John 20:19-31

Believe That Jesus is the Christ The Son of God

Resurrection night, the disciples was working through what all had happened....there were some there that had encountered an empty tomb, burial clothes laying as if someone was in them, Jesus Himself and most of them was gathered contemplating the day’s events and the Words of Christ.

On the road to Emmaus, 2 disciples were walking an encountered Jesus in Luke 24.....these men didn’t know it was Jesus as Mary M. didn’t know......

Jesus spent quite some time with them, He expounded on the prophecies of the coming of Himself the Christ and when Jesus left them they said this.....

Luke 24:32 “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

Luke 24:33-35 “And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.”

So these followers of Jesus were taking all of this in....notice John tells us that they had locked themselves in, because they feared the “Jews”

Fear because they reasonably expected that Jesus’ fate could be their own.

It is very possible that the “Jews” would want them killed so they wouldn’t spread no more Jesus talk.

Which they tried and failed many times, essentially succeeding in killing the disciples but not successful in squashing the Truth of Jesus Christ.

Jesus came and stood in their midst......’

A lot of people try to make this something, in that try to explain how Jesus did this......He just appeared in a lock room.....

I heard one preacher said He rearranged the molecules of the human body as to be able to go through a wall.

I heard others talking about when they get to Heaven they are going to have this power to these things.

I don’t know how it was possible, all I know is that Jesus is the Only One that could do it.

Next…Jesus tells them “Peace be unto you”

This to me is greater than Jesus going through the wall!

Can you imagine His followers hearing their Shepherd, the Lamb that was slain telling them to have peace....

Jesus’ finished work brought true peace between man and God!

Perhaps the disciples remembered Jesus’ words just a few days before moments before the cross...’

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

This is the peace that He leaves with those that believe, His peace, a peace that passes all understanding!

Jesus mercifully showed those that were His, the nail prints and His side that was pierced....This is the One that was crucified this is not a trick or anything, Jesus died and now was raised a new!

The elation of the disciples......can you imagine?

How did you feel when you believed?

The same rejoicing should be the proper response!

Jesus again assures them of the peace and then adds the directive of those that believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God.......

As the Father sent Jesus to save the world, so will the disciples be sent.......

John 13:16 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”

The word “apostle” means in the Greek: a special messenger of Jesus Christ and messenger means....., envoy, one sent

Much has been made of this next verse.....to be truthful I am not quite sure what is going on at this point.......some say that John has his own special anointing of the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t match up with.........

Some strain real hard trying to find an answer to prove God in by making everything make sense for everybody, but it just is not going to be that way sometimes, I have an idea, but that is not set in stone...

Truth is, I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior without having to have every single thing explainable to me......I understand enough about my sin in comparison to a Holy, Triune God and I need deliverance, I can look about and then read Scripture and that is enough for me to believe!

This one that I think could possibly be what this is: “Jesus breathes on his followers and says, Receive the Holy Spirit. In terms of Johannine theology, is reminiscent of Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” and Ezekiel 37:9 “Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” ; this is the beginning of the new creation, the awakening of the dead.”

Here are some others: “For Calvin (2. 205), the disciples are here sprinkled with the grace of the Spirit, but not saturated with his full enduement of power until Acts 2. Westcott (2. 350–351) thinks power of new life is bestowed here, and power for ministry in Acts; Wojciechowski proposes that by Jesus’ exhalation the disciples received the gift of the word, including the gift of tongues, which was then not manifested until Pentecost”

What I mentioned first and what Westcott said, seems to work together good enough with Acts 2!

Verse 23 offers us some debate as well, but I think this is more open and shut than the previous verse.....

Forgiveness of sins.......Adam Clarke says: “It is certain God alone can forgive sins; and it would not only be blasphemous, but grossly absurd, to say that any creature could remit the guilt of a transgression which had been committed against the Creator. The apostles received from the Lord the doctrine of reconciliation, and the doctrine of condemnation. They who believed on the Son of God, in consequence of their preaching, had their sins remitted; and they who would not believe were declared to lie under condemnation”

Unfortunately, humans like power and some teachers and preachers, (Catholics, mainly) have said that they can actually absolve someone from their sins! This is blasphemy!

The Pharisees even know this: Luke 5:21 “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”

This was said against Jesus, their assessment would of been right if they wasn’t accusing the incarnate Son of God!

Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, And will not remember thy sins.”

Some link this with Matthew 16:19 “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Thomas wasn’t with them at this moment, but when he comes to them, he is doubting all of this....later on Jesus does not rebuke Thomas for anything that he said........Jesus just offers Himself to Thomas to help his unbelief!

Thomas then believes “My Lord and My God!”

In this small phrase, Thomas expresses and great faith......the faith is great because of who we have faith in!

Faith in the atonement through Christ on the cross, faith in the resurrection, faith in the deity of Jesus Christ!

Verse 29....Jesus looked ahead to a time when physical evidence as Thomas received would not be available, other than what we read in Scripture!’

Those that believe without seeing physically the risen Christ, here, receive a special blessing from Jesus!

30.......approx. 40 miracles are mentioned in all 4 Gospels......

However, this does not mean and I think the implication by John seem to suggest that all of Jesus’ miracles were recorded and the Gospels tell us that He healed everyone in some towns.....

Imagine the impact that made and no wonder folks were following Jesus everywhere.

All of what Jesus did could not be contained in a book.....

This seems to be an over-exaggeration but I will say not..........

John wrote about only 7 miracles and they were significant in the declaration that Jesus was God

One miracle packs a great impact!

All of this is written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, Son of man, the Deliverer, the Lamb of God........The Son of God, God the Son!