First Witness (7 Things That Prove Jesus Was / Is Alive)

"When she had said this, she turned around, and beheld Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus." (John 20:14)

So who was the first person to see Jesus alive on Easter Sunday morning? Hm? I'm talking about a man or a woman who actually saw the Lord with their own two eyes. I'll give you a second to think about it.

Was it Peter? Was it John? Was it Thomas? We know Thomas touched Christ. He put his hands into the nail prints in His wrists and sword wound in His side. (John 20:27-28) Thomas definitely saw Jesus. No doubt. (Pun intended.) But Thomas wasn't first.

So who was it?

Was it the two men traveling down the highway? The Emmaus' road disciples definitely saw Christ and would later have supper with Him ~ that's when their eyes were opened! (Luke 24:13-35) ~ but were they the first? Hm? Or was it somebody else?

She probably had the most dynamic of transformations of all the lady disciples (let alone the men). Scripture mentions seven demons being cast out of this gal. (Luke 8:2) I'm talking about none other than Mary Magdalene. It was she who was the first witness of the resurrection. It was Mary! She was the first person to see Jesus alive. Incredible.

So why Mary?

I'll answer that question in just a second. But before that, Mary didn't recognize Christ at the beginning. Did you notice that in the above verse? (John 20:14) Mary didn't recognize Jesus when she saw Him at first. She thought He was the gardener of all people! (John 20:15) No, Mary didn't know who it was.

Do you understand that sometimes Christ is the very one who is near you, with you, by your side and you don't even realize it? I'm speaking to somebody right now. The very One you're looking for is right in front of your nose. He really is. (Thank you, Mary, for showing us that.)

Mary will recognize the Lord ultimately. I especially think it's significant that it's in the calling out of her name that she's triggered. "Mary!" Christ exclaimed. "Mary!"(John 20:16a) And then she knows it's Him. Wow.

And do you remember the passage?, "'He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out. The sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.'" (John 10:3b, 4b-5) This is the anecdote from Scripture on that passage (Mary's story on Easter). It was lived out up front and personal on Resurrection Sunday.

It has everything to do with the answer to the question: So why was Mary the first witness? and the list below: 7 things Mary Magdalene did that prove Jesus was / is alive.

So why Mary first? Let me tell you why.

She would be the best witness having the most dynamic of transformations, first of all. She knew the Master's voice, second of all. Thirdly, Mary, of all the women and men ~ "Mary!" ~ she just would not make this up. And last (but certainly not least)...

Mary loved Jesus the most. \o/ #HeIsRisenIndeed

7 things Mary Magdalene did that prove Jesus was / is alive:

1. She declared the tomb empty. (John 20:2)
2. She beheld Him with her own two eyes. (John 20:14)
3. She heard His voice. (John 20:15a; 16a)
4. She spoke with Him. (John 20:15b)
5. She recognized who He was. (John 20:16b)
6. She clung to His living, breathing body. (John 20:17)
7. She announced what happened to her friends. (John 20:18)

(Picture above licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license: HERE.)

You might also be interested in:

• The Theft Theory of the Resurrection
• Weeping for the Wrong Thing