#34 – Knowing God Better – John 20 (still)

We are nearing the end. But not quite. Still John 21 to go. Today we’re going to finish up John 20.

Ok, Peter and John saw empty grave linens. Mary saw two angels, plus Jesus himself! Now the disciples will see something.

Remember when Jesus was arrested? Peter was in the courtyard so scared he denied he even knew Jesus. When your leader is sentenced to the most brutal torture imaginable, until death, it certainly would unnerve the followers.

So it makes sense that we see:

19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said.

Q – Did they recognize Jesus? (see verse 20 below)
A –

20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!

Q – What message did Jesus have for them? (see verse below)
A –

21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

In John 14 we saw that Jesus said he would send them another Counselor to be with them forever. Jesus referred to him as “the Spirit of Truth.”

As soon as Jesus was raised, he sent the Holy Spirit into the lives of those who believed in him. It’s the same way for us. When we believe in Jesus and ask him into our lives, we also receive the Holy Spirit, right then.

(For more on the Holy Spirit, see http://tinyurl.com/8gjw5px) There was one disciple missing from this. Thomas.

24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas…was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

Q – What was Thomas’ reply? What did he want? (see below)
A –

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “doubting Thomas” – this is where it comes from. Here his best friends tell him something wonderful, but he is not quick to believe.

What does Jesus do with this? He lets Thomas stew on this for eight days. I’m sure Mary, Peter, John and all the rest of the disciples were trying to convince Thomas from what they’d seen. But he wouldn’t bend.

Until this…

26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.

27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

Thomas’ reply:

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Q – Did Thomas go too far, referring to Jesus as his God? (see Jesus’ response below)
A –

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

I love that Jesus gives us credit for believing without seeing. At the same time, we’ve seen so much in this gospel, we’re not without convincing proof!

John ends this chapter in a profound way. I will leave it without comment. It’s worth writing down!

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

Next lesson, John chapter 21.

A reminder, if you have any questions you and someone will personally reply to you: www.everystudent.com/contact.php

Sincerely,

Marilyn Adamson
director of EveryStudent.com
and StartingwithGod.com