John 20
Encountering the Risen Lord
Leads to Faith and Belief
And Belief Leads to Life
Introduction
Mary Magdalene was discouraged by the events of the days preceding the resurrection. She, and many others, had seen their Lord falsely accused and beaten so badly that His flesh was unrecognizable. Then He was made to carry a cross so heavy that He fell under its weight.
They witnessed the awfulness of the crucifixion and heard their Lord cry out, “My God! My God! Why hast thou forsaken me?” Then He cried, “It is finished!” and gave up the Spirit. His own disciples placed His lifeless body in the tomb.
Mary and some other women went to the tomb with spices to prepare His body, wondering how they would move the heavy stone covering the tomb.
They soon realized it had already been removed.
Encounter the Word
John 20:1-10
Mary was coming from the tomb, running to find Peter and John to tell them the tomb was empty!
“They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
Peter and John ran to the tomb and looked into the place where the Lord’s body should have lain. They saw the cloth that had covered Jesus’ face, folded and put in place. The rest of the grave clothes looked as if they had settled down as they went right through His body, and they had.
Jesus had come back to life. The tomb was empty.
Many times the Lord had tried to prepare them for this moment. He told them He was going to be crucified at the hands of sinful men and would rise again in three days. They had also seen Jesus do unbelievable miracles, like feeding the 5,000. These things helped them believe the words He had spoken, but this encounter was still hard to believe. The empty tomb reminded them of His promises. Since He is the Living Word of God, these realities helped them with their encounter with the Word.
When we hear the Scriptures tell us that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and we believe it to be true, it brings conviction. We understand that with this sin problem, we are not fit to be accepted into Heaven.
Then we hear the Word of God, that Jesus Christ loves us and that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If you are saved, you have encountered the Word of God. You have not only heard the Word, but you believe it.
Encounter Jesus Personally
John 20:11-20
When Mary had finished talking with Peter and John, she returned to the tomb. There she saw two angels where Jesus once was. They told her Jesus was not there. She still wanted to know where His body was. She turned around to see a man standing with her and supposed He must be a gardener, so she asked Him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
He spoke her name, “Mary,” and she knew that it was Jesus. She cried out to Him, “Rabboni!” which is a term of respect for a teacher.
She had already encountered the Word of God, and now Mary had encountered her risen Lord personally. He was alive!
That is what happens to us when we are saved. We encounter the Word of God, choose to believe it, and meet the Living Lord.
I don’t know what it was like on the day you were saved, or if that day has happened yet. Some people are overcome with sorrow over their sin and the realization that Jesus went to the cross because of it. Others are overcome with joy because they understand that their sins have been forgiven and removed as far as the east is from the west. Our experiences may be different, but we encounter Jesus personally.
Mary heard Jesus speak her name. Did you know Jesus knows your name?
I think about the old children’s song, “Jesus loves me, this I know.” I have a friend who sometimes signs his emails, “Jesus knows me, this I love.” And it’s true. God knows every one of us, and He loves every one of us.
But Mary wasn’t the only one who encountered Jesus. Later that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered behind closed doors when Jesus appeared in their midst and said, “Peace be unto you.”
They had already heard that He would rise again on the third day. Now they were experiencing it for themselves. They encountered Jesus personally.
Move from Skepticism to Belief
John 20:24-28
Much of the world looks at things as if God is not in the picture. There are influences that can cause us to doubt the things of God, what He can do, and whether miracles can happen.
There may be evidence of a miracle, such as when a doctor finds something concerning in an X-ray, and after prayer, we go back for another X-ray and it is gone. The doctor may say he made a mistake the first time, but we know it was God. That may be the kind of miracle the average person encounters today.
But the disciples saw Jesus walk on water. Peter even stepped out of the boat and onto the water. When he took his eyes off the Lord and lost his faith for a moment, he began to sink. His only hope was the living Lord who was there with him. Jesus reached down and picked him up.
Though we have encountered the living Lord, skepticism may still come our way, and many are reluctant to believe.
Verses 24-28 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!“
Have you ever been so ashamed of yourself for failing God that you were in real need of peace? Have you faced turmoil? Aren’t you glad the Word of God comes to remind you that if you confess your sin, He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness? There that peace comes once again.
Jesus said, “Peace be unto you.”
I am convinced that Thomas didn’t need to place his hands on Jesus’ side to know it was Him once he saw Him. He knew it was the Lord and cried out, “My Lord and my God!” What a beautiful declaration of faith!
We often refer to him as “Doubting Thomas.” But there was also a believing Thomas. We, too, can go from skepticism to belief.
Belief Leads to Life
John 20:29-31
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
It’s only through Christ and trusting in Him that we can have life. I can’t promise you everything will be wonderful all the time, but I do know that life with God is so much better than the alternative.
Richard Wurmbrand endured years of imprisonment and torture for his faith in Christ. While imprisoned, a guard mocked him for praying and asked what he could possibly have to pray about after everything he had suffered.
Wurmbrand replied, “I can pray for you.” And he did. He had a life in Christ that transcended what was happening around him.
Jesus has come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.
One person I knew was close to death, and her loved ones tried to comfort her by telling her she would get better. I heard her say, “I don’t know whether I will or not, but I am so excited to go to Heaven.” Then she turned to me and said, “Isn’t that what you’ve preached about for 50 years?”
Heaven is real, too. If you have encountered the Word of God and the living Lord and have put your faith and trust in Him, you know Him.
That leads to life, life abundantly, and eternal life in Heaven.
Do you have that today? If not, today could be the day.