🌿Mary Magdalene: Jesus' Brave Friend & First Easter Messenger | Bible Stories for Kids
Meet Mary Magdalene
Hello friends! 👋 Today we're going to meet someone super amazing from the Bible – Mary Magdalene!
She was one of Jesus' most loyal friends and followers, and guess what? She got to be the very first person to see Jesus alive after he rose from the dead on Easter morning! ✨
Mary came from a town called Magdala (that's how she got her name!) by the Sea of Galilee, where lots of people caught fish 🐟.
Before she met Jesus, Mary was very sick and sad. The Bible says she had "seven demons," which means she was really suffering 😔. But then she met Jesus, and he healed her completely! 🌈
After that incredible day, Mary became one of Jesus' most faithful friends. She was so thankful that she decided to follow Jesus everywhere he went and even used her own money to help him and his disciples as they traveled around teaching people about God's love! 💖
Mary Magdalene is super important because she teaches us that no matter what problems we have, Jesus can help us – and that when someone shows us kindness, we can share that kindness with others too! 🤗
🌍 Fun Facts & Background 🌍
🏙️ Hometown: Mary came from a fishing town called Magdala, a busy place by the Sea of Galilee. Archaeologists have found its ruins!
🌊 Time Period: She lived during Bible times when Jesus walked on earth, about 2,000 years ago, in what we now call Israel, near the beautiful Sea of Galilee (which is actually a big lake!).
💰 Supporter: The Bible suggests Mary was probably wealthy and used her own money to help Jesus and his disciples buy food and supplies. She was like a sponsor for Jesus' ministry! 🤑
🌿 Follower: After Jesus healed her, she became part of a special group of women who traveled with Jesus and his disciples – very unusual back then!
👑 Important Figure: Mary is mentioned by name 12 times in the Bible (more than most apostles!) across all four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This shows she was crucial!
🌅 First Witness: The most amazing fact? She was the FIRST person to see Jesus after he rose from the dead on Easter morning! Jesus chose her to share the wonderful news, making her the first Easter messenger! 📬
⚡ Adventure Time! (Key Stories) ⚡
🌈 Mary's Amazing Healing
Before Mary met Jesus, she was having a really tough time 😔. The Bible says she had "seven demons," meaning she was very sick in body, mind, or spirit. But one amazing day, Jesus met Mary and everything changed! He used his incredible power to heal her completely! 💫 We can imagine the weight lifting off her, maybe feeling sunshine fill her heart. After being healed, she felt like she was starting a brand new life and gratefully decided to follow Jesus everywhere.
🥖 Traveling with Jesus
Mary joined Jesus and his disciples on their adventures! 🚶♀️ She traveled from village to village, watching Jesus teach huge crowds, heal the sick, and perform miracles like feeding 5,000 people! 🍞🐟 Mary and other women helped support the group with their own money, buying food and finding places to stay. She got to see Jesus' amazing miracles up close – imagine watching him calm a storm or heal the blind!
💔 The Saddest Day
When Jesus was arrested and put on a cross, most disciples ran away scared 😢. But not Mary Magdalene! She was super brave and stayed right there with Jesus during his suffering and death, showing her deep love and loyalty. She watched where they laid his body and prepared spices to anoint him, wanting to care for her friend one last time. That's true friendship! 💕
🌟 The Most Amazing Morning Ever!
Early on Sunday morning, Mary went sadly to Jesus' tomb. But surprise! The huge stone was rolled away! 😮 She looked inside – Jesus wasn't there! Crying, she saw someone she thought was the gardener and asked where Jesus was. Then the man said just one word: "Mary." She instantly realized it wasn't the gardener—it was JESUS, ALIVE! 🎉 He had come back to life! Jesus gave Mary a super important job: go tell the disciples! Mary ran as fast as she could 🏃♀️💨, becoming the first person to share the good news – that's why she's sometimes called "the apostle to the apostles"! 💫
🌟 What Can We Learn? 🌟
💖 Everyone Matters to Jesus: Jesus cared for Mary, showing he loves everyone, no matter their problems or background. Even when you feel unnoticed, remember Jesus sees and loves YOU! 🤗
🙏 Gratitude Changes Everything: Mary showed her thankfulness by helping Jesus. When someone is kind to us, we can say "thank you" and show kindness to others too! 💝
💪 Be Brave When Things Are Scary: Mary stayed with Jesus during the hardest times. She teaches us that true friends stick around and we can be brave even when it's tough. 🦸♀️
👂 Listen Carefully for Jesus: Mary didn't recognize Jesus until he said her name. We need to listen and watch for how Jesus might be speaking to us today – through the Bible, prayer, or other people. 📖
🗣️ Share Good News: Jesus trusted Mary to tell others he was alive! You can be like Mary by sharing the amazing news about Jesus with your friends and family. 📣
💬 Awesome Quotes & Bible Verses 💬
"Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’" (John 20:18)
Wow! Imagine her excitement running to share the best news ever! Jesus is alive! ✨
"When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons." (Mark 16:9)
This shows Jesus chose Mary, someone he'd healed from great suffering, to be the very first witness. He often uses unexpected people for important tasks! 🌟
"After this, Jesus traveled about... and also some women who had been cured... Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out..." (Luke 8:1-2)
This reminds us Mary didn't just say "thanks" and leave; she dedicated her life to following Jesus after he helped her. We can do the same! 💫
🧠 Let's Think & Talk! 🧠
🤔 If you were Mary and saw Jesus alive, what would you say? How would you feel?
🌟 Mary used her time and money to help Jesus. What special gifts or talents do you have that you could use to help others and show God's love?
🏃♀️ Mary ran to tell the good news! Who could you tell about Jesus this week? What would you say?
🎭 Act it out! Pretend you are Mary at the tomb. Show us your face when you realize Jesus is alive! What do you do next?
🌈 Mary experienced sad times and super happy times. Think of a time you were sad, but then something happy happened. How did God help you?
🌼 Prayer Corner 🌼
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for Mary Magdalene's amazing story! 🙏 Thank you for healing her and choosing her to be the first person to see you after you rose from the dead.
Help us to be brave like Mary, even when things are scary.
Help us to be loyal friends who stick around.
Help us to use our gifts to serve you and others.
And most of all, help us share the good news about YOU with everyone we meet, just like Mary did!
We love you, Jesus! ❤️ Amen.
