Go tell everyone about Him! It is the season to celebrate

There are days we experience the unimaginable presence of the Lord. Such experiences live with us always and remind us of God’s goodness and mercy. Mary and Elizabeth had promised children in their wombs. While Elizabeth’s son was going to prepare the way for the Saviour of the world, Mary’s son was the Saviour. These two babies had a divine encounter and this encounter led to Mary’s hymn (popularly known as the Magnificat). Out of the overflow of her heart, Mary composed a song to glorify the Lord. 

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (Luke 1:46-47 KJV). 

Mary experienced the magnitude of carrying the Saviour of the world. She praised the Lord and rejoiced in God who has given her such a privilege. She identified her humble state and rejoiced in the fact that all generations will call her blessed, “for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.”(Luke 1:48‭-‬49). It has been over 2000 years since Jesus was born. We cannot talk about the birth of Jesus without acknowledging the role of Mary.

It is now our ministry to sing hymns of praise to the ever living, always powerful Saviour. We have the Gospel handed down unto us and we are the bearers of the good news. It is a great privilege to be given the task that Mary, Elizabeth and all the church triumphant had. We have been called to proclaim to the world the saving power of Jesus. We have been chosen to go to the mountains, the hills, the valleys, the plains, the countryside and proclaim that Jesus saves. If you cannot go in person, be gracious enough to support missionaries to send this good news to everyone. Indeed, the Saviour has already paid the price for salvation. 

Go tell it on the mountains

The Saviour was once a baby

On that fateful day, as Mary greeted Elizabeth in her house, the first ever recognition of the Saviour of the world took place. It was another baby with a divine assignment to prepare the way for the Lord. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb couldn’t remain still. He had to jump for joy at the voice of Mary because even the baby recognised that behind that voice was the Word made flesh, the Saviour of the World, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Branch of Jesus, the Light of the World,  the deliverer, and the Redeemer. What is keeping you from not sharing this great news that even a baby in the mother’s womb couldn’t keep. Let’s go and tell the world about Jesus.

Go, tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and everywhere

Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

While shepherds kept their watching

O’er silent flocks by night

Behold throughout the heavens

There shone a Holy light

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New year!

Saved to do exploits

One time Jesus was in Galilee and went to their synagogue, He was given the scroll of Prophet Isaiah to read. Jesus knew exactly what to read. This is what He read: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”‭‭ (Luke‬ ‭4:18‭-‬19‬). After reading, He said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”‭‭ (Luke‬ ‭4:21‬). At another time during the amazing encounter with Zacchaeus, the tax collector, Jesus made another profound statement: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:10‬). Jesus’ ministry was characterized with spectacular stories of freedom from sin, oppression, healing and restoration.

and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out (‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:2‬)

One woman who also benefited from Jesus was Mary of Magdala, popularly known as Mary Magdalene. According to Luke 8:2, Mary was delivered from seven demons that had probably been tormenting her life. After Mary was delivered, she joined the ministry of Jesus and travelled from place to place with Jesus. She was saved and she became a pillar in the ministry doing amazing things for the kingdom. Her ministry extended from her salvation even after the death and resurrection of Jesus. She was a pillar in the early church and most possibly an inspiration for the women who joined the ministry. Mary’s transformation inspires us to understand the full dimension of our salvation: we have been saved to save others and to do eternal exploits. What lessons can we learn from Mary?

Your salvation matters: Mary’s encounter with Jesus resulted in her salvation. She was saved from her sins and all her many sins were forgiven. Mary became a changed person and those who knew her could testify of the change in her life. I especially love how the creators of the popular Jesus series “The Chosen” gave Mary Magdalene an iconic statement. She said: “I was on one way, and now I’m completely different and the thing that happened in between was Him.” Jesus changed Mary’s course and repositioned her for eternal life. Being in church isn’t enough, your salvation matters to Jesus. If you have not made that personal decision, now is the time.

Your deliverance matters: Mary wasn’t just saved from her sins, she was also delivered from seven demons that were oppressing her. Deliverance from the power of the enemy should be the next step after being born-again. Imagine if Mary was still struggling under the oppression of these wicked demons. She wouldn’t have made it in ministry. Jesus made Mary whole by casting away the demons that were tormenting her. If any believer is still struggling with demonic oppression, their Christian journey becomes a difficult one. Reach out to your church leadership if certain types of infirmities, repetitive sicknesses, familial trauma among many other evil things are still troubling you. Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭reminds us of this: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Therefore, your life should be a manifestation of the life of Christ. Anything outside that is an intruder and needs to be checked out!

Be a kingdom supporter: Mary’s salvation and deliverance didn’t end there. She was committed to the work of Jesus and supported it. ‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:2-3‬ mentions Mary among many other women who helped to support the Lord’s ministry out of their own means. Other than following Jesus and reaching out to others, Mary was also a Kingdom financier. There are many ways you can support your local church in spreading the message of the gospel. Your presence and your present all matters in this work. Don’t consider yourself incapable. The least support from you will go a long way to rescue another sinner. Give your time, give your money, give your prayers, give your emotional support etc. to send the message to another soul. Help redirect their course to the path of Christ.

Consistency: Mary Magdalene’s consistency is worth mentioning. She was with Jesus right after her salvation and deliverance, followed Him and saw His miracles. She was with Jesus at His crucifixion and she was one of the few women who witnessed the resurrection at first hand. She didn’t give up, she never lost hope and she was always ready to serve. She didn’t give up at the cross, the tomb didn’t bother her, death did not worry her. In life and in death, she loved the Lord.

Your testimony matters: Our testimony as believers is very important in our message to the world. Mary Magdalene had a personal testimony. She was saved and delivered from oppression. One of the simplest ways we can make exploits as believers is by sharing our personal testimonies. These are personal encounters that are unique to you. You experienced it personally and your transformation begin from that experience. Don’t be shy to let the world know the story of how you were before you encountered Jesus, how you encountered Him, and the transformation that took place after that encounter. Your story will motivate another to make a bold step. Imagine those who knew Many as the demon possessed woman, and the transformation that the encounter with Jesus brought to her life. Mary’s testimony was enough for them to know that Jesus was no ordinary man.

We have been saved to do exploits and this should motivate us to share our experiences with others. See yourself as an everyday evangelist, a preacher, an embodiment of Christ and a testimony to the unbelieving world. You are the Bible someone is reviewing, let everyday be Jesus Day. Know that God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of the mystery of Christ through you. Know this, Christ in you, the hope of glory (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:27‬).

The woman caught in adultery: Go and sin no more

Jesus taught as one with authority and power. His charismatic ministry was opposite to the way the religious leaders of His time approached their teaching. The powerful ministry of Jesus caused the religious leaders to be jealous. In one of His encounters with the religious leaders in Jerusalem, they demonstrated their unbelief in Jesus. They boldly declared that a prophet does not come out of Galilee (John 7:53). After this incident, Jesus had His moment of solitude where He redrew and spent some time praying on Mount Olives. Opposition wasn’t a limitation to Jesus. Remember, the leaders had openly opposed Jesus. They had declared that no prophet comes from Galilee. In that single statement, they literally condemned the ministry of Jesus. If Jesus is from Galilee, then He couldn’t be a prophet. Yet, Jesus returned again to the temple courts at dawn and all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them (John 8:1‭-‬2). This post will consider an incident that happened to Jesus while He was teaching.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group (John 8:3)

In the midst of Jesus’ teaching session, “the teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” (John 8:3‭-‬5). This question according to John was a trap they set for Jesus so they would have a basis for accusing him. Jesus did not quickly respond to them. He bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger (John 8:6). Imagine the woman who was caught in adultery at that moment. She was caught in the act and unfortunately, the leaders arrested her and let go of her ‘partner in sin’. The man who laid with her might have been aware that the woman was married. Why did the leaders arrest her alone and leave the man? This question is still relevant in the 21st century. Adultery is a sin committed by two people. Thus, any punishment should be received by the two people involved in the action.

The woman was not just shamed for her adulterous affair, by bringing her to Jesuss, she was also made a public case study. I can imagine that years after this incident, she would have had to live with the stigma of being dragged through town to the temple Court. However, the stigma couldn’t be compared with the mercy she received. Jesus, the teacher after hearing her accusers, just bent down and started to write on the ground. Then, “when they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.” (John 8:7‭-‬8). Jesus did not justify the action of the woman, He invited her accusers to condemn her if they themselves are sinless. Whatever Jesus wrote on the ground, the invitation to the accusers definitely did not go down well. You would have expected them to start throwing stones but they did not. John 8:9 says that, “At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.”

The accusers were sinners like the woman caught in sin. They had their own weaknesses but they were ready to stone another person. At this point, “Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”” (John 8:10). She replied, “No one, sir,”. Jesus said to her, “Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11). Jesus knew the woman was guilty but He still showed mercy and gave her another opportunity to live a sinless life. The woman might have left the temple happy and grateful that her life had been spared. If Jesus had not intervened, she would have been killed for committing adultery. However, Mercy said No to death but YES to LIFE.

The woman caught in adultery reminds us of the grace of God that has permanently redeemed us from the wages of sin. We have been set free to leave sin and to live for Jesus. What should be our response? We should live our present life in view of the grace and mercy we have received. We should not return to our old ways of life. God is a just God, we should not take His mercy for granted. We are no longer slaves to sin!

The woman who found her lost coin

Jesus used parables a lot in His teaching. In using parables, Jesus expressed profound truths with everyday scenarios. The parables also pointed to the nature of God, the kingdom of God and nature of man. Thus, even if the incidents in the parables are real life everyday events, the people in the story could refer to anyone and not a specific person. One of the ways teachers taught about the nature of God and God’s consideration for the sinner is using parables about losing and finding things or people. This post will consider the parable of the lost coin to see how the nature of the woman who owned the coin can be compared to the nature of God towards the “lost” and our attitude towards the “sinner”.

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbours together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ (Luke 15:8‭-‬9)

In this parable, the main character is the woman. This woman had ten silver coins and lost one. You would have expected that since this woman had nine other silver coins, she would have neglected the one lost coin And focused on the coin she couldn’t find. I bet I would have done the same. After all, it was just one coin and the woman was left with nine more. You might have thought that the woman would pay attention to the nine remaining coins and just mourn or be sad for one lost coin for a time and forget it. But the story doesn’t end that way. The remaining nine coins do not hinder the woman from putting in energy, strategies, systems in place among many other things to search for the one coin. Let consider what she does:

“Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?” (Luke 15:8b)
Light a lamp: The first thing done by the woman was to light a lamp. Remember, light signifies illumination, enlightenment, knowledge etc. The coin might be lying in where there is no light to make it visible. Thus, lighting the lamp helps to find where the coin is lying. Bringing this to saving those who are lost or sinners, we need to understand that we cannot save those in the dark without light. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).The message of salvation is the Gospel of Jesus. It is still the basic message! All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The wages of sin is death but God’s gift is eternal life (Romans 6:23). God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to the world even while we remain sinners (John 3: 16; Romans 5:8-9). To access this salvation, one needs to make a decision and confess this decision; with the mouth and heart aligning to this (Romans 10:9-10). Sharing this truth is lighting the lamp.

Sweep the house: The woman goes ahead to sweep the house. The lamp cannot just stand there, if the coin is hiding under a low level chair or table, it can be found by sweeping. Similarly, in the perspective of Jesus, the saved should make conscious efforts of “sweep” under the hook and crannies to find the unsaved even if a million others have been saved. Jude stated that, “save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 1:23). Sweeping can sometimes scratch the floor but it is better to save the lost from fire than to pamper them unto eternal doom.

Search carefully until she finds it: Further, the woman searches carefully until she finds the lost coin. A careful search is necessary because it is possible to identify a shiny thing that might have the semblance of the coin but not the coin itself. In our quest to search for the lost, we don’t stop when we find a semblance of goodness. Remember, not all good people are saved. Cornelius was so good that heaven acknowledged it but he wasn’t saved until Peter led him and his house to the Lord (Acts 10). Remember we should consistently pray for the Holy Spirit to convict the “lost” of sin and righteousness.

These exercises are not fruitless because she finally finds her lost coin. Luke 15:9 says that, “And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’” Jesus said, “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10).

We need to develop the attitude of this woman who did not give up on her lost coin but persisted until it was found. God delights in the salvation of the sinner. Instead of wishing that they “rot” in hell, be compassionate enough to rescue them from fire. Remember, someone left the nine to look for you. Be merciful to light the lamp, sweep and search carefully until you find the “lost”. The angels in the presence of God await to rejoice with you. Rescue the perishing!

Simon’s mother-in-law

The visible manifestation of power characterized the ministry of Jesus. He healed the sick, raised the death, had power over nature and taught the word of God with power and boldness. The followers of Jesus received their miracles and they saw others receive their miracles as well. Jesus taught as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law and the people were amazed at his teaching (Mark 1:22). As the people experienced the phenomenal encounters of Jesus’ ministry, they were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about Jesus spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee (Mark 1:27‭-‬28). The people Jesus chose to be His apostles also had their own share of miracles. From abundant catch of fish, multiplication of food, a massive transformation of mindset among many others, Jesus turned ordinary Jewish young men to generational changers. Imagine the impact of the transformation. Two thousand years later, the message of Jesus is still transforming lives. Simon Peter, one of the apostles of Jesus, encountered miracles right in his house.

Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. (Mark 1:30)

Jesus had gone to the synagogue to teach. There, He had delivered a man from impure spirit. From the synagogue, Jesus and His team went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. When they got to the house, Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her (Mark 1:29‭-‬30). The apostles had just encountered a miracle in the synagogue. The Bible does not indicate whether Simon’s mother-in-law believed in Jesus or not. She was sick with fever and she needed help. The woman did not reject the help from Jesus and the apostles told Jesus immediately about the condition of the woman. Their response to the sickness wasn’t that of delay, they were quick to alert Jesus about the woman’s need for a miracle.

Sometimes, believers consider Jesus as the last resort. We go to Him when medical expertise fails us. I don’t disapprove of anyone seeking medical attention. The point being made here is that Jesus should be involved in every situation. When we go to the doctor’s, we should pray for God’s wisdom for them to be able to diagnose well and give the best prescription. While we take medication, we still pray for God’s intervention. Simon’s mother-in-law probably had taken medication prior to the arrival of Jesus. But, the fever was still there. Remember, Jesus would have been aware of the state of Simon’s mother-in-law but He made a move when the people informed Him. Until He was informed, nothing happened. When Jesus was notified, Mark 1:31 states that He went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. The woman who was sick and laid on the bed received strength to serve Jesus and His followers. The sickness left her body at once. She was made whole again. What a joy this miracle would have brought to the family. No wonder a ripple effect of miracles followed that evening. “That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” (Mark 1:32‭-‬34).

Jesus is still in the business of miracles. There is power in His name to heal every form of sickness. Instead of turning to Jesus as our last alternative, let’s make Him the first. May we receive mind-blowing testimonies as we commit our ways to Him.

Joanna the wife of Chuza

The ministry of Jesus was filled with supernatural power to heal the sick and raise the dead. Jesus healed different infirmities and restored men and women to wholeness. Among the people who followed Jesus as permanent disciples traveling with Him from one place to the other were “some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases” (Luke 8:2). These women supported the Lord and His team out of their own means (Luke 8:3). Among these women are Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others (Luke 8:2-3). This post will focus on Joanna, the wife of Chuza. It is important to understand that These three women were not the only women who followed and supported the ministry of Jesus. Luke mentioned these three and added, “and many others”. Further, Luke’s writings (Luke and Acts) were directed to the most excellent Theophilus. It is very obvious that Theophilus was no ordinary person, maybe a highly regarded Roman officer (bears the title, most excellent). Thus, the inclusion of people such as Joanna was necessary for Theophilus to understand the cosmopolitan and inclusive nature of Jesus’ ministry. If Jesus had a follower whose husband was the manager of Herod’s household (possibly Herod Antipas in Galilee), for a gentile believer, Jesus is worth knowing and listening to!

and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. (Luke 8:2‭-‬3)

Now let’s focus on Joanna. Just like many of the female disciples of Jesus, Joanna did not come to Jesus as a woman without an issue. In fact, she is one of the women cured of evil spirits and diseases (Luke 8:2). Joanna was oppressed but she was the wife of the manager of Herod’s household. The affluence, wealth, authority and power her household was known for (for being in Herod’s inner circle) did not help her get healed from her infirmities. Joanna would have been seen in public as a woman of substance but beyond the public display was an inner longing for deliverance. She might have been sleepless day and night trying to fix herself from her suffering. But, on her own, she could do nothing. Her husband might have taken her to different physicians to no avail. Likely, her issue might have worsened after seeking help. Joanna was hopeless until she met Jesus. Then after her encounter with Jesus, the narrative changed:
“some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” (Luke 8:2‭-‬3)

Joanna’s pain was her past, she was one of the women who were cured. Jesus wasn’t just the Saviour (saving a sinner from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light) of Joanna but her healer and sanctified. Joanna would have been so glad to be free from her infirmities that she decided to follow Jesus willingly and to support Him financially. Since she followed Jesus publicly, Chuza might have been aware of his wife’s conversion. Joanna might have shared the many wonderful things she encountered with Jesus with her family. Her influence as a person of the Upper class might have attracted other members of the Jewish upper class and even gentiles to know more about Jesus.

Joanna was one of the women who saw Jesus crucified. She was one of the women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus. She was one of those women who heard about the resurrection of Jesus even before the Apostles:
“While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee.” (Luke 24:4‭-‬6)
She was one those who reported the news of the resurrection to the apostles:
“It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” (Luke 24:10)

For the rest of her life, Joanna might have played an important part in the church. She encountered Jesus in real life and encountered the resurrected Jesus. Joanna presented all her pain at the feet of Jesus and she wasn’t the same again.

Maybe, like Joanna, you are so influential and yet, you still deal with issues that give you sleeplessness. It is one thing believing in Jesus as your Saviour, but we need to understand that the power in the blood of Jesus is mighty to pull down any stronghold. Joanna wasn’t a secret follower, she publicly showed her faith and trust in Jesus. I pray that as we follow the Lord Jesus, may He save our body and soul from all forms of satanic oppressions.

Mary Magdalene: She was saved from much oppression

The different women who followed Jesus came from varied backgrounds. However, one thing stood out: their faith in Jesus. These women went as far as supporting Jesus’ ministry from their own means. For many of them, their sacrifice and dedication also stemmed from the extreme love they had been shown by Jesus. Luke 8:1-3 mentions that “After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” This post will focus on Mary Magdalene, a woman who followed Jesus till death and resurrection. This woman understood what it meant to be saved from oppression.

Mary Magdalene is believed to have hailed from the fishing community of Magdala (thus her name Mary of Magdala or Mary Magdalene). It is obvious that there were so many Mary’s in Jesus’ day (as it was in my community while I was growing up. I was named Mary after my great grandmother and about 5 or more extended family members were all called Mary!). Mary Magdalene, as we saw in the previous post, was mentioned in all the four gospels. She seemed to be the most popular of the female disciples of Jesus. Guess what? Mary had her own problems before she encountered Jesus. She was demon possessed. These demons would have caused her to live a worthless life, taken away her joy, turned her life upside down, denied her the joy of having her own family, made her act in certain ways that were against her will. It is appropriate to say that Mary might have been ridiculed by society. She was a woman whose body was the abode of seven different demons. Imagine! These demons would have had different agenda and would have ended up wasting the life of this daughter of God.

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. (Mark 16:9)
and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out (Luke 8:2)

Do you remember the demon possessed man in Garasenes or Gadarenes? He was possessed by many demons so he had to be bound by chains and he lived in solitary places until Jesus set him free (see Luke 8:26-39). Mary might have had a similar experience. When Mary encountered Jesus, she was delivered from demonization (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2). Jesus drove out all the seven demons who were wasting the life of Mary. She might not have been aware that her unprofitable life was as a result of seven different demons who have captured her and made life unbearable for her. Mary followed Jesus right after her deliverance and she didn’t look back. Many of the people who were saved by Jesus were sent back home to testify, e.g., The demon possessed man in Garasenes. The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him (Luke 8:38‭-‬39). But, Mary had a significant ministry. She wasn’t an ordinary disciple, she was a kingdom financier, and evangelist, a diehard follower and one who doesn’t give up. She followed Jesus to Golgotha and was at the tomb on the resurrection day as recorded by all the gospel writers (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10; John 20).

In fact, both Mark and John records that Mary Magdalene was the first to have seen the resurrected Christ:
When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. (Mark 16:9)
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:18)

Mary Magdalene did not just follow Jesus on His missionary tours, she saw Him killed, she saw Him buried, she mourned her Lord but was determined to anoint Him. She rushed to the tomb on the resurrection Sunday and instead of leaving like everyone else after seeing the empty tomb, she lingered behind. She was very sad that someone had stolen the body of her Lord. Even when the resurrected Jesus spoke with her, she was looking for her Lord. Whether dead or alive, Mary Magdalene just wanted Jesus.
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.”
(John 20:15).
No wonder, the Lord revealed Himself to her first before going to present His resurrected body to the Father:
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (John 20:16‭-‬17).

We need that longing and desire for the Lord. He is not just our Lord and Saviour in the good times. He is our everything in all seasons. Mary Magdalene teaches us that we are saved to make maximum impact. She left indelible footprints that centuries later, believers can look up too. Remember, she wasn’t called when she was perfect. In fact, Jesus perfected her by delivering her from demon oppression. We don’t need to come to the Lord when we are perfect. Come just as you are but don’t remain just as you came. In the Lord, our imperfections are washed away and we become a new creation. All baggage of sin and pain is nailed to the cross. We are called to the newness of life not a recycle of sin, pain, shame and guilt. If Jesus can break His protocol to reveal Himself to Mary Magdalene, then no one is too difficult to be saved by Him!

Halloween or He has won: Trick or share?

In Fall 2013, I got to know of Halloween. Growing up in Ghana, any idea or thought of ever celebrating or dressing up like a dead person, ghost, witches and all sorts of scary figures could have led my parents to seek both emotional and spiritual counseling for me. Who wants to walk about looking like a blood sucking demon in my community? The next day, you would probably find yourself at the mental hospital. Over the years, moving from Norway, to the UK and to Canada, I have identified that Halloween is much bigger than I thought. My exposure in Norway was just a tip of the iceberg. Last year, after the Halloween celebration, it took my husband and I months to assure my daughter that there are no vampires, witches and ghosts in her room. We did not celebrate Halloween at home, she got these ideas from school. Today is another celebration of Halloween and her school is hosting a Halloween parade. It just occurred to me that as a family, we have not had any conversation with her on Halloween and what it stands for. I believe many Christian families are in the same shoes. We have not taken time to talk to our children about Halloween and what the Bible says about evil spirits. 

And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:15)

Halloween originally began as a prequel to All Saints’ Day, or Hallows’ Day. This was a religious feast intended to celebrate the honour of saints. The November 1st celebration was not intended to celebrate witches, ghosts, demons, vampires and all kinds of bad guys. Over the years, the feast has lost its significance in most homes and we have rather preferred Halloween which is business-wise lucrative, and treats (candy) and costume companies have made it more popular than it was. What does the Bible say about our victory of principalities and powers? Colossians 2:13-15 states that “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.“
Jesus has triumphed over sin, death,  evil spirits and all forces of darkness. Satan is permanently defeated. Satan is the thief whose agenda is to steal and kill and destroy. Through Jesus, we have life and we have it to the full (see John 10:10). 

In the same way, the chains of sins have been broken for those who come to Jesus and make Him the Lord and Saviour. Jesus’ redeeming death has rescued us from the evil forces. The evil was nailed to the cross. We do not need to dress like demons to scare the demons away. Jesus has already paid the price for that. However, the redeeming death of Jesus will only be able to rescue one from the forces of darkness when an intentional decision is made to accept Jesus (Romans 10:9-10). We are in the world and as such, whatever is done in the world would directly or indirectly affect us. Instead of running away from Halloween, let us start a conversation about the redeeming work of Jesus. Don’t just give candy…trick or treat. Share Jesus. Have flyers to give to your neighbours. Don’t run away from Halloween, begin a Jesus-has-already-won conversation. Our children deserve to know the truth from us before the world puts fear in them. 

This song reminds me of our victory in Christ.

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device nor creed;
I trust the Ever-living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain:
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,
He’ll never cast me out. [Refrain]

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The written Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s name,
Salvation through His blood. [Refrain]

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave. [Refrain]
(Lidie H. Edmunds)