JOHN 20
Lesson # 41
THE RESURRECTION
I.? Introduction:
Q? Do you know people who have good parents but cannot bring themselves to believe as their parents do?
Q? Why?
Q? How does one come to see God?
Note:? We are going to see in chapter 20 of John’s Gospel not only the conclusion to the story of Jesus’ glorification, but a hint of how one comes to see God….
II.? Mary, Peter and John see the Empty Tomb:? John 20:1-10
>>>> Have someone read John 20:1-7
Q? Who got there first?
Q? Who entered the tomb first?
Q? What did they see?
>>>> Have someone read John 20:8-10
Q? What caused John to believe?
III.? Jesus Encounters Mary:? John 20:11-18
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:11-12.
Q? What does Mary see that the two disciples did not see?
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:13
Q? Do the angels notice Mary’s tears, do they acknowledge human sorrow?
Q? Why does he speak to her in the form of a question?
An = They call her to think, to use her mind, to speak, despite her deep grief.
Q? Does Mary believe Jesus is still dead?
An = Yes she does.? She merely wants to show honor to the body, but she cannot do that because the body seems to have been taken away.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:14
Q? Does Mary see the resurrected Jesus?? Does Mary see God?
An = Mary is like so many of us, we do not really see God.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:15-16
Q? What caused Mary to recognize her Lord?
An = It is not until He calls her personally by name.? Unless the Lord personally calls us we will not really see God.
Q? When she truly “sees” Him, what does she call Him?
An = Rabboni, or teacher.
Q? Is Mary’s title an accurate one?? Is it a sufficient title?
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:17-18
Q? How would you characterize Jesus’ speech to the woman?
An = He gives her a task to do.? When we truly “see” God then we will be given tasks to do.
Q? Can you characterize the task given her?
An = To go tell the “brothers”.? She is not to speak of her experience, but of Him, of His plans of His inclusiveness.? So many only speak of “their experience”.? We are called to speak of God’s intention and that He wants others to see that they are included.
IV.? Jesus Encounters the Disciples:? John 20:19-23
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:19
Q? Why were the disciples behind closed or locked doors?
An = They were not sure if the Jewish leadership was going to come after them too.? The locked or shut doors are symbols of fear.
Q? What are Jesus’ opening words to them and why does He say this?
An = “Peace to you”.? When He is in our midst there is hope of “shalom”, or harmony, of peace.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:20
Q? Why does He show them the scars?
Note:? Emotion is fine, but Jesus does not come into our midst to give us emotion, but often to calm it so that even more important things can take place.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:21-23.
Q? What is Jesus doing in verse 21?
An = He is doing the same thing He did to Mary:? He is giving them a task to do.? He is commissioning them for mission.? He sends them as His Father has sent Him.
Q? What is Jesus doing in verse 22?
An = He is empowering them for their mission.? The gift of the Holy Spirit is to empower them for their task.? He now replaces the symbol of fear (closed doors) with the symbol of His empowerment (His breath).
Q? What does verse 23 mean?
An = They do not originate forgiveness but confirm it, they do not withhold forgiveness but confirm it.? They know how to do this and are empowered to do this based on the gift of the Holy Spirit.? The mission of the church is to be the channel of the forgiveness of sins.
V.? Jesus Encounters Thomas:? John 20:24-29
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:24-25.
Q? Are the disciples united in belief?
Q? What has caused the disunity?
Note:? Others’ testimony does not always cut it.? >>>? Have someone read John 4:42.
Q? What is the stress in Thomas’ speech, his disbelief or the reasons for his disbelief?
Q? What do you think of Thomas’ reaction?? Is it honest, it is right?
Q? What else do we know of Thomas?
An = Have everyone turn to John 11:16.? He is bold, decisive, loyal, perceptive and willing to die with Jesus.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:26-27.
Note:? It seems again that Jesus must calm their fears (20:26) before He can proceed.
Q? Does Jesus submit to Thomas’ request?
An = Yes He does.? There are series of six imperatives in verse 27.? Thomas is encouraged to use the proof offered him by Jesus to obtain belief.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:28.
Q? Does Thomas touch Jesus’ wounds?? Does Thomas believe?
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:29
Q? Is Jesus rebuking Thomas, if so why?? What does this statement mean?
Q? What do you think of Thomas now?
Q? Of all the verbal responses to Jesus’ resurrection, who is the most theologically accurate?? Whose statement is the most perceptive about who Jesus really is?
An = Most amazingly, the truest doctrine of the church is on the lips of Thomas.
Q? What is the author trying to say with this?
An = It is not Thomas the strangest of all “spokespersons”?? Is it not strange that the clearest theology is on the lips of Thomas?? “For of His fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another”.? John 1:16
VI.? Conclusion:? John 20:30-31.
>>>>? Have someone read John 20:30-31.
Q? What insights does this chapter give to us about how to see or perceive God?
Q? What does this chapter say to your friends who want to believe in Christ but struggle to do so?
Q? What does this chapter say to those who parents are good christians but they themselves cannot believe as their parents do?