Mary Magdalene: An Example Of A Thankful Heart (Part 1)

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Mary Magdalene: an example of a thankful heart

(Part 1)

Pastor Nkechi Ene (Mrs.) 1 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He

but the fruits of that decision are what you

“Well, I can’t think of what to thank God for”

went through every city and village,

are walking in and enjoying. The point is that

but remember you are alive today and His

every single person has something to be

covenant did not fail you. You had food to eat

thankful for.

this morning and you will have another to eat

preaching and bringing the glad tidings of t h e k i n g d o m o f G o d . A n d t h e twelve were with Him,

at lunch and dinner times, your spouse has

2 and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and inLirmities—Mary called

Jesus was moving around with the twelve

not left you. Be grateful! There are so many

Magdalene, out of whom had come seven

and some women. These women had been

beautiful things to see about this woman in

healed of certain inLirmities and among them

the Bible (Matthew 27:54-56, 61, John 19:25

was one called Mary Magdalene, from whom

and Mathew 28:1).

demons, 3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their

seven demons had been cast out. This was

substance.

the reason why Mary Magdalene was with Luke 8:1-3

A Thankful Heart Is Addicted To Jesus.

Jesus - she had a thankful heart. She had a heart full of gratitude for what He had done

1 Now on the Lirst day of the week Mary

To be “thankful” means to be gladly relieved

for her. The apostles were with Jesus because

Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it

or to be grateful. Thanksgiving is the act of

they were called to be with Him, but these

giving thanks or expressing gratitude.

women were with Him because the Bible

T h a n k s g i v i n g i s a l s o a p u b l i c

carefully enumerates the things He had done

acknowledgement of divine goodness and

and to the other disciple, whom Jesus

for them.

loved, and said to them, “They have taken

mercy. To be thankfully or gladly relieved

was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter,

away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

may be that sometime last year, you suffered

If you had one demon cast out of you, you

from a terrible sickness but there’s no trace

would be grateful but Mary Magdalene had

of that sickness in you today. Maybe

seven demons cast out of her. Each time the

sometime ago this year you didn’t have a job

Bible talks about her, it refers to her as the

12 And she saw two angels in white sitting,

but now, not only do you have a job, you are

one who had seven demons cast out of her.

one at the head and the other at the feet,

currently training some people through

She didn’t hide it, everyone knew that she

where the body of Jesus had lain.

school.

was once possessed until she came in contact with Jesus and her life changed. She’s an

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not

You may also be gladly relieved because the

example of a thankful heart. Let’s discuss

burden of barrenness has been removed and

know where they have laid Him.”

three things about the heart of gratitude she

14 Now when she had said this, she turned

you either have your baby or are expecting

had.

around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

one soon. Maybe early this year you were confused about what decision to take, but

What are you thankful or grateful for? What

now not only did you make the right decision

are you gladly relieved about? You might say,

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to

The Carpenter’s Ministry: All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or any other, without the prior permission of the above.

GOG - 17 - 218 - Mary Magdalene: An Example Of A Thankful Heart (Part 1) www.thecarpenterschurch.org Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell

been thought to be overzealous and I imagine

to show them up. They said, why are you

me where You have laid Him, and I will take

she would reply that they don’t know what He

carrying this thing on your head? They did not

did for her.

understand and I really did not care who

Him away.”

John 20:1-2, 11-15

What is there to see in a tomb that contains a dead body? Why wake up before dawn to go to the tomb? This woman was someone who was addicted. What does it mean to be addicted? It means to have a habit that is impossible to break, to be devoted habitually to something. Have you seen somebody who is addicted to drugs? He must take a shot every single time. Have you seen somebody who is addicted to alcohol? He must have a drink every now and then or he goes into withdrawal. Somebody with an addiction does not care what any other person thinks. Mary

thought my motives were wrong. I didn’t Some of the lazy apostles may have been

really care! If I missed His Word, I would

bothered because Mary’s commitment to

shake like a man who was on cocaine. If the

their master would have rubbed off negatively

department I was in was doing anything, I

on their attitude. Mary did not do it on

would get to church to Lind what I could do

purpose to show them off in a bad light but

with my hands because I had to serve this

her thankful heart acted otherwise. I guess

person I was addicted to. That is what it

she often remembered herself naked on the

means to have a thankful heart. I have been

streets, nobody wanting anything to do with

there and I am still committed, completely

her because she was possessed but there she

sold out to Jesus.

was completely whole. That was why before the sun would rise, she may have gone to

I want to get you to the point where if you

Jesus daily to ask if there was anything she

don’t have a shot of Jesus, you would get into a

could do for Him?

withdrawal syndrome. I want to get you to the point where if you don’t have a drug of Jesus,

Magdalene was addicted to Jesus. Dead or alive she had to be around Him. She had built her life around this Man who cast out seven demons from her.

She was addicted, so she was always there.

Thus when she saw an empty tomb, she panicked because the object of her addiction was missing.

She called the others and when they saw the empty tomb, they went back home

Don’t tell me you have a thankful heart and

you’d enter a bad state. I want to get you to

you come to church once in two weeks. Don’t

the point where you are so devoted that you

tell me it is when everybody is looking that

do not care who is looking or who is seeing

you want to sound spiritual! If you are truly

you. You may not need to do it from a depth of

thankful for what the Lord has done for you, it

revelation. You need to be committed and sold

will be seen in your commitment. I will see it

out to Jesus because He is the One who got

in your addiction and in your need to satisfy that craving.

Mary Magdalene wept for a

Are you not gladly relieved when you drive

dead body. That is how much

your air-conditioned car? Are you not gladly

she was sold out to Jesus.

relieved when you bathe your body and that skin infection is no longer there? Are you not

after a while. Those whom she called went back home but the Bible records that she sat there weeping. She was not weeping because she thought He was alive, that was why when she thought Jesus was the gardener, she asked that she be told where they laid Him so she can carry Him away. Notice she did not ask if Christ had risen from the dead because she was not necessarily walking in a depth of revelation.

You do not have to need a depth of revelation to be addicted to Jesus. All you need is a thankful heart. Do you have a thankful heart?

Are you addicted to Jesus? I can picture her in my mind as an irritant in His ministry because she was always around Him. She may have

you to the place where you are today.

S o m e b o dy w h o h a s a n

gladly relieved when you can meet with your

addiction does not care what

husband and you are not worried about that

any other person thinks.

vaginal infection that had been bothering

S o m e b o d y w h o h a s a n

you? Are you not gladly relieved when you can

addiction does not even care who is watching

write a cheque and there is actually money in

while he takes a shot. Somebody who has an

your bank account? Are you not gladly

addiction would have nothing stand in their

relieved for all God has done for you? If you

way of getting what they want. “Are you the

are gladly relieved, then you should be

only one in the cleaning team that you always

addicted to Jesus.

come here by 6 in the morning to clean? Why are you making us look bad in front of the

Mary and the other ladies went to the tomb

leaders?” You should say, “I am not doing this

not knowing who would help roll away the

so you would look bad, but I have an addiction

stone. That means they went to the tomb

to Jesus. I know what He has done for me and

knowing that the tomb was closed with a

how He changed my life completely.” We have

heavy stone. There is no obstacle, no

to have a thankful heart.

hindrance or excuse that can stop you when you have an addiction. What was driving them

When Jesus came into my life, some people

was their thankful hearts. Are you thankful for

did not understand. They thought I was trying

what God has done for you?

The Carpenter’s Ministry: All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording or any other, without the prior permission of the above.