Made for More: Part TwoSample

Mary Magdalene

There are several inaccurate speculations about the life lived by Mary Magdalene prior to meeting Jesus. What we do know, however, is that Mary Magdalene experienced a dramatic transformation that led her to hold a considerably unique role in the Bible. Mary Magdalene followed Jesus through his ministry, witnessed his crucifixion (John 20:11-18), was the first person Christ revealed himself to upon his resurrection, and likely awaited the Holy Spirit’s descent (Acts 1:14) after Jesus went up to Heaven. In some sense, Mary Magdalene is an overlooked disciple of Jesus Christ.

Mary Magdalene was devoted to Christ, even after his resurrection, yet it was her first recorded encounter with Christ in which she discovered MORE FREEDOM. The moment she met Jesus, he freed her from the bondage of seven demons (Luke 8:1-3). After she was healed, Mary Magdalene got up and chose to follow the ministry of Christ throughout Galilee.

It is no surprise that during this time period women weren’t always treated well or viewed as equal to men. Jesus, however, showed women their value when they were belittled by others. Christ let the worth of women be known (Luke 8:43–48, John 8:1–11). There is little doubt that Mary Magdalene often felt overlooked and under-appreciated, and with the illness (demon-possession) she carried, would have been left by the wayside. After meeting Christ, however, Mary Magdalene saw her great value and purpose. Through his love, she found MORE DIGNITY. 

Ministering love and dignity to the outcasts of this world was precisely what Christ came to do (Matthew 25:37-40). One more recent story of such love ministering to “the least of these” comes from the New Life Covenant Church in Chicago. 

Prior to his role as the general treasurer of the Assemblies of God, Wilfredo De Jesus (better known as Pastor Choco) was the pastor of New Life Covenant Church in a city filled with high crime rates and prostitution. Pastor Choco discovered a burden for the outcasts in society throughout his ministry and purchased a farm to start a ministry to women who were caught up in prostitution. 

One day Pastor Choco sent his assistant out to ask a few prostitutes what they would charge for an hour’s worth of service, and they said $225. So the assistant brought five women to Pastor Choco, who paid them each and then said, “Follow me.” He brought the women into a beautifully decorated banquet hall which was set up in their honor. The evening started with Pastor Choco’s wife leading worship while a ministry team performed a gospel drama. It wasn't long before all the women were brought to tears. The women said no one had ever treated them in such a way and refused to keep the money. Today, the ministry has rescued more than 600 women from prostitution and human trafficking and is a part of the Chicago Dream Center (Rose of Sharon). This is precisely the kind of value and love Christ calls for us to minister to “the least of these.”

It is somewhat bewildering to think that out of all of the disciples, Christ would first reveal himself to Mary Magdalene. Or perhaps it is most appropriate. Maybe Mary Magdalene was just first seeking out Jesus when everyone else was mourning his death. While we can never know for sure, scripture says, “while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw the stone that was rolled away” (John 20:1). Mary Magdalene was full of MORE EXPECTATION and eagerness, not only to be near Christ but to be a disciple of his continuing ministry. There is power in hope - particularly in the expectancy for things to come that only Christ’s Spirit can fill us with. 

At times all of us have felt used, abused, shamed, or forgotten. They are universal feelings of abandonment and unworthiness, but that is what Christ came to redeem. 

No matter how long you have walked a life of faith and devotion as a Christian, it is easy to fall into the pangs of guilt and unworthiness or to feel that you just don’t fit in. It is easy to forget Christ came to give us MORE VALUE. When we seek, expect, and allow Christ to fill our lives with purpose, we will find a deeper understanding of our value than anything or anyone on this earth can offer. When we live out of the value Christ gives us, we can boldly and freely live this life for him.