May 2, 2012
WONDER AND AMAZEMENT -- A PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH THE RISEN LORD
John 20
Bob Lamkin
Central Truth
The truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is amazing and wonderful. When you encounter the risen Christ and personally claim the truth of the resurrection as your own, the truth will come with the power of God, and it will change everything you thought you knew.
Key Verse | John 20:15–16
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). (John 20:15-16)
John 20
The Resurrection
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' 1 20:7 Greek his head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, 2 20:16 Or Hebrew “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
19 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, 3 20:19 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Jesus and Thomas
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, 4 20:24 Greek Didymus was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.”
26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of This Book
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.
Dive Deeper | John 20
The first Easter, the day that changed every day to follow, came just as Jesus had predicted it would. He had said that He would be raised up in three days (John 2:19-22), but even those closest to Him didn't know what to make of the empty tomb. Hearing the news, John and Peter raced to see the evidence. Peter entered the tomb first and saw the burial linens, but it seems he didn't fully grasp the situation.
A short time later, Mary Magdalene was the first to encounter the resurrected Jesus. She was in such a state of despair and weeping that she didn't even recognize Him until He called her name. That evening, the disciples had gathered and, although they had heard the reports, it wasn't until Jesus appeared in their midst that they understood and accepted the truth. And it was eight days later when Thomas was finally convinced by a personal encounter with Christ. Only John seemed to believe what he was seeing at the tomb (John 20:8).
For a long time, I didn't get it either. I didn't understand. I knew of Jesus and His death and resurrection, but I hadn't yet personally encountered Him. I was like Mary Magdalene, confused about who He was. I was like Peter, unable to make much sense of it all. What I knew of Jesus affected my life very little. I did not fully grasp that He loved me so much that He had given His life for me personally. I did not fully grasp that He desired a personal relationship with me. I knew of Him, but I did not know Him.
When my own personal Easter finally dawned, and He called my name and revealed Himself to me, I finally understood and rejoiced. The gospel traveled the longest eighteen inches in the world -- from my head to my heart. That day, I personally met and recognized Jesus for who He is, my Savior and Lord. For me, that was the amazing and wonderful day that everything changed.
HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Discussion Questions
1. Do you know Him? If so, do you remember the time when you first met Him? What was it like for you?
2. Do you know Him? If so, how is your relationship with Him? Are you close? What do you need to work on to be closer?
3. Do you know Him? If so, are there people in your sphere of influence who need to meet Him? Are you ready to introduce them to Him?
4. Do you know Him? If not, why not cry out to Him now, confess your need for Him, and proclaim your willingness to follow Him? He will answer your prayer.
WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY
John 18 – Acts 2 (April 30 – May 4)
Read Acts 2:41-47.
• This is the early church. Discuss all the things they were doing together.
• How is this similar to your church today?
• God calls us to be in community together. Parents share with your kids what community looks like in your life.
• Then discuss how community looks for your kids. What friends are they "sharing life with"? And talk about what it looks like to really live in community (e.g., sharing the good and the bad, meeting together regularly, serving the needy together, helping each other when you are in need, etc.).
Activity: Make a list of some of the most important people in your community. Think about something that you can do for them to let them know you are thankful to have them in your life (e.g., bake some cookies and leave on their porch, write them personal thank-you notes, or throw a movie night at your house).