Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Witnesses of the Resurrection

Jun 26, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus Says Your Name

Mary Magdalene stood weeping outside the empty tomb. Her grief was so deep she did not recognize the man standing nearby. He asked her why she was crying. She thought he was the gardener. Then Jesus spoke one word. He said, "Mary." In that moment, she knew his voice. She turned and cried out, "Rabboni!" which means Teacher.

Jesus knows your name. He calls you personally out of your grief and confusion. He is not a distant God. He is the Good Shepherd who calls his own sheep by name. His voice brings clarity and turns our sorrow into overwhelming joy. He meets us in our lowest moments and reveals himself.

We often move through life without listening for him. We try to solve our problems alone. We weep over empty tombs without turning to see the Lord standing beside us. Hear His question personally today. Stop and ask yourself if you are familiar with the sound of his voice calling your name. When was the last time you truly listened for Him?

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was 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.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
(John 20:11-16, NIV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to help you recognize His voice today above all others.

Challenge: Find five minutes of complete silence today. Sit quietly and listen.

Day 2: An Encounter That Changes Everything

Mary called Magdalene had seven demons cast out of her. Her life before Jesus was likely one of isolation and torment. She may have been physically restrained. Joanna was healed of an affliction, perhaps a disease that drained her life. These women were desperate for change. They came to Jesus in their brokenness. He met them and transformed their lives completely.

Jesus did not just offer them a temporary fix. He gave them a new identity and a new purpose. Their healing was so profound it compelled them to leave their old lives behind. They joined his traveling group of followers. Their transformation was visible to everyone who knew them. A changed life is the most powerful testimony.

An encounter with Jesus should change your life too. You may not need physical healing, but everyone needs freedom from sin’s power. That freedom should produce visible fruit. Your priorities, your speech, and your actions should reflect your transformation. Does your daily life show evidence of a recent encounter with Jesus, or are you living as if nothing has changed?

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.
(Luke 8:1-3, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one area of your life that does not yet reflect the transformation Jesus offers.

Challenge: Identify one old habit or pattern of thought you will consciously replace with a Christ-honoring action today.

Day 3: Living as a Witness

Joanna returned home to her husband Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household. Her healing was undeniable. Her affluent family and their entire staff would have witnessed the change. Her transformation became her testimony. It gave her the credibility to later travel with Jesus, supported by her husband. Her life pointed directly to the power of Christ.

Our lives are also meant to be a witness. People should notice a difference in us. Our gratitude for freedom from sin should be as obvious as Joanna’s gratitude for physical healing. We do not need to have a dramatic story. We simply need to live a life that is consistently shaped by Jesus’ love and grace.

Your family, your coworkers, and your neighbors are watching. They see how you handle stress, how you treat others, and where you place your hope. Your ordinary, faithful life can point them to an extraordinary God. Is your life currently a compelling argument for the goodness and power of Jesus Christ?

These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
(Luke 8:3b, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for one specific change He has made in your life that others might see.

Challenge: Intentionally choose patience or kindness in a situation where you would normally respond with frustration.

Day 4: The Gratitude of Devotion

Mary Magdalene and Joanna did not return to their old routines after being healed. Their gratitude fueled a lifetime of devotion. They supported Jesus’ ministry financially and practically. They traveled with him, likely handling meals and logistics. They remained faithful through the horror of the crucifixion. They were there at the tomb to honor him at dawn.

Their response was proportional to the gift they had received. They gave Jesus their whole lives because he had given them their lives back. True gratitude is not a simple "thank you." It is a complete reorientation of one’s life around the source of that gift. It is faithful service born from thankfulness.

We have been given the ultimate gift of freedom from sin and death. Our response should be a life of devoted gratitude. This looks like giving our time, skills, and resources to support God’s work in the world. It means showing up faithfully, even in ordinary tasks. What ordinary act of service can you offer today as a gift of gratitude to Jesus?

Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
(Luke 23:56, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one practical way you can support His work this week.

Challenge: Write down one skill you possess and one available hour this week. Offer them to your church or a local ministry.

Day 5: Faithful to the End

The women stood at the cross when most of the disciples had fled. They watched Jesus die. They saw Joseph and Nicodemus place his body in the tomb. Early Sunday morning, they went to anoint his body, to honor him one last time. They were faithful in the darkest hours, simply doing the next right thing. Their ordinary faithfulness positioned them to witness the resurrection.

God often uses ordinary faithfulness to reveal His glory. Showing up when it is hard, doing a task that needs doing, staying loyal when others leave—these are the moments that define a disciple. The resurrection morning would not have happened without their faithful journey to the tomb. Your simple acts of obedience have eternal significance.

Your faith is not just for the mountaintop experiences. It is for the long obedience in the same direction. It is for showing up on the days when God feels distant. It is for doing the work even when you do not see the result. What is the one faithful, ordinary task God is asking you to do today, even if you cannot see the purpose in it?

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body.
(Mark 16:1, NIV)

Prayer: Pray for strength to be faithful in the ordinary, unseen tasks of today.

Challenge: Complete one household or work chore you have been avoiding, and do it as an act of worship to God.

Sermon Summary

form: encounters with Jesus transform identity and vocation; healed followers became visible witnesses in their households and communities; gratitude prompts wholehearted devotion; faithful service and provision undergird ministry work; and intimate familiarity with Jesus’ voice enables recognition in grief and uncertainty. The women at the tomb model devotion, public witness, and the ordinary faithfulness that advances the kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. Encounter with Jesus changes everything An authentic encounter with Jesus produces measurable transformation in behavior, relationships, and public witness. Healing or deliverance in the narratives catalyzes sustained devotion that altered social roles and vocational choices. Transformation proves visible enough that household members and communities notice, making private changes public testimony.
2. Transformation should be visible witness Changed lives create credibility for the gospel; visible change in conduct and priorities bears testimony to the work of God. The named women’s altered status and ongoing support of Jesus’ ministry show how inward change issues in outward acts. Faith that remains private risks losing persuasive power in the communities that need to see it.
3. Grief can be met by a named voice Recognition of Jesus comes not through spectacle but through intimacy—knowing how Jesus says a name. Familiarity with Christ’s voice grows from sustained relationship and enables presence in sorrow to become encounter. In moments of confusion and loss, that intimacy reorients longing into proclamation.
4. Ordinary service sustains extraordinary work Everyday tasks, financial support, and steady presence are the scaffolding of public ministry. The women’s practical assistance allowed itinerant teaching and preaching to continue; faithful labor often goes unseen yet proves indispensable. Kingdom fruit frequently flows from repeated, unglamorous obedience.
5. Names in Scripture carry intent The gospels’ decision to name these women signals deliberate theological and cultural counterpoint. Naming elevates marginal witnesses into carriers of truth and invites attention to who follows Jesus beyond official, male leadership. Remembering names reframes whose testimonies count and expands the imagination of faithful discipleship.

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading: Luke 8:1-3 (NIV)
"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."

Observation questions

What specific details does the passage provide about the women who were traveling with Jesus?
What two types of healing did the women experience, according to the text?
What practical role did these women play in supporting Jesus' ministry?
What is significant about the social status of Joanna's husband?

Interpretation questions

Why is it culturally significant that women were not only following Jesus but also supporting his ministry financially?
How might the healing these women experienced have impacted their decision to devote themselves to Jesus' work?
In what ways does the inclusion of these specific names and details add credibility to the Gospel accounts?
What does the transformation in Mary Magdalene's life (from demon-possession to devoted follower) reveal about the power of an encounter with Jesus?

Application questions

An authentic encounter with Jesus produces measurable transformation. What is one area of your life where you have experienced change because of your relationship with Jesus, and how might that be visible to others?
Gratitude often prompts wholehearted devotion. What is a specific way you can express your gratitude to Jesus through practical service or support this week?
Faithful service and provision undergird ministry work. What ordinary, behind-the-scenes task could you take on to support your church community, even if it goes unnoticed?
Intimate familiarity with Jesus’ voice enables recognition in grief and uncertainty. What is one habit you could develop to become more familiar with how Jesus speaks to you through Scripture and prayer?
The women's testimonies gained credibility because their transformation was visible. Is there a relationship in your life where your actions haven't yet matched your words about faith? What is one step you could take to align them?
These women supported Jesus' work out of their own means. How does your current giving of time, skills, or resources reflect your gratitude for what Jesus has done for you?
Mary recognized Jesus when he called her by name. When have you experienced Jesus meeting you in a moment of confusion or grief, and how did that change your perspective?

Sermon Quotes

This is the kind of stuff that makes me nerd out and really love studying the Bible.

There is just about nothing as ordinary as a name; everyone has one, but there is something special about names in the Bible.

Of those 3,200 individually named people, only about 160 are women — a tiny number that invites intentionality in who is named.

Mary was likely an outcast and viewed as dangerous or unstable until she met Jesus; he set her free and changed her life.

Jesus healed them, and their lives were forever changed; an encounter with Jesus should transform how we live and witness to others.

He chose to reveal himself first to these women — a countercultural act that highlights their value and witness.

These women supported Jesus' ministry with their means — financially, practically, and faithfully doing the ordinary tasks that allowed God to work.

Are we living in the freedom, healing, and transformation that Jesus has brought into our lives, or would no one notice our change?

God does so many extraordinary things through ordinary tasks just faithfully getting done.

Are we familiar enough with the way Jesus says our name that we would recognize him?

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