John 20:19-29: The Mission of Eternal Life

Scripture Reading

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Intro

When we think of Christ’s ministry, we usually think of Christ’s teaching…

His healings…

All the miracles.

His death, burial, and resurrection.

We think about all that Christ did in His incarnation.

But what about after the resurrection?

What was Christ doing between His resurrection and ascension to the Father.

But what was Jesus doing for the Forty Days between in His resurrection and ascension?

His Post-Resurrection Ministry?

It seems important but Scripture says surprisingly little on the subject.

There are some moments in the Gospels here and there and what we do have is a summary of Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Ministry in Acts 1:3-5, 8.

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now…You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Speaking to them about the Kingdom of God… Eternal Life… and preparing them for their Mission to carry that Eternal Life to the world to the ends of the earth.

That is where we are today both in our place in the History of Redemption and in the Gospel of John.

We as a Church are a sent people.

We exist for a purpose.

To Preach the Good News of Jesus Christ and so Glorify God as the Savior of all who trust in Him.

The way John frames his narrative, the Gospel of John goes from Christ and His Death and Resurrection to Christ and His Mission.

Our Big Idea for the day from John 20:19-29 is very simple.

The Church is sent out on Christ’s mission to preach the good news of Eternal Life to the world empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Grace and Good News of Eternal Life is Good News for the Whole World.

When we look at the Mission of the Church, we aren’t just meant to look at the job Christ has given us to do.

The Mission of the Church shows us the Grace that is true for us as well.

So when you hear this sermon, don’t just hear, “Evangelize,” hear also why we are to evangelize… God’s grace for you and for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ three appearances to His Disciples immediately following His Resurrection in the Gospel of John is no accident.

With Mary Magdalene, Jesus proclaimed the Good News of Eternal Life… what He just accomplished on the Cross.

I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God (John 20:17).

Grace and Adoption… the two Great Blessings of the Gospel that capture all other blessings.

Then with the Disciples Jesus Commissioned and Empowered the Church for Mission.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you… Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23).

And then with Thomas who said, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe,” we see that Grace and that Mission in action when Thomas worships and believes saying, “My Lord and My God!” (John 20:25, 28).

Each of these stories is not just the next thing that happened after the Resurrection… its the next step in Christ’s Work… His Mission to save the world.

Let’s start with point number 1: The Good News of the Mission in John 20:19-21 where John says in verse 19…

I. The Good News of the Mission

John 20:19–21 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Its still Resurrection Sunday.

Mary Magdalene had come to the Disciples and said I have seen the Lord! but the Disciples were still hiding for fear of the Jews.

Hated by the World

This is one of John’s subtle ways of calling us as a church to boldness.

Multiple times he’s talked about the fear of the Jews because the audience he’s writing to is persecuted and fearful (John 7:13, 9:22, 19:38).

And John does this to say Don’t be afraid!

The world will hate you and that’s Good News because you are not of the world.

Jesus said If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you (John 15:18-20).

The hatred of the world… when you feel out of place… ostracized… cast out for what you believe… that’s the very testimony of the world that you belong to Christ!

That’s why Jesus said in Matthew 5:11–12 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Disciples?

Now the Disciples is probably talking about the 10 Apostles and other men and women who were followers of Jesus.

Remember, Thomas is not there… He comes up later.

And Judas has already killed himself.

What you have here is the early church.

And they are locked in a closed room.

And then all of a sudden, Jesus shows up!

John says, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Locked?

Now what happened?

Did Jesus just miraculously appear there… like He teleported in.

Did the door miraculously unlock as it does with Peter later in the book of Acts (Acts 12:10).

Does John leave it ambiguous because what he really wants us to see is that when the saints are gathered… when the church body comes together on the first day of the week on the Lord’s Day… that Christ Himself is there?

That Christ is here with us?

Whichever way you take it there is obviously a “sovereign mystery” to Jesus.

But what you also need to see is that Jesus in His glorious, resurrected body was raised bodily.

He was not a ghost or a spirit… He had a glorified, resurrected, physical body.

In our passage… He showed them His hands and His side.

With Thomas He says Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side… He invited Thomas to touch Him (John 20:27; cf Luke 24:39).

In Luke He even eats a piece of fish to prove He rose again bodily (Luke 24:42).

Now why is this important is because if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (1 Corinthians 15:17).

But by His resurrection from the Dead, Jesus conquered Death.

He truly proved I am the Resurrection and the Life and the fullness of Salvation for all who trust in Him (John 11:25).

So however Jesus got in that room, He got in with a flesh and blood body that still bore the wounds His crucifixion and proclaimed His victory over death.

The victory we now share by grace through faith in Him.

Peace and Sympathetic High Priest

And then two times, Jesus says 4 wonderful, little words: Peace be with you.

Now this was a common greeting, one that is still used today.

But for Jesus it was so much more.

Remember… this is the first time Jesus’ disciples had seen Him since they had all abandoned Him… since Peter had denied Him three times.

And Jesus’ first words to them aren’t bitter… they aren’t filled with rebuke.

They are Peace… and they are Peace two times! for emphasis.

Here we see the grace and kindness of Christ.

The Grace for failures.

Our faithful and sympathetic High Priest who was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Who knows our failures… knows our weaknesses… and chooses to give us grace.

Shalom

And this Peace that Jesus gives is Shalom.

That word of total peace… wholeness… harmony…

All things right and all things new…

Perfect balance

God saw the world that He had made and said it was very good (Genesis 1:31).

That’s the wholeness and peace Christ brings through His death and resurrection from the cross.

It is freedom and life from sin, death, the Curse, and everything broken by the Fall.

Its the Great Result!… the Great Victory! of… It is finished (John 19:30).

And this Peace for them and for us means two things.

Peace with God.

And Peace of God.

Peace with God

By His death and Resurrection… by the wounds in His hands and His side… Jesus gave us peace with God.

We were enemies of God… hostile in mind under His judgment and wrath.

But Christ satisfied that wrath once and for all.

He drained the cup of God’s wrath down to the dregs… He paid for our sins so that we might drink the cup of His forgiveness.

Isaiah 53:5–6 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Peace of God

In addition to giving us Peace with God, Jesus gives us the peace of God.

Jesus said…

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

In Christ we have rest and true contentment for our souls.

How many times in the Gospel of John has He Pictured salvation as Living Water.

Soul-satisfying… Thirst-quenching… Eternal Life.

In John 14 Jesus said John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.

The world gives a temporary peace… tentative peace.

A fleeting peace that is based on life or our circumstances.

At best all the world can offer is the hope of peace.

But Christ gives an eternal peace… an abiding peace… a true peace.

One of green pastures and still waters (Psalm 23:2).

Peace with God and Peace of God.

No wonder the Disciples were glad!

Glad

They go from fear to joy.

A very picture of the New Life we have in Christ.

He changes everything.

He takes us from the lowest of lows and brings us to the Highest of highs.

Heaven itself adopted as beloved sons and daughters of God!

Mission

And then Jesus said, As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.

This is John’s Great Commission.

In Matthew Jesus said All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age (Matthew 28:18–20).

Here Jesus simply says I am sending you.

We as the Church are a sent people… sent on the very same mission of the Son.

In fact, that’s how we should look at it.

Jesus isn’t giving the Church a new thing to do.

He is commissioning the Church in what He is already doing.

We are the body of Christ… He is the first sent one.

We are carrying out His Mission and Christ is carrying it out in and through us.

Well what is that Mission?

What is the Mission of the Church?

The Key is in Christ’s words As the Father has sent me.

Our mission is found in the “sentness” of the Son.

The Father sending the Son is a prominent theme in John but lets look at one place that’s key for us and our mission as a church and that’s John 3:16-18

John 3:16–17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

Mission of Love

First, Jesus was sent on a Mission of Love… For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.

The Church is sent on a Mission to proclaim the Love of God and particularly the Love of God revealed in Jesus Christ… that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Mission of Redemption

And this Mission of Love is a Mission of Redemption… a Mission of Salvation.

John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.

The Father sent the Son not to condemn the world, but to save the world.

In the same way the Church is sent that the world might be saved.

Now does that mean we don’t call out sin?

Of course not. Jesus did!

He called people children of the devil.

What it means is that our mission… the Great mission of the Church is to share the Love God in Christ and the salvation of sinners.

The Mission is the Good News of Eternal Life!

Its a mission of Grace, Adoption, Living Water, Freedom and the Forgiveness of sins.

All prominent themes in the Gospel of John!

How?

Now how do we carry out this mission?

What is it that we actually do?

What is our primary task and purpose?

Again… As the Father has sent me even so I am sending you.

The Father sent the Son into the world and the Father sent the Son… Preaching.

All throughout the Gospel of John we have seen how Jesus is God’s One True Prophet.

John 3:31–34 He who comes from above is above all… He bears witness to what he has seen and heard… Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.

Christ was anointed to preach and utter the very words of God.

John 7:16 My teaching is not my own, but his who sent me.

John 17:14 I have given them your word.

And perhaps most telling for us and our mission as a Church…

John 12:49–50 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life.

Sent as the Father sent the Son we are sent preaching and specifically sent preaching the commandment of Eternal Life… repent and believe in the Lord Jesus (Acts 2:38).

Just as Christ was sent we are sent preaching the Word of God… bearing witness to the light (John 1:6).

Transition

So the Good News of the Mission is the Good News of the Gospel itself.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:1).

He suffered in the flesh… He died on the cross… to save us from our sins and rose again three days later to give us Eternal Life.

Its a Mission of Love and Redemption entrusted to us by Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit (cf. John 13:20).

And that’s point number 2…

II. The Power of the Mission

John 20:22–23 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.

Now the obvious question we want to answer is how does this relate to Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell on the Disciples in power in Acts 2 and the Gospel explodes and starts going forth.

We saw earlier in Acts 1 how Jesus even said you need to wait for the promised Holy Spirit before going from Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:4-5).

Well this is a prophetic act of Jesus where Jesus symbolizes just what he had promised in John 15 and 16 I will send the Helper to you.

When Jesus breathes on them He is giving them a picture of the New, Eternal Life that only comes from Him.

When God made Adam it says then the Lord God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature (Genesis 2:7).

In the same way this is Christ… through His Death and Resurrection… the marks in His hands and His side… breathing New Life in the Church and making them New Creations.

The Church receives the Holy Spirit as the vessel or container of the Eternal Life we are called to preach.

It’s Ezekiel’s Temple in Ezekiel 47 where the River of Life… the Work and Ministry of the Holy Spirit making dead men live… flows from the Threshold of the Temple to water the dry and desert places to make the saltwater fresh and the dead fish live.

Its what Jesus said in John 7:37–39 If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

So Jesus breathes on them and says receive the Holy Spirit to prophetically say you are alive…

You are now living creatures made alive again and saved death on the cross.

The living water… the Holy Spirit is now yours.

And now I want you take that Living Water to the world.

And I have given you the Helper… the One who comes alongside with strength to help in all that we have need.

This is why Jesus goes from saying receive the Holy Spirit to say in John 20:23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.

Its not that the Church has the power or authority to forgive sins.

Its that the Church has the authority to proclaim forgiveness.

Just as Jesus had the Words of Eternal Life in John 6:68…

God’s One True Prophet with a sure and true word from heaven for how we might be saved…

That word is now entrusted to the Church and authorized by Christ Himself.

Its that the Church can preach all who can trust in Christ will be saved with the authority… authorization… seal of approval from God Himself… that all who believe in the Gospel of the Church will be saved.

As Jesus said John 13:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

We are ambassadors for Christ, God Himself making His appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20).

But we are not sent out on our own.

We are sent out in the grace and power of the Holy Spirit.

Without His work none of our preaching would be effective.

Mere words cannot raise the dead to life.

Only God has the power to make dead men live.

But the ministry of the Spirit is to bear witness through us.

To take our outward preaching of the Gospel that can go no further than dead and death ears and preach to the heart.

To take out their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh and make them born again (John 3:3-8).

Why do we preach?

Why do we labor?

Why is none of this in vain?

Because the Holy Spirit will save all that are His.

He makes our preaching effective… both for us and those who hear us.

Without that grace… that power… the whole mission of the church would be in vain.

But God Himself goes with us to save all the elect.

This is why your preaching… your witness is always effective.

Its the aroma of life for the ones who are being saved and the aroma of death… the aroma of condemnation… for those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).

You’re either sowing… watering… or reaping.

Or heaping burning coals in judgment… but its always effective.

God’s Word does not return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11).

As Jesus promised earlier in John 15:26…

John 15:26–27, John 16:8 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning…

The Holy Spirit bears witness through us.

And what does Jesus promise?

He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

The sin that separates us from God.

The righteousness that is only found in the finished work of Christ.

The the Judgment that all our sins deserve.

The Ministry of the Church is His ministry… we need only be faithful.

Transition

So we’ve seen the Good News of the Mission… the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Power of the Mission… the Ministry and Work of the Holy Spirit in and through us.

And now we see that grace and that power in action with point number 3…

III. The Grace of the Mission

John 20:24–25 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Thomas coming to faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is no accident.

John puts him here to give us a picture and a hope for what the Mission of the Church in the Power of the Holy Spirit would achieve as well as give us a picture of faith.

So Thomas says, I will never believe.

Then verse 26…

John 20:26-29 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

That same message of Gospel Peace.

Salvation and redemption from the Fall.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

That’s essentially the Mission of the Church.

Do not disbelieve, but believe bearing witness to the resurrected Christ.

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Here is one of the greatest confessions of faith in the whole Bible.

We are not actually told if Thomas even put His fingers in Jesus hands.

But in seeing Christ He fell down and worshiped.

My Lord and My God!

Lord

Master

My Lord says my Lord and my Master.

The One to whom belongs all my life.

The One I follow and obey (John 8:31).

Savior

And for Thomas it also means more.

Lord is the word used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament for God… Yahweh.

So it also has the meaning of My Lord and Savior.

The One who redeems me from all my sin.

Isaiah 43:3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

God

My God is obviously the one I worship and adore.

My Life.

My Everything.

The One I love with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength (Matthew 22:37).

Thomas’ confession is really just Psalm 16:2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.

Saving Faith

This is what saving faith looks like.

Remember… John’s purpose in this Gospel is that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).

What does believing look like?

How do you have life in His name?

By believing Jesus died and rose again for your sins and confessing with Thomas, My Lord and My God!

Parents… this is helpful for you in talking about faith with your young kids.

My son has asked me what does it mean to believe?… How do you do that?

How do you communicate faith and their need for a personal faith in Christ.

1. They need to believe Jesus died and rose again for their sins and 2. give their life to Jesus.

The 1689 says Receiving and Resting on Christ.

That’s it.

If you want to be saved receive and rest on Christ.

Believe He did in your place for your sins and give your life to Him.

And Jesus says Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

That’s me and you.

Blessed.

What blessings do we receive in Christ?

Living Water.

Forgiveness of sins.

The Free Gift of Eternal Life.

The Holy Spirit.

Joy.

Peace.

Adopted as one of God’s own beloved sons or daughters.

What Jesus gives here is a blessing… a beatitude… or a promise.

All who believes will be blessed.

Blessed is Peace with God and Peace of God.

Grace and adoption.

Eternal Life.

In the Mission of the Church we see what we ourselves have received.

That all who believe like Thomas and give their life to Christ will be saved.

My Lord and My God!

Conclusion

The Mission of Christ is the Mission of Eternal Life.

The Church is sent out to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to see all the Nations confess with Thomas My Lord and My God.

To Worship Christ alone.

That’s why we exist.

To see the knowledge of the glory of the Lord cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

And this Mission Christ has sent us on in the power of the Holy Spirit… is not some hopeless endeavor.

I think most Christians happen to see it.

That ultimately its not going to be successful.

Yes God will save some but its hard to believe Psalm 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

That just seems too good to be true.

All the nations worshiping the Lord?

But Paul said Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere (2 Corinthians 2:14)

A Triumphal Procession!

A Victorious March!

Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The Church is not sent out on a losing Mission.

The Power… Presence… and Purpose of the Triune God goes with us wherever we go.

God leads us in a Triumphal Procession.

Jesus said I will be with you always to the end of the age.

And we go in the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The Mission of the Church is the Mission of the Triune God to glorify His Name and save all of His elect.

Isaiah 49:6 My salvation [will] reach to the ends of the earth

This is God’s Mission.

This is why we can labor.

This is why we can sacrifice and suffer the hatred of the world.

This is why we can press on afflicted but not crushed (2 Corinthians 4:8).

Because we know its not all for naught… our life will not be wasted.

The Church will be victorious.

The nations will worship before the Lord and the coastlands… the farthest reaches… will wait for His Law (Isaiah 42:4).

And At the name of Jesus every knee [will] bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).

Let’s Pray