First Encounter

By Pastor Chad

I went to a conference about 10 years ago in New Orleans with a group of academics. Some of us stopped by Starbucks to get coffee and chat. While in Starbucks, Harry Connick Jr. also dropped in to get a cup of coffee. I noticed him walk into the restaurant, and absent-mindedly said, “Huh, that singer, Harry Connick Jr., just walked in.” I figured, with a group of doctors, aspiring doctors, and professors, they would shrug the observation off apathetically. Little did I anticipate most of the guys with me would take out their phones and start taking pictures of the famed singer. They didn’t approach him to ask for an autograph or anything, but I was surprised they cared at all. 

This extremely minor encounter with a celebrity produced a reaction in my friends I was not expecting. 

How do you think you would react if the risen Savior appeared before you right now? What would you do? I dare say, for most Christians, if we encountered the risen Lord, we would respond in the only way worthy of His presence: we would respond in worship. When the resurrected Jesus appeared before Mary, she responded in worship (Matthew 28:9 and John 20:17).

Mary’s response, however, was not without cause. In John’s recounting of the event, Mary does not immediately recognize Jesus. This is somewhat odd. Mary was well acquainted with Jesus’ appearance and voice, yet she initially thought Jesus to be the gardener. It wasn’t until Jesus said her name, that Mary realized who stood before her (John 20:16). When Jesus called Mary by name, she instantly knew who He was. 

This is an event representing how we all encounter the risen Lord. He personally calls us by name. He is not a God indifferent to the lives of His creatures. He takes an intimate interest in who we are and the condition of our lives. In the same way, we encounter the risen Lord when He calls us by name; our eyes are opened and we see who Jesus truly is. In like manner, we too fall before the encountered Lord in worship and awe. When we see Him as He is, we long to cling to Him as Mary did. We don’t want to be anywhere else. We don’t want to do anything else. We just want to be with Him. 

One day, this Marian desire will be fully realized. One day, we will see the risen Lord with our own eyes. One day, He will stand before us as He stood before Mary. In the meantime, we must all strive for the same reaction Mary displayed: falling at His feet in worship.