Believing Without Seeing
30 June 2013 PM – John 20:1-31 – Scott Childs
Introduction: How many of you believe that my watch was made in a watch factory? Were any of you there when it was made? Have you ever seen the watch factory? We know that watches do not grow on trees. We know that watches do not evolve from junk piles. Based on external information, we believe that this watch was made in a watch factory.
John wrote his gospel to give us who have never seen Jesus information so that we might believe.
Transition: John, in his 20th chapter, gives us three examples of those who saw the resurrected Christ and believed and then he records Jesus’ special blessing on all who believe without seeing.
I. Mary Saw Jesus (1-18)
A. Mary discovered the empty tomb (1-10)
1. Mary went to the tomb early on Sunday morning while it was still dark.
2. The stone was already moved and Jesus was gone. Apparently the soldiers were gone as well, probably terrified by the angels.
3. Mary ran and told Peter and John. They ran to the tomb. John arrived first and looked. Peter ran right in and John then followed.
4. Verse 8 says they believed, but what did they believe?
a) They did not believe that Christ arose.
b) They believed Mary’s report that Christ was gone.
c) They knew not the scripture that Christ must rise again (9).
5. They went away to their own home (lit. to their own). They did not live in Jerusalem.
Jesus had spoken many times about his death and resurrection but it had not sunk in. This is a very good reason for us to read the Bible repeatedly. In addition, to listen to preaching every time we have the opportunity. As humans, spiritual truth does not sink in very quickly.
B. Mary was first to see the resurrected Christ (11-18)
1. First, she saw two angels on both ends of where Jesus’ body had been.
2. They asked her why she cried.
3. She explained that Jesus was gone and she did not know where the thief had taken Him.
4. When she turned around, she met Jesus but did not recognize Him. She thought He was the gardener.
5. When Jesus spoke her name, she recognized Him. Note what Jesus said to her (v.17). His words “touch me not for I am not yet ascended” are difficult to understand for a short time later He tells Thomas to touch Him.
The best explanation seems to be that Mary was holding onto Jesus as though she would never let Him go. Jesus told her to stop doing that or, if He knew she was about to do it, He told her not to do it. He was almost ready to disappear permanently. The reason she should release Him was that He had not yet ascended to the Father. He had other work to do first. Only in heaven would it be possible for loving believers such as Mary to maintain contact with Jesus forever. Constable’s Notes
II. Ten of the Disciples Saw Jesus (19-23)
A. The disciples locked themselves in the upper room
1. It was Sunday evening, about 12 hours after Christ’s resurrection.
2. The confused disciples locked themselves in the upper room because they were afraid of the Jews.
3. Suddenly, Jesus appeared in their midst. His first words are “Peace be unto you.”
Imagine how you would have felt in their situation. They watched Jesus die on the cross. Three days later, His body is missing from the tomb, Mary claims she saw Jesus alive. They are fearful of the Jews who killed Jesus, especially now that Jesus’ body is missing and news was spreading that the disciples stole the body. During all that emotion, Jesus suddenly appears.
B. Jesus commissioned them to serve (21-23)
1. He said that just as the Father sent Him to preach in the same manner He is now sending them to preach.
2. What actually took place in verse 22?
a) If He gave them the Holy Spirit at this point, what happened at Pentecost?
b) Thomas was not present. He would have missed out.
c) Most likely, Jesus was giving them a reminder and assurance that they would receive the Holy Spirit to help them with the work He had just given them to do, (Jn 16:7).
3. In verse we, the words “they are remitted” and “they are retained” are both perfect passive verbs meaning that the action was done by another (God) and has already been completed in the past with present results.
If people (“any” or “anyone,” plural Gr. tinon) believed the gospel, the disciples could tell the believers that God had forgiven their sins. If they disbelieved, they could tell them that God had not forgiven but retained their sins. Constable’s Notes
III. Thomas Saw Jesus (24-29)
A. Thomas refused to believe without seeing (24-25)
1. He was absent Sunday night when Jesus appeared in the upper room.
2. When the disciples told him that Jesus had appeared to them, he refused to believe. He wanted visual and tangible proof.
B. Thomas saw and believed (26-29)
1. The following Sunday, again while the disciples including Thomas were locked in the upper room, Jesus came and stood in the middle of them.
2. Evidently, He turned right to Thomas and invited Him to touch the nail prints and the spear scar in His side. He said, “stop being faithless but faithful.”
3. Note Thomas’ response, (v.28). He called Jesus his Lord and his God. Thomas called Jesus, God, and Jesus did not deny it. Jesus is God despite the false teachings of the JW’s.
4. Jesus blessed each of us with a special blessing when He said, “blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (29).
When we are tempted to doubt, we must rush to the Bible and read again the historical accounts of great things God has done. The Bible is not a storybook. It is a history book. But more than that, it is a divinely inspired history book. Jesus promised a special blessing on all of us who believe though we have not seen with our eyes.
IV. Theme of the Book (30-31)
A. Jesus did many other signs
1. John assures us that Jesus did MANY other signs.
2. The disciples were eyewitnesses of them.
3. John did not record them all, nor did the other synoptic gospels.
B. John included those he did for a purpose
1. He included these signs in his book in order that we might believe:
a) Believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Messiah, the anointed One, and the Saviour.
b) Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. He is deity. He is God the Son.
2. Believing these facts is essential in order that believing:
a) We might have life through His name.
b) This is only possible if we believe.
Conclusion: The disciples heard Jesus say He would die and resurrect, yet when it happened, they did not remember. This is one reason that we must read the Bible repeatedly and studiously.
As Jesus sent the 11 disciples, so He sends all of His followers to be witnesses for Him. How long has it been since you witnessed for Christ or even passed out a tract?
Though it would have been awesome to have seen Jesus in person, we can enjoy His special blessing when we believe without seeing.
We are nearly finished with the book of John. I hope you have taken notes and learned much which you can use as a witnessing tool to help unbelievers come to faith in Christ.
Song: So Send I You – 416