A personal encounter with Jesus strengthens our faith and increases our joy. In our text, we see both John and Mary Magdalene gain a personal experience of Jesus, which enhances their understanding of who Jesus is and his resurrection power. Sometimes, we emphasize the corporate nature of church and faith, but that does not mean that our personal experience of Jesus is unimportant. We ought to appreciate that Jesus didn't die for our collective sins alone but also my personal sins; that he died for me and that he is my saviour and Lord. Can we stand in awe of the fact that the mighty God of the universe came into this world and died on a cross to defeat death once and for all so that you and I could have a personal relationship with him?