The Power of His Resurrection

John 20:19:31

Chapter 11

From fear to courage (20:19-25)– First day of the week: Sunday, The Lord’s Day

• Sunday, not Christian Sabbath

• Sabbath (Saturday) reveals God’s finished work of creation (Gen. 2:1-3)

• The Lord’s day reveals Christ’s finished work of redemption, the “new creation”

• God the Father worked for six days and then rested while God the Son suffered on the cross for six hours and rested.

• Sabbath as a special sign that Israelites belong to God (Ex. 20:8-11)

• Sabbath was used for physical rest for human and beast.

– Resurrection appearances on the first day• Mary Magdalene (20:11-18)• The other women (Matt. 28:9-10)• Peter (I Cor. 15:5; Luke 24:34)• The two Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13-32)• The disciples without Thomas (John 20:26-31)• Next Sunday disciples & Thomas met again• Sunday reveals His death & resurrection• Sabbath had been associated with the law while

the Lord’s Day is associated with grace.

– Sabbath was not given to the Gentiles• Sabbath commandment was not repeated in the

church epistles as 9 other commandments

– How did our Lord transform His disciples’ fear into courage?

• He came to them– Jesus’ glorified body not limited by the law of nature

• He reassured them– He showed His wounded hands & side

» Evidence that price for salvation has been paid» The basis for peace is found in the person and

work of Jesus Christ

• He commissioned them– “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you”

(John 20:21)

• He enabled them through the Holy Spirit– Breath means spirit in Hebrew & Greek– Breath of God in first creation while the breath of

Jesus Christ in new creation– The Spirit dwelt with them in the person of Christ– Now the Spirit would be in them (John14:17)– In John 20:23, the disciples proclaimed forgiveness

not providing forgiveness– Christians can proclaim the message of forgiveness &

God performs the miracle of forgiveness

From Unbelief to Confidence (20:26-28)– Thomas

• Courageous• Spiritually minded who wanted to know the truth &

asked questions without shame

• Doubting Thomas– Doubt is intellectual problem; unbelief moral problem

• Thomas Didymus (Aramaic & Greek) means “twin”• Missed meeting with the disciples

– Fear, unbelief & missed opportunities– Heb. 10:22-25

• Difference between doubt & unbelief– Doubt says “I cannot believe! There are too many

problems.”– Unbelief says “I will not believe unless you give me the

evidence ask for.”– An evil heart of unbelief Heb. 3:12

» Linked to personality traits– Thomas’ testimony came form seeing Jesus, not

touching Jesus» “My Lord and my God!”

• Unbelief robs us of blessings & opportunities• Everybody lives by faith.• God & His Word are the objects of faith while

unsaved people put their faith in themselves

From Death & Life (20:29-31)– In gospel of John, the emphasis is on

believing, not seeing.– “So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the

word of God” Rom. 10:17– The evidence of Jesus Christ: how He lived,

what He said, & what He did conclude the proof of His deity.

– May believe on Jesus because of His miracles, but in the end most of them left Him for good

– Faith in His miracles should lead to faith in His Word

– Complete record is not necessary– When people trusted Him, their lives were

transformed• John wrote not to entertain or history to enlighten,

but an evangel to change lives

– Life is one of John’s key words: 36 times– If sinners need life, the implication is that they

are dead (Eph. 2:1)

– Salvation is not resuscitation; it is resurrection (John 5:24)

– The lost sinners are not sick or weak; he is dead.

– Eternal life is not “endless time”• The very life of God experienced today• The quality of life, not the quantity of time• Spiritual experience of heaven on earth

1. Describe a time when you have been afraid.

2. Read John 20:19-31. Jesus transformed the disciples’ fear to courage by coming to them and reassuring them. Is there anything in this passage that gives you courage? If so, what?

3. What do you learn about the Holy Spirit from this passage?

4. How are believers part of Jesus’ divine prerogative for forgiving sins?

5. What role does the Holy Spirit play in your life?

6. How reasonable do you think it was for Thomas to want firsthand evidence that Jesus was alive? Why?

7. What was Jesus’ attitude toward Thomas?

8. Why did John writhe this book?

9. Why do you suppose Jesus gives us John’s testimony instead of the first-had evidence He gave Thomas?

10. What do you learn about believing form the last few verses?

11. What kind of life does faith lead to?

12. In what area do you need to let Jesus transform your fear or doubt into faith?