(New!) Life-Long Allegiance

OPENING REMARKS

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you this morning!

It is a joy & privilege

A privilege I do not take lightly

LET’S PRAY

THE BIG IDEA

Why did John write his gospel account?

We have Matthew’s, Luke’s, and Mark’s (Peter’s)

John tells us the reason he wrote his account. And this reason is in our Big Idea this morning.

John writes his account of Jesus’ life, death, & resurrection for the same reason Jesus came in the first place: To call & compel people to continue in life-long allegiance to King Jesus!

And because of the resurrection, we may say NEW life-long allegiance to King Jesus.

OUR PASSAGE

John 20:19–23 ESV

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.” 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.”

Jesus has risen from the grave, he has shown himself to Mary Magdalene, and now he is appearing to his disciples who are gathered together, hiding from the Jews.

Why are they hiding? Jesus was just murdered, and now his body is missing!

They are hiding and fearful, and the first thing Jesus does is extend peace to them.

He proves to them he is indeed risen from the dead.

What does this proof lead to? A commission! Look, death has been defeated, there is no need to fear anyone, GO!

This is a Trinitarian going!

John 20:24–29 ESV

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.” 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.” 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.” 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.”

Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared to them (and commissioned them!), and he refuses to believe in the resurrection unless he gets the same treatment they did (seeing proof that he is risen). Jesus appears to him.

Thomas gets something of a bad wrap here. We’ve probably all heard him called “Doubting Thomas.” Maybe we even think he gets a gentle rebuke from Jesus. But I think that’s a bit too harsh of an understanding of Thomas. Consider 1 Corinthians 15:13-19 (READ IT): Thomas knows what Paul knows. If there is no resurrection, there is no hope, and if there is no hope, then there is no reason to preach…there is no Gospel!

How about “Declaring Thomas” instead of Doubting Thomas? “My Master and my God!” Thomas is now ready to declare the good news that Jesus is the risen King of the Cosmos! His preaching will not be in vein! Hope abounds! Like the others, he is now ready to be sent out. Jesus’ comment about those who believe even though they haven’t seen what Thomas has seen is his way of commissioning Thomas to GO!

John 20:30–31 ESV

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so 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 tells us why he wrote this account.

Read John 21:25.

Jesus is “the Christ” means that 1. Jesus is the everlasting King (2 Sam 7:16; Son of David); 2. It means that he is the One by which all the families of the earth will be blessed by being called into the presence of God (Gen 12:3; Son of Abraham). The first sentence of the NT fronts this world-altering gospel reality!!

Believe = Allegiance. Life-long allegiance. Jesus is the everlasting King who is bringing all the families of the earth into God’s presence for blessing! Pledge allegiance to this King and receive his blessing of resurrection LIFE!

Continued belief! John wrote this to compel Christians to continue in allegiance to this great saving King. DO NOT FEAR. PEACE BE WITH YOU. GO!!!

CLOSING ILLUSTRATION

What happened to Declaring Thomas? He witnessed the ascension of the King to his heavenly throne, received the Spirit at Pentecost, and disappears from the text of Scripture. But church tradition tells us that he immediately took this good news to Syria, and then all the way to India! HE WALKED ALL THE WAY TO INDIA! He declared the good news of King Jesus! He took his commission seriously. His allegiance to the risen King Jesus compelled him to declare the gospel to the families of the earth. He was fearless! He was eventually speared to death while he was on mission. Life-long allegiance.

In fact church history tells us that all of the disciples except John were killed for preaching the good news of the risen King. They were crucified, speared, burned, and hung. Fearless.

Jesus is calling everyone in this room to two things:

1. Believe this good news that Jesus is the resurrected saving King of the universe, that true life is offered in him!

2. Live out your allegiance by doing what he commands. Go! Do not be fearful. Go in peace and declare this news to your neighbors, your family and friends, your co-workers, and use your resources to ensure this life-giving news reaches all the families of the earth!!

LET’S PRAY