Gospel of John Chapter 20
Part I
We have come a long way in our study of the Gospel of John.
We have followed the significance of Jesus birth, His life, His Preaching and Teaching, miracles,
Arrest, Crucifixion and now His Resurrection.
John‘s purpose was not to write a college level apologetics text.
His purpose was to explain why he believes – what led him to belief
And to give enough evidence to lead anyone to believe
John‘s record of Jesus‘ resurrection is a strong historical account of the event.
To an honest, objective, and good heart the evidence is convincing
 Luke 8:15(NIV) 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good
heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
1. John is not lying. He has no motivation to lie. He and the other disciples would certainly not
die for what they knew to be a lie
2. There are so many little details in his telling – such human details would never be included in
a fable
 Peter and John‘s running – John outrunning Peter
 Mary‘s very frantic human response
 John fearing to enter the tomb
3. Another evidence of the resurrection
 The changed lives of the disciples
o From seemingly irreversible despondency and from being hunted down like dogs
o They became courageous, enthusiastic witnesses of Christ
o They were preaching to the very ones they were hiding from
John 20:1-9(NIV)
1
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and
saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ―They
have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don‘t know where they have put him!‖
 First day of the Week
o Sunday
 The early believers broke with the Saturday Sabbath and starting
worshipping on Sunday Acts 20:7; 1Corinthians 16:2
 He was in the grave for on the Jewish Sabbath
 He was dead to its laws and observances.
 This was symbolic of who we are in Christ
 We are dead to the law Romans 7:4
 The Stone was rolled away
o A large stone often weighing tons
o They wood roll the stone in front of the tomb to keep people out
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4
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o The Stone was not rolled away so Jesus could get out – Jesus had a glorified body
at this point
o It was so others could see in
Mary Ran to Peter
o He was still the accepted leader of the disciples
o Even after he sinned – He repented and came back to lead
 Abraham – liar
 Moses – murderer
 David – adulterer – murderer
 Paul – persecuter
 Peter – denier
Mary tells them what she thought
o They have taken the Lord out of the tomb
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
 Peter – leader
 John – closest to Jesus
 Again this is a very human element included in this very real and true account of the
actual events
 John outran Peter – he was probably younger
He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.
 John got there first but didn‘t go all the way in
 He looked – not a close look but more stating the fact that he saw them
6
Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of
linen lying there,
7
as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus‘ head. The cloth was folded up by itself,
separate from the linen.
 Peter went in and looked more closely at the linens lying there
o Looked – more intently – closer examination
8
Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and
believed.
 Now John comes in after people
 Looks at the scene
o The Stone
o The linens
o The head cloth
 He saw – to see with Understanding
 Believed – in Jesus‘ resurrection
 Close examination revealed that the graveclothes had been left as if Jesus had passed
right through them. The headpiece was rolled up separately from the other wrappings that
had enveloped Jesus‘ body. A grave robber couldn‘t possibly have made off with Jesus‘
body and left the linens as if they were still shaped around it. The neatness and order
indicated that there was not a hasty removal of Jesus‘ body. Rather, Jesus arose and left
the wrappings lying there, empty.
What would we have seen had we been there at the moment Jesus was raised from the dead?
Would we have seen Jesus stir, open his eyes, sit up, and begin to struggle out of the bandages?
That would have been a resuscitation, not a resurrection. He was not recovering from a swoon or
had merely been raised from the dead like Lazarus. He was not raise with a natural body but a
spiritual one.
If we had been present we would have noticed either that the body of Jesus, cwould have seemed
to have disappeared or else that it was changed into a resurrection body and passed through the
graveclothes and out of the sealed tomb Jesus passed through a door later.
John Stott says that Jesus‘ body was vaporized, being transmuted into something new and
different and wonderful.
What did John believe, Boice gives thought to this, ―Don‘t you see, Peter, that no one has moved
the body or disturbed the graveclothes? They are lying exactly as Nicodemus and Joseph left
them. Yet the body is gone. It has not been stolen. It has not been moved. Clearly it must have
passed through the cloths, leaving them as we see them now. Jesus must be rise.‖
This sight and explanation make non-Christian explanations seem silly.
 Some say the body of Jesus was stolen
o How do they account for the grave clothes
o They would have been removed with the body
 Some say Jesus revived in the tomb
o He would have had to unwind the clothes
o Then the linens would be in order the Peter and John found them
o Not to mention the stone rolled away
 The disciples didn‘t move the body
o They didn‘t even understand Jesus‘ words about resurrection
9
(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
 They believed not because of the Word of God
 But the evidence
 Understanding from Scripture would come later
LESSONS LEARNED
1. There is adequate evidence to believe
 Empty tomb
 Eyewitness accounts
 Enthusiastic Disciples
 Evidence of the undisturbed lines
2. Jesus is alive
 Seated at the right hand of the Father
 His sacrifice was accepted by the Father
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He makes intercession for us
He hears our prayers
He answers our prayers
He is coming back again
3. A glorified body awaits us
 He is the first fruit
 Our resurrection bodies will be better than our earthly bodies
o It is not resuscitation it is resurrection
 Our old bodies hamper us
 They tie us to earth, habits and even to traits in character passed down by our parents
 They slow us down
 Eventually they die.
 The resurrection body will not hamper us.
 It will free us
 In the resurrection body there will be no sickness, pain, suffering
 There will be no want, no need
 ―There will be unlimited awakefulness and unlimited opportunities for service.‖
D. L. Moody tells this story of a 15 yr old girl who became completely paralyzed on one side and
nearly blind. She could hardly see but she could hear. As she lay in bed one day she heard the
family doctor say to her parents as they stood by the bedside, ―She has seen her best days, poor
child.‖ Fortunately the girl was a believer, and she quickly replied, ―No, doctor, my best days
are yet to come, when I shall see the King in his beauty.‖ Her hope like ours is in the
resurrection!!
Gospel of John Chapter 20 Part II
We saw last week that based just on the evidence of the empty tomb and Jesus burial clothes
John believed in the Resurrection.
There is enough evidence right there to believe.
 Empty tomb
 Eyewitness accounts
 Enthusiastic Disciples
 Evidence of the undisturbed linens
10
Then the disciples went back to their homes,
 Peter and John believed in the resurrection but were not sure what to do now
 So they went back to their homes
11
but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb
 But, in contrast to Peter and John
 Mary – who probably followed them back to the tomb – stood outside the tomb crying
o Jesus cast 7 demons out of her
 Luke 8:1-3(NIV) 1After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and
village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The
Twelve were with him,
2
and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases:
Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
3
Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod‘s household; Susanna;
and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their
own means.
 Luke 7:47 – who has been forgiven much loves much
o Mary loved Jesus very much
 She helped support His ministry out of their own means
o She was at the cross – the disciples weren‘t
o She wept – because of loss, because of confusion, because of fear, because of
uncertainty, because she felt alone
 Same reasons we weep
o Charles Spurgeon said ..."tears are liquid prayers." God is able to hear your
tears. He understands. He is with you and will see you through. From Wes Newell
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and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus‘ body had been, one at the head and the other
at the foot.
 With tear filled eyes she looks and sees angels
 Two angels in white – seated where Jesus‘ body used to be
o One at the head and one at the foot
 Maybe she was thinking, ―Oh great, now I‘ve lost my mind‖
13
They asked her, ―Woman, why are you crying?‖ ―They have taken my Lord away,‖ she said,
―and I don‘t know where they have put him.‖
 Mary still didn‘t understand the resurrection
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She was crying because she believed someone had taken Jesus‘ body
o Not every perception (belief) is reality
 What she thought was true was not – no one had taken the body Jesus
resurrected.
 Take a step back
 Ask for outside help and perspective
 Be open to the truth even when it is difficult
14
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was
Jesus.
 Then she turns around and saw Jesus
 But she did not realize it was Him
o The men on the road to Emmaus – didn‘t recognize Him either
 Maybe the resurrection body changed His appearance
 Maybe because of her tears
 We don‘t know – if we need to know we would know
15
―Woman,‖ he said, ―why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the
gardener, she said, ―Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will
get him.‖
 Jesus asks her why she is crying – Who are you looking for?
 She didn‘t recognize Jesus‘ voice either
 She thought maybe it was the gardener
 If you have carried him away, tell me where and I will get him.
o What great love and dedication she shows at this point
o Barnhouse, ―Here is one of the greatest character portrayals in all of literature,
human or divine. Here is the heart of a good woman. Here is love, offering to do
the impossible as love always does.‖
 She must have turned back to the tomb at this point
16
Jesus said to her, ―Mary.‖ She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, ―Rabboni!‖ (which
means Teacher).
 When Jesus speaks her name – She turns toward him
 She cries out – Rabboni! – Teacher!
o Sheep know the shepherds voice
 Her faith was weak
 Her understanding was incomplete
 Hope was dead
 But her love was great!
 This love brought her to the cross
 This love brought her back to the tomb
 This love cried out to Jesus
Start with the Love of God
 God loves you
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God demonstrates His own love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Rom 5:8
God desires to be loved by you!
o Mark 12:28-34(NIV)
28
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that
Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ―Of all the commandments,
which is the most important?‖
29
―The most important one,‖ answered Jesus, ―is this: ‗Hear, O Israel, the Lord
our God, the Lord is one.
30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind and with all your strength.‘
31
The second is this: ‗Love your neighbor as yourself.‘ There is no
commandment greater than these.‖
32
―Well said, teacher,‖ the man replied. ―You are right in saying that God is one
and there is no other but him.
33
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your
strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt
offerings and sacrifices.‖
34
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far
from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more
questions.
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17
Jesus said, ―Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my
brothers and tell them, ‗I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.‘‖
 This is an important verse
o It ushers in a new relationship that Mary, the Disciples and all of us have because
Jesus is died and rose again
 Do not hold on to me
o I have not returned to the Father
o Maybe she didn‘t want to lose Him again
o But by Him leaving she would gain so much more
 Acts 1:14(NIV) 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along
with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
 Acts 2:1-4(NIV) 1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together
in one place.
2
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven
and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3
They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to
rest on each of them.
4
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other
tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
 Go to my brothers
o He called them friends before the resurrection
o Hebrews 2:11(NIV) 11Both the one who makes men holy and those who are
made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
 I am returning to
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o My Father, Your Father
o My God, Your God
NEW RELATIONSHIPS
1. God is now our Father
 Vertical relationship
 My Father, Your Father o Jesus relationship to the Father is unique
o In the Jesus is God – united with God in nature, divinity, unity
 God is our Father
o Through Adoption
o We were born outside of the family
o Kept outside because of Sin
o Through Christ we are brought into the Family of God
 He didn‘t just pardon us
 He parents us
 Privileges of this relationship
o Prayer
 Romans 8:14-17(NIV) 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God
are sons of God.
15
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but
you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ―Abba, Father.‖
16
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God‘s children.
17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co–heirs
with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also
share in his glory.
o Provision
o Protection
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God is not everyone‘s Father in relationship sense
He is the Father of believers
o Some – their father was the devil
2. Brothers and Sisters
 Horizontal
 Go instead to my ―Brothers‖
 Now through adoption we have a new family
 John White - ―You were cleansed by the same blood, regenerated by the same Spirit.
You are a citizen of the same city, a slave of the same master, a reader of the same
Scriptures, a worshiper of the same God. The same presence dwells silently in you as in
them. Therefore you are committed to them and they to you. They are your brothers,
sisters, your fathers, mothers and children in God. Whether you like or dislike them, you
belong to them. You have responsibilities toward them that must be discharged in love.
As long as you live on this earth, you are in their debt. Whether they have done much or
little for you, Christ has done all. He demands that your indebtedness to mhim be
transferred to your new family.‖
Now we see the story of the resurrection is to be shared!!
Go and tell
 A woman – Mary Magdalene – becomes the first evangelist!!
18
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ―I have seen the Lord!‖ And she told
them that he had said these things to her.
 Mark 16:10 says – they did not believe her
 Thank God for His patience
 He will appear to all of them soon.
Lessons Learned
1. Love the Lord
2. Let Him do what He is going to do – Go to the Father
3. Tell others
John Chapter 20 Part III
John 20:19-23(NIV)
19
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors
locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ―Peace be with you!‖
 On Sunday – Jesus appears to the disciples
o Mary Magdalene had already told them but they didn‘t believe her
 They were hiding behind locked doors
o Emphasizes their fear of the religious leaders
 Even though they had heard the good news of Jesus‘ resurrection
 Peter and John‘s findings
 Mary had seen Jesus
o Emphasizes the miracle
 Jesus came and stood among them
o His new resurrected body – not resuscitated body – no longer had barriers
o He passed through the burial clothes
o He passed through locked doors
 What is the first thing He says to them?
o Peace – Shalom
 Shalom was a common greeting
 But here it takes on more significance
 Jesus offers the peace with God
o Romans 5:1(NIV) 1Therefore, since we have been
justified through faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ,
 Jesus offers the peace of God
o Philippians 4:5-7(NIV) 5Let your gentleness be evident to
all. The Lord is near.
6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by
prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your
requests to God.
7
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
o Be with you
 The disciples had gone through the most difficult week of their lives and
the first thing Jesus speaks to them is Peace
 Complete, absolute Peace
 Based not on their performance but on the Grace of God through
Jesus Christ
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After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they
saw the Lord.
 This was the final convincing proof to the disciples
 They were overjoyed when they saw the Lord
o John 16:16(NIV) 16―In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a
little while you will see me.‖
o John 16:20(NIV) 20I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world
rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21
22
Again Jesus said, ―Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.‖
And with that he breathed on them and said, ―Receive the Holy Spirit.
 This is exact order of salvation and mission
 He gives them Peace with God – Salvation
 He sends them – Mission
o As Jesus was sent by the Father
o Now Jesus sends us on His mission
 Through the Power of the Holy Spirit
o Breathes on them
 He is alive
 He gives life –
 Genesis 2:7(NIV)
7
the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a
living being.
 Foreshadow of things to come at Pentecost – He was preparing them for
the mighty outpouring the Spirit 
23
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not
forgiven.‖
 Jesus gave the disciples their Spirit-powered and Spirit-guided mission—to preach the
Good News about him so that people‘s sins might be forgiven. The disciples did not have
the power to forgive sins (only God can forgive sins), but Jesus gave them the privilege
of telling new believers that their sins have been forgiven because they have accepted
Jesus‘ message. All believers have this same privilege. We can announce the forgiveness
of sin with certainty when we ourselves repent and believe. Those who don‘t believe will
not experience the forgiveness of sins; their sins will be retained (i.e., not forgiven).
This was all spoken to 10 disciples
 Judas was dead
 Thomas – as we will see – was not there
John 20:24-31(NIV)
24
Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus
came.
25
So the other disciples told him, ―We have seen the Lord!‖ But he said to them, ―Unless I see
the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his
side, I will not believe it.‖
 Thomas
o We call him doubting
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o He was pessimistic
o But courageous
 When hearing that Jesus wanted to go back to Jerusalem
 Thomas spoke up and said we let‘s go die with him
He would not believe the testimony of the others
He had to see himself
We cannot change minds or hearts
o Only God can do that
o We present the evidence
o We tell about Jesus
o But we cannot change anyone.
26
A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the
doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ―Peace be with you!‖
 Same setting
o In the same house
 Same miracle
o Jesus went through locked doors
 Jesus offers Thomas the same greeting
 Peace be with you
27
Then he said to Thomas, ―Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it
into my side. Stop doubting and believe.‖
 Before Thomas could share his doubts with Jesus
 Jesus addresses him – Jesus takes the initiative – Jesus extends Grace to a hurt, doubting,
fearful disciple
o Put your finger here, see my hand
o Reach out put your hand in my side
o Stop doubting and believe
 Jesus shows him the evidence
o The evidence of the love of Christ revealed in His wounds. Boice
 Thomas believes!
28
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Thomas said to him, ―My Lord and my God!‖
 This is the greatest profession of faith of all
 He not only believed Jesus was Messiah but God
 He completes the whole purpose of the book of John
Then Jesus told him, ―Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed.‖
 That is all of us
 We have not seen and yet we believe
 But we have seen haven‘t we
 We have seen Jesus in our lives and in the lives of others
30
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded
in this book.
31
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in his name.
 This is the whole purpose of the Book of John
 That you may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God
 And that by believing you might have life in His name
 Just like Thomas!!
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No case is hopeless.
God took Abraham the pagan and made him the father of a great nation.
God took Moses the stammerer and made him into the greatest vehicle for the communication of
the word of God until Paul
God took the shepherd boy David and made him King.
God took the weak Peter and made him the Rock.
God took John the son of the thunder and made him the Apostle of Love
God took the persecutor Paul and made him an Ambassador
No one is hopeless.
Not you. Not the one you are praying for!