A. Who was Mary Magdalene?
1. Her name
– “Mary” means “loved by Yahweh”
– “Magdalene” refers to her place of birth and growing up
2. Her life prior to Jesus: Luke 8:1-2
3. Her deliverance by Jesus: Mark 16:9
4. Her love for Jesus: Luke 8:1-3
B. Mary Magdalene: A Type and Illustration
1. Type of all believers struggling with faith and hope in Christ
– Sorrow and grief caused by relational loss humanly and divine: John 20:11
– Hopelessness caused by relational loss humanly and divine: John 20:12-13
2. Illustrative of all unbelievers without Christ
– Sorrow and grief caused by relational separation from Christ: Eph. 2:11-12
– Hopelessness caused by no answer to the question of death: Hebrews 2:14-15
C. Encountering the Risen Christ: Faith, Hope, Love Is Alive
1. By a personal touch from Jesus: John 20:15-16, John 20:24-29, Acts 9:1-6
2. By a spiritual awareness taught by Jesus: John 20:17, John 14:15-17, John 16:7, 13-14