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FAITH & DOUBT (John 20) (Kent Smith Notes 6/23/24)

FAITH, DOUBT, AND OUR EXPERIENCE

John 20

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RESURRECTION MORNING

  • Mary is first at the tomb and saw the tomb open.

  • She ran to Peter and John and told them the body had been taken.

  • Peter and John run to the tomb and confirm the report.

  • John saw the empty tomb and believed Mary’s report about the body.

  • Then the disciples went to their own homes.

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John 20:1-10  Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.


Let’s be clear about what happened:   Mary saw the tomb opened and assumed the body had been taken.   She goes and tells the disciples.

John beats Peter to the tomb, and stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings.Peter arrives and entered the tomb, and saw the wrappings and the face-cloth rolled up and placed separately.

Then John enters also and so they believed Mary’s report … that the body had been taken!

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MARY’S ENCOUNTER

  • She remained at the tomb weeping.

  • She looked in the tomb and saw two angels.

  • The angels asked her, “Why are you weeping?”

  • She replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord.”

  • She turns from the tomb and saw someone standing there.

  • He asks, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

  • Thinking He is the gardener she inquires about the body.

  • Jesus calls her name, “Mary.”

  • Mary recognizes Jesus and calls him “Rabboni.” (Teacher)

  • Jesus sends her to tell the disciples that He is ascending to the Father.

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John 20:11-18 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stopped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and 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 Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.


Let’s be clear about what happened:

Mary remains at the tomb.

She looks in and sees two angels.  (I think if they had been there the whole time John and Peter would have noted that!)

Then she encounters Jesus!

Jesus does not allow her to touch Him yet for He had not ascended to the Father,

From the time He arose from the grave till He returns that evening, some suggest that He ascended to heaven to complete the task of atonement.  He was still carrying the sins of humanity and had to appear before the Father for cleansing, prior to His next appearance.

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SUNDAY EVENING

  • The disciples gather in a closed room in fear of the Jews.

  • Peter and John had seen the empty tomb but did not yet believe that He was risen.

  • JESUS CAME AND STOOD IN THEIR MIDST

  • The disciples rejoiced.

  • Thoms was not among them.

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John 20:19-22, 24 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “[b]Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send 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, their sins [c]have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, (which means twin) was not with them when Jesus came.

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THE NEXT WEEK

  • The disciples including Thomas are assembled again.

  • Jesus appears to them again.

  • Jesus offers Thomas His bodily proof and calls him to believe.

  • Thomas confesses, “My Lord and My God!”

  • A powerful confession of belief, faith, and surrender.

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John 20:26-28 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been [f]shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving but believing.”  Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 

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APPLYING THE TRUTH

  • Jesus did not condemn Thomas for unbelief.

  • The condemnation for unbelief is only applied when the revelation of God is rejected.

  • It is the revelation of Jesus Christ, His death in our place, His victorious resurrection, and His offer of forgiveness that we must not reject!

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  • Thomas just wanted confirmation of what he had been told.

  • Thomas AND Peter, AND John, AND the rest of the followers of Jesus were initially unbelieving, until they personally met the resurrected Jesus.

  • God makes Himself known to all mankind, sufficient to condemn all mankind for their rebellion, willful rejection, and sin.

  • Romans 1:18-25  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man  (made himself god) and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.  Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature (themselves) rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

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WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE FOR BELIEF?

  • The revelation of God observed in the world around us: Creation

  • The revelation of God sensed within us: Our moral compass.

  • The revelation of God revealed to us by grace: Jesus Christ.

  • The revelation of God as witnessed to us: The testimony of believers.

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  • When faith is not exercised, we live in fear and uncertainty.

  • Faith grows by experience.

  • When we act in faith, (That is trusting the promises of God regardless of the apparent circumstances) we open the opportunity for God to show Himself faithful to us and Himself,      

  • When God reveals Himself to us and we respond with faith, belief, and obedience, then we are strengthened in the inner being, and our understanding and intimacy with the living God is strengthened, affirmed and fortified.  We begin to experience life as He intended: richer, fuller, experiencing joy and peace even in the worst of circumstances.  This is God’s desire for us.

  • JOHN 20:29-31  “BECAUSE YOU HAVE SEEN ME, HAVE YOU BELIEVED? BLESSED ARE THEY WHO DID NOT SEE, AND YET BELIEVED.”  THEREFORE MANY OTHER SIGNS JESUS ALSO PERFORMED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE DISCIPLES, WHICH ARE NOT WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK;  BUT THESE HAVE BEEN WRITTEN SO THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD; AND THAT BELIEVING YOU MAY HAVE LIFE IN HIS NAME.

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