Sermon: The Resurrected Jesus
Bible Passage: John 20
1. Good Friday is not the end of everything; Easter follows Good Friday
2. There is so much more to the salvation history beyond Good Friday!
3. Easter is not the end of everything, but it’s the beginning of everything
I. Let’s look at the Resurrected Jesus and His followers
Jesus’ followers were living in the shadow of Good Friday
1. Mary Magdalene who was in grief and a sense of being lost: The disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping (John 20:10-11)
a. Jesus called her with love and compassion “Mary” (John 20:16)
b. Her grief turned into joy and excitement “Rabboni” (John 20:16)
c. Jesus commissioned Mary, “Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’” (John 20:17)
d. Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said to her (John 20:18)
2. The Jesus’ disciples who were terrified of authorities: On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders (John 20:19)
a. Jesus appeared to them inside the closed room (John 20:19)
b. Jesus greeted them “Peace to you” (John 20:19)
c. The disciples’ fear turned into joy (John 20:19)
d. Jesus commissioned them, “Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21)
e. Jesus equipped them for the task: And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22)
f. Jesus empowered them, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained” (John 20:23)
3. Thomas, who was gripped with disbelief, an aggressive pessimist: “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!” (John 20:25)
a. Thomas missed the company of the disciples and consequently missed Jesus’ first appearance (John 20:24)
b. Eight days later the disciples were again together in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:26)
c. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side (John 20:26)
d. Jesus told Thomas, “Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe” (John 20:26)
e. Thomas replied to him, “My Lord and my God (John 20:28), first one to call Jesus “God”
4. Unnamed disciples whose hopes were shattered due to apparent miscalculation: we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel (Luke 24:21)
a. Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures (Luke 24:27)
b. Jesus took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 24:31 At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him (Luke 24:30-31)
c. They got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered together (Luke 24:33)
d. Then they told what had happened on the road, and how they recognized him when he broke the bread (Luke 24:35)
5. Peter who lost his course of life: 21:7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So Simon Peter, when he heard that it was the Lord, tucked in his outer garment (for he had nothing on underneath it), and plunged into the sea (John 21:7)
a. “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said (John 21:12)
b. Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.” … “Feed my sheep” … “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17)
II. The meeting of Resurrected Jesus:
1. Turned Mary Magdalene’s grief to joy (comfort to the grieving one)
2. Turned the disciples’ fear to courage
3. Turned disbelief of Thomas into aggressive belief and maturity
4. Turned the disappointed, apparently miscalculated disciples to the community
5. Turned Peter back to serve Jesus (Peter had lost his call but the Resurrected Jesus restored his call)
III. Principles:
1. Resurrection of Jesus brings hope to those who are living in the shadow of Good Friday
2. Resurrection of Jesus points to the possibility of the turning over of life situations (due to death, divorce, layoff, loss of relationships, disappointments, etc.)
3. The Resurrected Jesus creates a new beginning when the world decides that everything has ended
Take Away:
Let the Resurrected Jesus bring about a change in your life situations by opening your life to Him