Go And Say, He Is Risen!

Rev. Angela Lee Price

For those who still believe women are not called to preach the Word of God, you should know it is empowering to many women, and not just preachers, that God used a woman, Mary Magdalene to deliver the important message, "He is risen." "Jesus said unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God. And your God!" (John 20:17 KJV).

Here it is, the most important moment in all of biblical history, and a woman is present and enlisted for duty. Women today are empowered by (1) Mary's presence and (2) Jesus' enlistment.

Mary is present. She is at the right place at the right time, and as the song says, she receives a blessing from the Lord! Mary has walked by faith and not by sight. The question that begs to be answered is, "Where are all the brothers?" The disciples should have been present. Jesus kept telling them what to expect. They walked with Him and talked with Him. He prepared them for three years, and yet not one of them had enough faith to be there when He got up? So, it is Mary Magadelene who is sent to deliver this confirming word of redemption.

You need to know, my brothers and sisters, that despite all the intellect, wisdom, and testosterone in the world, without faith it is impossible to please God. Mary is present. And it is her mustard seed-size faith that moved the heart of God and has moved mountains in the hearts of women today. Today, women make up 70%-80% of most black churches. We are present. We have Jesus' back and the black church's back. And just as Jesus rewarded Mary Magdelene for her faith, I am convinced Jesus can and will reward women in the 21st century for their faith in Him.

Secondly, we see Jesus' enlistment. Jesus has just died on a rugged Cross, and has gotten up from a cold, dusty, borrowed grave and what does he do? He enlists Mary Magadelene for active duty. She was not a certain class or calibre of woman, but a woman once possessed with seven demons.

In John Chapter 20, Jesus called this woman not to a certain type of an assignment, but to this pivotal assignment. He could have told her to go and play with the children since that’s “woman’s work,” or go and pray since women “know how to get a prayer through,” or go and stay quiet since women “should keep quiet in the church,” but he didn’t.

Instead, early that Sunday morning He told her “go and say unto them…” This assignment should have gone to one of the disciples had one been present. The sad fact is men are not present in church. That is why we have pastors like Rev. Dr. Eric C. Redmond writing books entitled, Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men’s Questions About the Church.

Now go and say, He is risen!

It is not Mohammad, Buddha, Confucius, nor New Age that saves. Jesus saves!