Who Was the First Missionary? 

   Hearing a report of the empty tomb, the disciple John ran to the place and looked in. He was not the first missionary.

   Peter, the more aggressive disciple, followed John and went into the tomb, seeing strips of linen cloth and the burial cloth. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. It wasn't Peter. 

   Then John had courage to enter, and some 45 years later wrote in what we call the book of John, that "He saw and believed." We can only assume what he believed. Still, it wasn't John. 

   Mary, from the town of Magdala on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, miles from Jerusalem, was devoted to Jesus but not a prominent person. She had seen the empty tomb first, and frantically reported to the disciples that someone had taken the body. 

   Highly upset, she followed Peter and John back to the tomb. After the men left, Mary wasn't going anywhere. Weeping, she bent over to look and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had laid. 

   They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"  

   What a question, she must have thought. These two individuals, never mind they are angels, are sitting where the body was suppose to be. And they want to know why she is crying? 

   "They have taken my Lord away and I don't know where they have put him," she answered, straight from her grieving heart. 

   Then she turned around with eyes blurred by tears and saw someone standing there. "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." Wow! Why didn't Peter and John think of this? 

   Jesus said to her, "Mary." "Go...and tell them..."  

   This little-known woman became the first missionary. 

   Through the ages, Jesus reveals his presence and love especially to those who are "the least." God's special people are the unknown who, like Mary, steadfastly love their Lord.