By Pastor Shana Wise
John 20:14-16 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
· Jesus wants us to be able to hear and see him from our original position in Him, which is: Woman.
· Genesis 2:22-23, Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
· Eve was not given her name until sin entered mankind. She was always referred to as women. In Genesis chapter 2-3 the name woman was mentioned over 10 times.
· Before sin entered, the woman was “equal” with the man. She did not have to submit because sin was not present. Once sin entered, the “position” of the woman, in the earth, changed, but not her assignment or purpose. What do you think the woman’s original purpose was? It was to be man’s help mate to tend to the garden.
· Throughout the old testament and even up until present day in some parts of the world, the “woman” has been suppressed, with little or no rights. In the days of old, women status in society was equal to a dog or she was just considered a piece of property. Many women in the new testament didn’t even have a name, they just called her woman, or a certain woman, or a woman from a region (Canaanite, Shulamite, etc.).
· Jesus came not only to destroy the power of sin over our lives but with his death, burial, and resurrection, came restoration of the Kingdom of God on earth through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. This included the original intent of the position of the woman in the earth realm.
· Before Jesus’ encounter with Mary at the empty tomb, he started this process of restoration during his earthly ministry. He often refers to the women as “woman”, “daughter”, and “mother” (Mary his mother)”. Very rarely did he call women by their earthly name, and I believe he did this on purpose to signify that he was the Restorer.
· John 19:26, When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” Notice in this text that Jesus no longer called Mary his mother, he said “woman” here is your son”. He was dying on the cross, and one of his last words he chose to say was this statement. Jesus was not just addressing Mary; he was addressing all the woman of mankind.
· Jesus was “Name Dropping” in the spiritual sense every time he addressed his daughters. He only sees us as he created us, which is woman.
· In John 20: 14-16 Jesus had risen from the dead and he was present at the tomb where Mary was looking for him. She did not recognize him because of her distress and grief. Jesus addressed her as woman first, and she did not respond, because she thought he was a stranger. Once her called her earthly name, she responded.
· Teaching Points and Questions:
1) We must remember that this was the same Mary that Jesus cast out seven demons. Once she was delivered, she faithfully committed to his earthly ministry. Have you ever been set free from bondage by Jesus? Sometimes even, after we are delivered, people still remember us by our “previous name” and all the things we did in the past with that name. Once Jesus has set us free, we are a new creation in him, and our “name” has changed.
2) We as woman must remember what name we answer to. Meaning, the world has many names for us, but we need to respond to the one that God has given us: Woman.
3) He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” The text goes on to say that she did not recognize him. Have you ever experienced so much grief that you felt like you could not hear or see God? Have you ever thought you heard the voice of God, but you were not sure? What questions is God asking you today?
4) In the same verse, Jesus was “name dropping” in the spiritual. Mary was the first one to come to the tomb and check on Jesus. She also was the first one who “went and proclaimed that Christ had risen”. Her position, in the earth realm, was being changed from just “Mary” to “Evangelist”. How has God changed your “name” since you been saved?
5) Lastly, once Mary realized it was Jesus, she called him, “Rabboni” or Teacher. When God drops our earthly name, through his son Jesus Christ, he wants us to experience the power of His Name. The Trinity has many names that refer to their character and nature. For example, Jesus is known as the Teacher, Good Shepard, Immanuel, Prince of Peace, Bright and Morning Star. God is referred to as Jehovah, Elohim, El Roi, El Shaddai, and Adonai. They have these various titles because their desire is for us to have a relationship with the Father. In what way do you need God to show up in your life today?
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About the Author
Dr. Shana Wise is an ordained Pastor and CEO of Wise Choice Ministries (est. 2016). She is the founder of The Well Christian Women’s Network formally known as Christian Women Preachers United. Dr. Wise is the author of women’s devotional, Acts of Intercession, and The Impact of Your Election (available on Amazon). She received a Doctor of Divinity degree in 2019 from St. Thomas Christian University. Her passion is to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, equip others to apply the Word to their lives, and demonstrate the Word through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is a televangelist that appears on social media outlets and television. Shana is married to Ron Wise and is the mother of four children.
Books available on Amazon at:
Acts of Intercession
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1721143629/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BuKbFb8FMZHEB
The Impact of Your Election
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1792003307/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vvKbFbA33J669
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