The Resurrection Demands A Response – John 20
This message was originally shared at Guangzhou International Christian Fellowship On Resurrection Sunday, March 31, 2024.
The Resurrection Demands a Response – This link will download the PPT.
Today is Resurrection Sunday. He is risen! But what does that mean? His resurrection did not occur in a vacuum. It was not the beginning of the story. Rather, it was the climax of the story. It is the final piece in God’s redemptive plan.
A brief summary up to this point –
• Creation. Everything was good.
• The fall.
• The world descended into darkness and evil. Every thought of man’s heart was wicked continually. (Genesis 6:8)
• God delivered one man of faith, Noah, and his family.
• The world descended into sin again.
• God gave a covenant to Abraham and blessed his descendants.
• God sent prophets. God did miracles. God gave the Scripture.
• Still people rebelled. They rebelled over and over.
• The Old Testament teaches us that man is sinful and has no way to save himself. It shows humankind’s lost state and makes it clear that unless there is an act of divine intervention, we have no hope.
• The Old Testament also points us to a coming Savior, a Messiah who will come and fix what is broken. He is the Great Light Isaiah refers to.
The story then picks up in the New Testament. Many of you have been joining the Gospel of John reading for the last three weeks. You have been reading how the Greatest Story Ever Told unfolds. You have been joining in on this amazing journey through the life of Christ that culminates in the chapter we are reading today.
At the very beginning of this gospel, John tells us that the light has arrived! The light is Jesus. The light has come to give us life. In other words, He says, “God’s solution is here! The Messiah is here! Divine intervention has arrived!” He even says, “This is the Son of God!”
John tells us (1:12) it is possible to become children of God. The rebels can be saved! He even reviews the Old Testament saying, “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth game through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
Very quickly, John tells us what Jesus’ mission. He reports that John the Baptist declared of Jesus, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Right after this, Jesus starts calling the disciples. He invites them with Him on this amazing journey. They have an up front and personal view of the Lamb of God who is coming to fix everything, to bring life, to bring light.
They see Him do marvelous works.
• The first miracle – changing water to wine
• Healing
o People who had tried everything. People who had been sick or diseased for years or decades and lived without hope.
o They saw him heal the blind, giving light to those who had never seen it.
o Heal across distance without even visiting the sick person.
• They saw him suspend the laws of nature
o Walk on water
o Calm the storm
o Feed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread.
• Most amazingly of all, they saw him literally give life. He raised the dead to life. Lazarus.
They see Him teach marvelous things.
He taught them about love, forgiveness, faith, prayer, and transformation.
He also taught them about who He was and how it impacted them. All of these seven teachings are from the Gospel of John.
• I am the Bread of Life
• I am the Light of the world
• I am the Gate of the Sheep
• I am the Good Shepherd
• I am the Resurrection and the Life
• I am the Vine and you are the branches
• I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
After listening to His teaching, this is what Peter said.
“Lord, to whom shall we go. You have the words of eternal life.” – John 6:68
They didn’t just observe what He taught. Teaching is one thing. One’s life and actions will tell you more.
They see Him… and marvel at His character.
• Mercy and compassion
o He willingly met Nicodemus at night and graciously shared with Him. There was no rebuke for his fear.
o The Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus conversed with someone who was an outcast. He did not cast her out, but instead welcomed her. She was the first person He told He was the Messiah. He invited her in.
o The woman caught in adultery.
• Boldness – He was not cowed by His enemies. He did what was right and didn’t fear the consequences. Healing on the Sabbath.
• Divinity
• His teaching and authority
• Humility and servanthood – Washing the disciples’ feet.
• Patience – The disciples messed up many times. Even on the last night, Peter went into soldier mode and slashed a guy’s ear off. Then he denied Jesus three times. Through all of this, Jesus never cast them out.
All of this is what you have seen after reading through John. All of this is what the disciples witnessed firsthand. Hardly a day went by that they did not see something amazing.
Imagine how they felt after three years of accompanying Jesus and witnessing all of these things. Jesus often preached that “the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” They surely believed this. They were definitely on the bandwagon.
They were walking with and talking with the Messiah, the Son of God. He was going to do something great! They accompanied Him entering Jerusalem triumphantly with the whole city welcoming Him. It was a victory parade. Something big was going to happen!
That brings us through John chapter 17. In John 18, their world comes crashing down. Their hero is arrested. In a sham trial, He is convicted. Then, He is executed. All of this happened in the span of less than one day.
There was no time to process anything. There was no time to mentally prepare.
Just like that, everything they believed in, everything they had committed to, everything they had worked for came crashing down in a burning heap.
They gave up everything to follow Jesus. They had hitched their lives to His. They had trusted in Him. Their very identity was in Him. Without Him they were nothing; they were lost.
They were starving without their Bread of Life.
They were blind without the Light of the World.
They were like lost sheep without a Shepherd.
They were dead without their Resurrection and Life.
They were like a branch cut off from the Vine withering on the ground.
They no longer had a Way set before them. They know longer knew the path they were on. They didn’t know the truth. They didn’t know where to go.
That brings us all the way up through history and through the life of Jesus recorded in John to our passage today, John 20.
Read John 20
Christ the Lord is Risen!
Sunday morning the disciples woke up in despair, confusion, fear, and doubt. Sunday night they went to sleep in peace, joy, purpose, courage, and security.
Sunday morning it was as if their whole world came crashing down. Sunday night an entirely new reality was facing them.
We will first look at the other characters around Jesus and how they responded to the resurrection. Then we will look at the broader implications of the resurrection. Finally, we will look at our response to it.
- The Response of Jesus’ Contemporaries
- Mary Magdalene Announced the Resurrection
- Here is a woman who before she met Jesus lived totally in the darkness.
Mary Magdalene is another follower of Christ whose world had been turned upside down. Before she met Jesus, she was possessed by seven demons. This is a woman who had no hope. Whatever big promises Satan had made to her had turned out to be lies. She, like every other person, is powerless to ward off these powers on her own ability. The result was a life of darkness, depression, sin, anguish. People in society turned their backs on her. The religious leaders wanted nothing to do with helping such people they despicably called “sinners.”
But Jesus had been different. When everybody else had turned their back on her, when she was an outcast with no where to go and no where to help, when the religion of her day could do nothing to solve her problem, Jesus came into her life, giving her hope.
Mark 2:17 – On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
We don’t know the full story of her conversion. John says not all the books in the world can contain the deeds which Jesus did. But we do know that she was converted. Jesus brought her into the light. She became perhaps Jesus’ most faithful follower. Jesus was everything to her because Mary understood the difference Jesus makes in your life. He was her teacher, her friend, her Lord, and her Savior.
Now He was gone. Her life had been turned upside down.
And here Mary is alone at the tomb. And she is weeping. She is crying her heart out. Jesus was no more. She could not talk to or be comforted by Him. And now, she thought that even His body was stolen away.
It was then that two angels appeared to her. Then Jesus Himself. At first, through the tears and despair she did not recognize Him. No one expects a dead guy to just walk up and start talking. Then He said, “Mary.” She recognized Him. Her Lord had risen! The worst news of all time had turned into the best.
Her weeping was turned to joy. It foreshadows the promise in Revelation 21:4, that one day He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.
Then what did Mary do? She went and announced it!
Mary was an instant believer. She did not need any more convincing. She received the good news and she passed it on.
Peter and John Investigated the Resurrection
The first news that Peter and John heard about it was Mary’s report that the tomb was empty. They immediately went and investigated, running to the tomb. John ran faster. Probably he was younger.
When they get to the tomb, they look inside and see the burial cloths. Peter, being Peter, goes straight in. They see the linen cloths lying there and the and the face cloth folded up by itself. Surely grave robbers would not take time to fold laundry before leaving the tomb. Surely grave robbers would not remove the cloths, which would make transporting the body much more inconvenient.
Something mysterious had happened, that much was clear. The text tells us something of what they were thinking at the time.
John 20:8-9 – Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
It appears that they did not yet fully understand or believe the resurrection. What they did believe is that Jesus’ body was gone. Something mysterious had happened.
Peter and John’s first response was to investigate. They didn’t immediately believe in Jesus’ resurrection, but neither did they dismiss it out of hand. They sought more information.
Jesus said, “if you seek, you will find.” When someone is seeking to understand the things of God, He will reveal more to them. That is what Jesus did. His next appearance was to go to the disciples. It seems that all of them were there except for Thomas.
They were gathered together in a locked room because they were afraid of the religious leaders. They were scared that they too would be dragged away and killed.
Jesus appeared and said, “Peace be with you.” He then showed them the marks on His hands and feet. It wasn’t a trick. Jesus did not rebuke them for not believing more quickly. He honored their investigation and gave them all the evidence they needed.
The disciples were “glad.”
Their leader and Savior had proven Himself once again. Their mission was on again. The trust that they had placed in Jesus by committing their lives to Him had been confirmed. The Good Shepherd was back. They could be connected to the Vine. The Gate, the Way, was alive and well. He had proven Himself beyond any shadow of a doubt to be the Resurrection and the Life. Their lives, and ours, would never be the same.
Thomas Doubted the Resurrection
Not all the disciples were there when Jesus appeared. Thomas was absent. Though the other disciples tried to convince him that they saw Jesus, he wouldn’t budge. He wore his skepticism on his arm almost like a badge of honor. That has earned him the nickname, “Doubting Thomas.”
What should we make of Thomas?
Thomas had seen enough of Jesus’ miracles that He should have believed. Yet he demanded what many people still demand today, to see some empirical evidence.
Jesus graciously showed him that clear evidence and appeared again so that Thomas would be fully convinced. Then Thomas did believe.
Why did God show Him this clear evidence, but not many others? Thomas had already believed the different miracles He saw Jesus doing and was loyal to Him. If we believe the things God has already shown us, He is far more likely to show us more.
Jesus is gracious. He didn’t scold Thomas for his lack of faith. Neither did He reject Thomas. But He was patient and compassionate.
Thank God that He is the same way toward us today.
He gives ample evidence to those who need it. God does not require a blind faith. Never does He say, “You must believe against all evidence.” The faith is not a faith that is against logic and reason. It is not a blind faith. It is a reasonable faith built on the truth.
We don’t have time today to fully go into the evidences for the resurrection. I will just share one.
Transformed lives of the disciples – These guys were cowering in a locked room for fear of their lives. Later they ended up giving their lives for the belief that Jesus arose from the dead. Where did they get this boldness? Why would they give their life for a lie?
Jewish Leaders and Roman Soldiers Rejected the Resurrection
But what about those who were not Jesus’ disciples? Did they know about the resurrection and how did they respond?
Matthew 28:11-15 – While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
They had signs, miracles, and evidence every step of Jesus’ ministry. They heard firsthand from the Roman guards, people who had no incentive to lie. The resurrection was right there. Everything was right in front of their eyes. They were so close, but so far. They didn’t even investigate. They didn’t even consider the fact that they might be wrong. They just rejected it out of hand.
Not everyone who hears the gospel will be saved. Many who hear the good news will not accept it. Many will reject it out of hand without so much as any investigation. Some even in the church will not be saved because though they follow the traditions of Christianity, they have not placed their faith in Christ.
The Implications of the Resurrection
The resurrection is the crux of the Christian faith. It’s actually easy to die. Anybody can do it. The resurrection is the bigger miracle, proving that Jesus was true, that His death was effective in bringing salvation. It proved Jesus’ claim to be the Son of God.
What would have happened if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead?
Nothing. If Jesus hadn’t arisen from the dead nothing would have happened. The disciples would have gone back to their jobs. The Jews would have continued exulting in their triumph. The story would have ended. The movement would have been crushed. The New Testament wouldn’t have been written. Churches wouldn’t have been established. There would be no Easter, no New Testament, and no GICF.
What meaning does our faith have without the resurrection?
Nothing special. Without the resurrection, Christianity would be reduced to a number of moral principles. Even those would have to be followed with doubt. How could you follow Jesus as a moral authority if He lied by not fulfilling His prediction to rise from the dead? (Matthew 16:21)
This is what Paul says about the importance of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians 15:19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
With no resurrection, we are wasting our time here.
There wouldn’t be Christianity without the resurrection.
In what way does the resurrection set Christianity apart from other religions?
Jesus was the only religious leader that ever arose from the dead. Buddha is dead. Mohammed is dead. Confucius is dead. Joseph Smith is dead. All of these guys are still in the tomb. But Jesus isn’t.
One person put it like this way. You come upon an intersection and there are two guys there. You are unsure which way to go and you need to pick one to ask directions from. Who do you ask? Hard to say, right? You could ask about their familiarity with the region or their guide credentials. But what if I gave you one more piece of information? One of the guys is dead and one is alive. Who do you ask?
It’s the proof that Jesus is of God while the other religions are just man-made.
Why is the resurrection so important to believers?
It shows that Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf was effective. The resurrection is also a symbol of the new life we have in Christ when we believe in Him. As He rose to a new and perfect body, so one day we too will rise again. The curse will not last forever. Sin and death have been conquered.
This event changed the world and our lives. Think for a moment about how different your life would be without the resurrection. I for one would not even be in China, would not be married to Christy, would not have these four children, would live in a different place, would not have purpose or meaning in my life. Come to think of it, I would not be alive at all since my parents met and married in a Christian fellowship.
So the event of the resurrection is not just a fact that happened. It is the unfolding of God’s plan that demands a response.
How do we respond?
In today’s passages, we see three types of responses to the resurrection: rejection, investigation, and belief.
Some people might claim to be agnostic and say, “I don’t care. I am in the middle. I won’t think about it or make any response.”
But not deciding is a decision itself. If a doctor tells you that you have cancer and need treatment and you see, “I don’t want to make a decision” that is already a decision. It is a decision to do nothing. You are not receiving treatment.
Or imagine you are the 1 millionth customer at a car dealership. They give you a new car provided that you go in person to take collection of it and sign your name. You say, “I don’t want to decide and then you don’t do anything,” that is already a decision. You will not receive the prize.
Jesus’ claims demand a response. He claimed to be the Son of God. He claimed to have the power to save you. And now we see that His disciples claimed He rose again. How will you respond?
Rejection
The religious leaders heard news of the resurrection. It was shared with them by an objective source. But they weren’t interested. They never stopped to think about the amazing miracle that had taken place. They never seemed to even ask, “Could it be true?” They were not willing to consider that they had made a mistake in putting Jesus to death. Their face and their pride pushed them to “stand their ground” and “not give in.” They couldn’t and wouldn’t admit they were wrong. Its so sad. Salvation was right there. It was close at hand.
I hope that today there is no one in this category here. Perhaps in the past you have rejected the good news of Jesus. Or perhaps you have tried to walk the middle line and not be to extreme, not make any decision.
If you have been in the category of rejection, I have one request of you. Do not reject it outright.
Instead, investigate. That leads us to the second possible response.
Investigation (The Disciples and Thomas)
This is the most important decision you will ever make. Before choosing a school for your kids, you do some research. Before making an important medical decision, you get a second opinion. Even before purchasing a new phone, you probably put in some time to research and compare.
How much more, should we be willing to spend the time to investigate the gospel and the resurrection? Your soul is on the line.
Matthew 16:26 – For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
The disciples and Thomas did not immediately believe. They did investigate. They sought more information.
The information on the credibility of the resurrection and the Bible is out there. Here are two good books you can read.
The Case for Christ – Lee Strobel
New Evidence that Demands a Verdict- Joshua McDowell
Do not just keep putting it off. Start asking questions. Start studying. Start researching.
The investigation will lead to a choice. For the disciples, they then believed.
Believe
I trust that most of us here today have chosen to believe. If you believe that Jesus is risen, can you give an, “AMEN?”
Belief is not the end of the story though. Their belief led them to two things.
Rejoice
They were glad! Today is a day of a rejoicing.
John 15:11 – These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
The resurrection should fill our hearts with joy. It should put a smile on our face. Look around. Do you see those smiles? It means that God loves us. It means that good wins, God wins. Death is conquered. Sin is crushed. Satan is defeated. The light overcomes the darkness.
It means our sins are forgiven. It means our eternal destiny is secure. It means we have life. It means that one day, we too, will rise. It is victory. It is hope.
If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what to say. You might need CPR.
If you feel that way about the resurrection, what will you do?
Announce it!
Mary told the disciples. The disciples told Thomas. They then told the world!
But still, there are billions of people in our generation who do not know.
Who will you tell? A neighbor, a relative, a classmate, a colleague? (Romans 10:14-15)
The resurrection is the best news we will ever hear. Let’s smile and tell others.
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