary stood at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. And seeing two angels in white sitting -- the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus HAD lain, they said unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou?"

She responded, saying, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." And when she had thus said this, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing, but knew not that it was Jesus. (John 20:11-14)

Jesus said unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?"

The woman supposing Him to be the gardener said unto Him, "Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away."

Jesus whispers the name "Mary" and immediately she turns herself saying, "Rabboni" which is to say, "Master." She knew in whom she believed, and at that moment, she realized that her Lord and Saviour had risen from the dead.

This is why Jesus said unto her, "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 to your God." (John 20:17) This scripture corresponds with the words Jesus spoke in John 16:28 which states: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world; again, I leave the world and go to the Father."

Earlier however, even before the feast of the passover, Jesus knew that His hour was come. And that as such, He was to depart out of this world "unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world -- He loved them unto the end ... Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God." (John 13:1-3)

Why is this important? Because herein, Jesus was about to reveal His identity to anyone with eyes to see and ears to hear. Just like He did to Mary at the sepulchre, before ascending to the Father.

In John 14, Jesus is instructing the disciples to not let their heart be troubled because if they believe in God, they would believe also in Him. He then shares that He is going to prepare a place for them "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way you know." (John 14:1-4)

But Thomas (or doubting Thomas as some call him) said "Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?" Jesus said unto Thomas, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (John 14:5-6)

What did Jesus say next? "If you [Thomas] had known Me, you should have known My Father also; and from henceforth you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:7)

Philip, who had been standing by listening to this conversation states: "Lord, show us the Father and it sufficeth us." Jesus said unto Philip, "Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip. He that hath seen Me has seen the Father, and how sayest thou then, "Show us the Father." (John 14:8-15)

Jesus, their Lord God was about to become their Saviour. Our Saviour. Jesus said, "I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever .. even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive because it sees Him not, neither knows Him ... but you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless -- I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more, but you see Me because I live, you shall live also." (John 14:16-19)

A little later, Jesus said, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

In other words, Jesus had to ascend to the Father in order for the Comforter to come. Not God in three persons but one God who willingly took on sin-prone flesh -- shedding His precious blood on the cross for you and I.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ -- the Father of glory -- may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him ... the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power -- which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:17-19)

And where are those heavenly places? "Far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named -- not only in this world but also in that which is to come; and hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:20-23)

Praise Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.