On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had already been removed. She went and told this to Simon Peter as well as to John. Notice here it says John, whose Jesus loved and highly esteemed. It wasn’t that Jesus loved John more than the other disciples, rather that John was fully aware that Jesus loved Him and He fully received His love, which makes all the difference. The bible tells us that God isn’t a respecter of persons, which means He loves us all the same and doesn’t pick favorites. This means there is nothing we can do to make Him love us more, He loves us fully already from the moment He spoke our name into existence and John grabbed hold of this revelation and that’s why its always mentions that Jesus loved John and thought of him highly, because John knew and received His love. Doubt and lack of intimacy is what can cause one to question if God loves them, the fact that its noted here tells us that John didn’t doubt this and didn’t just spend time with Jesus, but spent time with Him intentionally and personally to get to know Him more not just as a task. Many Christians have a hard time getting to know Jesus in this way, they get caught up in striving and church doing that they forget that its all about Him and having that intimacy with Him.
John outran Simon Peter to get to the tomb first, when they had arrived John took a moment before he entered. Simon went right in and first saw that the linens had been folded and the face covering had been there as well. John then came in and the Bible says that immediately he believed without any doubt that Jesus had risen from the dead. The Word said that at this moment they had not yet understood the script that stated HE must rise from the dead. This goes to show right here how intimacy and knowing the love Jesus has for you will eliminate doubt and give the faith needed to beleive the impossible.
As we celebrate that HE is Risen, lets focus on this revelation that John had received. Jesus loves you and wants to know you even more personally than He already does. This week spend more time in your secret place with Him and ask Him to help you receive His love if you are having a hard time receiving it. Ask for help to receive the revelation that John so clearly got. Ask Him to baptized you in His love.