“Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene” (Mark 16:9).
After His resurrection, the Lord first appeared to a woman named Mary Magdalene on Easter morning. Although she had much devotion for the Lord, she was unaware of the fact that He was risen again and that the power which was manifested by His resurrection was meant for those who love Him and believe in Him. The Lord Jesus Christ stood her and spoke to her, but she did not recognise Him and so was weeping. Today we find many believers throughout the world weeping for every small trial and temptation, but the Lord wants them to be more than conquerors in every situation. The reason for their weeping is that they do not know how to appropriate the power of resurrection for every need.
When the Lord called Mary by name, she recognized Him. She wanted to touch His feet to show her devotion and love for Him; but the Lord said to her, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father” (John 20:17). A short time later, He allowed other women to hold Him by His feet as we read in Matt. 28:9. Then eight days after the resurrection He said to Thomas,”…Reach higher thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). So it was for a purpose that the Lord did not allow Mary, though so devoted, to touch Him. The Lord Jesus Christ had to ascend to heaven as our everlasting heavenly High Priest to offer His own blood on our behalf in the Most Holy place according to Heb. 9:12. According to the prophecy of Psalm 16:10, His body saw no corruption and His blood also did not see any corruption. The Lord Jesus as our everlasting High Priest by his own hands offered His own blood for the atonement of all our sins and for cleansing us from all the defilement caused on our guilty conscience by our thoughts, words and deeds. Thus we see if we want to enjoy the power of resurrection daily, first of all, we have to wait upon Him sufficiently till He speaks to us, according to our need. Before He can speak to us, we have to be cleanse from all the defilement caused by our thoughts, words and deeds by the precious blood of the everlasting covenant. By faith, we have to keep ourselves constantly under the sprinkling of His precious blood. Then we will be able to enjoy the power of resurrection.