Lesson 51

That You Might Believe

John 20

If the gospel of John were an ordinary biography, there would be no chapter 20! Almost all biographies conclude with the death and burial of the subject. In fact, I have yet to read a biography that describes the subject's resurrection from the dead. The fact that John continued his account and shared the excitement of the resurrection miracle, is proof that Jesus is not like any other man. He is indeed, the Son of God!

The resurrection is an essential part of the Gospel message. "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. He was buried and He arose again the third day. And He was seen" (I Cor. 15). According to Romans 1:4, the resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God. He is "declared to be the Son of God ... by (His) resurrection from the dead."

From the beginning, the enemies of the Lord tried to deny the historic fact of the resurrection. The Jewish leaders claimed that the Lord's body had been stolen from the tomb. This statement is absurd because the tomb was being guarded by Roman soldiers just so this couldn't happen and the stone was sealed. Others have claimed the "hallucination" theory - that on ten different occasions, a total of more than 500 people in a state of hallucination on thought they saw Jesus! Then there is the theory that the disciples accidentally went to the wrong tomb. And finally, there is the swoon theory, that Jesus hadn't really died but had swooned on the cross and that in the coolness of the tomb, he was revived! All such absurd theorizing is really simply an effort to undermine the reality that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, just as He had promised!

You probably don't recognize the name Frank Morrison. He wasn't the kind of guy you'd find in church on Sunday morning. He was a well-educated British lawyer who was, philosophically, skeptical towards Christianity. His thinking had been shaped by philosophers and thinkers and writers and educators who denied the possibility of miracles. Frank Morrison set out to write a book which would examine all the evidence in a lawyer-like fashion and would finally and fully disprove the historic Christian belief that Jesus was miraculously raised from the dead. Little by little his research of the circumstances and the evidence and the facts began to pile up leading him to the opposite conclusion which he had originally set out to prove. The book which resulted was called Who Moved The Stone? Listen to this quote from the preface of Who Moved The Stone?...

In a similar fashion, John the apostle and author of this gospel account, presents some of the factual evidence of the resurrection, but more than that, John presents us with four scenes which describe four different kinds of people and their reaction to the evidence of the resurrection.

Let's take a moment to analyze the chapter 20. Notice, the evidence that John presents - a displaced stone (v.1), an empty tomb (v.2), the neatly folded grave clothes (vs. 5-7), three personal appearances (4 if you count chapter 21) of Christ. There are 4 primary scenes in this chapter. Scene 1- verses 1-10 - At the empty tomb - three people involved Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter and John, but the primary focus, I think is on John. Scene 2 - verses 11-18 - In the garden - Mary Magdalene. Scene 3 - verses 19 - 23 - in the upper room - the disciples (except Thomas). Scene 4 - one week later - verses 24-29 - in the upper room - Thomas.

Just as Frank Morrison saw the evidence and the result was faith, each of these scenes resulted in seeing and believing. Believing in the resurrection; believing in Jesus Christ. Verse 8 - John saw and believed. Verse 14 - Mary saw Jesus and (verse 18) she believed. Verse 20 - the disciple saw and (verse 25) believed. Verse 29 - Thomas saw and believed.

These four scenes illustrate for us four different kinds of people that we all encounter. In fact, we encounter these four kinds of people at church probably every Sunday.

The Sensitive One - John, 20:1-10.

When Mary arrived out of breath with news of an displaced stone and an empty tomb (vs. 1-2), Peter and "that other disciple whom Jesus loved" - who is that? It is John who always speaks of himself in the third person - Peter and John ran to the garden sepulchre (vs. 3-4a). John was younger and faster than Peter and got their first but he was hesitant to enter into such a sacred place (vs. 4b-5). He saw (Greek word = glanced at) the linen clothes. Peter of course, arrived second but in his typical impetuous fashion entered into the sepulchre first and "seeth"(Greek word = to look carefully, to observe) the grave clothes, not scattered about in a hurried and dishevel way, but neatly folded and wrapped, vs. 6-7. The men are shocked. This in not what they expected to happen. Verse 9 says that they did not know the scripture which predicted that Jesus would rise again. Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

It amazes me that the disciples did not expect Jesus to come out of the tomb alive after all that Jesus himself had told them many times. John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Matthew 20:18-19 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.

John was a sensitive one. He would not speak of himself in the first person. He would not enter the empty tomb first. He did not see Jesus, at this point, in person. He saw only physical evidence, a displaced stone, an empty tomb, folded grave clothes and verse 8 says "he saw (another Greek word = to perceive with intelligent comprehension) and believed."

He came to the tomb running, seeking, searching and responsive to what evidence was available. Not unlike the way a lot of people come to church - sensitive and responsive. I think that all of us have times when we are particularly responsive to truth. In our times of responsiveness, we can believe in Jesus as our risen Savior and Lord.

The Sad One - Mary, 20:11-18

It seems that Mary arrived back and the tomb and though Peter and John departed (v. 10), she lingered a longer in the garden. She is sad and sorrowful. Twice in verse 11 we learn that she is weeping. When she looks into the tomb, she sees two angels and actually has a brief conversation with them. They ask, "Why are you weeping?" She answers, "Because someone has taken the body of my Lord and I don't know where it is." Does she believe in the resurrection at this point? No. She assumes that the body has been kidnapped. And then she sees Jesus but she does not recognize the person she sees as Jesus. After the resurrection, it seems, that Christ had to reveal himself to be recognized. It was like that with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. It was like that in John 21when six of the disciples were fishing. And it is like that for Mary. The questions that Jesus ask reveal that He is one who cares and who comforts those who are sad and sorrowful. She thinks that He is the gardener and so she says, "Sir, if you know where His body is, if you have moved it, tell me, and I will get it out of your way." At this point, Jesus calls her by name. "Mary." And she suddenly knows that it is Jesus who is speaking. "Rabboni!" Remember Jesus' words in John 10. "My sheep hear my voice ... the sheep follow their shepherd because they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers." Instantly, her sorrow disappears and it is replaced with love and joy. Jesus tells her not to touch him because he has not yet ascended to the Father. My own personal belief is there was an ascension before the one 40 days later from the Mt. of Olives. I believe that Jesus took the Old Testament saints to heaven, see Ephesians 4:8-10). Then he commanded her to "go tell my brethren". And she did!

Mary is not unlike a lot of people. They are sad and sorrowful. Perhaps there are some people who have come to this service and their primary emotion is sorrow. All of have those times. In our times of sorrow, Jesus is the risen Savior and Lord in whom we can believe.

The Scared Ones - The Disciples, 20:19-23.

John moves us ahead a few hours. It is now the evening of resurrection day. Ten of the disciples are assembled. They have the doors shut. They are confused and afraid. Afraid of the Jews. Afraid that what happened to Jesus might happen to them. Suddenly, Jesus appears in the midst of the assembly and simply says one word, in Hebrew the standard greeting "Shalom", in Greek "eirene" (i ray' nay), in English "peace be unto you". Jesus "shewed" them his hands and his side, and when they saw , they believed that it was the Lord and their fear was transformed into gladness.

Jesus' words to these disciples had to convict them. The pronouncement of peace is certainly the opposite of what they had been experiencing since that night in the garden. He also -commissions them. This is John's form of the great commission. In involves being sent, it involves being enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and it involves a ministry of proclaiming (not providing) forgiveness. ( The wording of verse 23 makes it a tough verse to interpret. We must understand that these men were not given the power to forgive sins or to withhold forgiveness but the ministry of proclaiming forgiveness).

Like these disciples, there are times of fear and confusion that we all experience. I suspect that in this audience there are some who right now are very afraid. In our times of fear, we can believe in Jesus our risen Savior and Lord.

The Skeptical One - Thomas, 20:24-29.

Thomas missed the Sunday evening meeting on that first Lord's day. And you always miss out on something good when you skip the assembly of the saints. The others tried to tell him about it, about Jesus being there and all, but Thomas was the disciple from Missouri. Hearing about the resurrection from someone else wasn't good enough. He wanted proof. He sounds pretty arrogant and harsh when we says, "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."

And so the final scene takes place the following Sunday. (If you count resurrection Sunday as Day #1<v. 1>, then Day #8 would be the following Sunday. It seems that immediately the disciples began assembling on Sunday.) Even though Thomas was a skeptic, give him credit for showing the next Sunday! Once again, Jesus appears and greets his brothers. Then he turns to Thomas and says, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." I think at this point that Thomas realized that he didn't need the proof that he had earlier required. His words are one of the greatest confessions of the deity of Christ in all scripture. He says to Jesus, "My Lord and my God."

Well, guess what? We all constantly encounter skeptics who want proof. Perhaps there are some skeptics present in this service today. It's good to know that in our times of doubt, we can still believe in Jesus, our risen Savior and Lord, our Lord and our God! Listen, to the blessing which Jesus pronounces. "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

That's us! In the words of I Peter 1:8-9 "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." Paul reminds us that "we walk by faith, not by sight." John saw the physical evidence and believed. Mary heard the voice of Jesus and believed. The disciples saw Jesus and believed. Thomas saw and touched and believed. "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe!

When we began the Gospel of John some 52 sermons ago, we began with 20:30-31. Here is the place when John explains the purpose and object of his gospel account. In verse 30, he tells us that this account of the gospel is not intended to be exhaustive. John has purposely been selective. In fact, some scholar has calculated that all four gospel accounts in total record the events of 75 days in the life of Christ. No wonder the last words of the gospels (21:25) says, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." In verse 31, tells us that his gospel account has been selective. He has chosen those events which best demonstrate that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that we who read the account "might believe and that believing we might life through his name."

Those who, like John are sensitive and responsive; to those like Mary who are sad and sorrowful; to those like the disciples who are scared and confused; and to those like Thomas who are skeptical and doubting, John wants you to believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who died and rose again. Will you trust Him today as your Lord and your God?