John: Jesus is Alive!

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Jesus is Alive! (John 20:1-31)

The resurrection is the unchangeable fact upon which our faith is based. It proves conclusively that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. The first Christians staked everything on the resurrection, so much so that the apostle Paul told the Christians in Corinth, that if Christ had not been raised, his preaching would be useless and so would their faith (I Corinthians 15:14). After Jesus' death, the disciples were cringing in fear behind locked doors, terrified that the Jews would arrest and execute them too. They were certainly not models of courage, but were in complete despair at the loss of their leader.

The Gospels present Jesus' resurrection as a shocking intrusion that no-one was expecting, even for his disciples who should have understood what he had said to them before his death. But the resurrection appearances completely transformed the lives of those who saw the risen Jesus, so much so that the first Christians went out with hope and courage to change the world for Jesus. Many died for their faith, fully confident that death was not the end.

Questions to consider:

1) There were three witnesses to the empty tomb: Mary Magdalene, Peter and “the other disciple” (John himself). What do we learn from each one (vs1-9)? Why was the empty tomb a critical piece of evidence for the resurrection?

2) Why did Mary Magdalene not recognise Jesus at once (vs10-15)? What was their meeting like (vs16-18)?

3) What gifts and promises does Jesus give to his disciples when he appears to them as their risen Lord (vs19-23)? What is the significance of each gift or promise?

4) Jesus accommodates Thomas by reappearing when Thomas was with the other disciples and personally invites Thomas to satisfy himself that he really was the crucified Jesus. What do you think of Thomas' attitude? How does it add credibility to the resurrection? Why was Thomas' exclamation of “My Lord and my God” (v28) extremely significant? How can v29 help us in our faith?

5) What was John's purpose in writing his Gospel (v31)?

Notes:

v1-2 According to all four Gospels, women were the first witnesses of the resurrection, a fact that no conspirator in the first century would ever have invented. The Gospel accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb sound breathless, fragmentary, confusing and have an authentic ring to them. Like everything else in Jesus' life, the resurrection provoked contrasting responses. Those who believed were transformed. Those who did not believe found ways to ignore convincing evidence. The same responses to Jesus can be seen today.

v6-7 The position of the burial wrappings is an important piece of evidence. Jewish burial customs involved wrapping the body in strips of linen from the shoulders to the toes. The body of Jesus had passed through the wrappings, with the cloth round Jesus' head lying separately by itself.

v19-23 Jesus gave his disciples peace and the Holy Spirit, who would come upon them in power seven weeks later (see Acts Ch2).

v24-29 Thomas had to be persuaded with undeniable proof. He finally recognised that Jesus was his God.

1)	There were three witnesses to the empty tomb: Mary Magdalene, Peter and “the other disciple” (John himself). What do we learn from each one (vs1-9)? Why was the empty tomb a critical piece of evidence for the resurrection?
2)	Why did Mary Magdalene not recognise Jesus at once (vs10-15)? What was their meeting like (vs16-18)?
3)	What gifts and promises does Jesus give to his disciples when he appears to them as their risen Lord (vs19-23)? What is the significance of each gift or promise?
4)	Jesus accommodates Thomas by reappearing when Thomas was with the other disciples and personally invites Thomas to satisfy himself that he really was the crucified Jesus. What do you think of Thomas' attitude? How does it add credibility to the resurrection? Why was Thomas' exclamation of “My Lord and my God” (v28) extremely significant? How can v29 help us in our faith?
5)	What was John's purpose in writing his Gospel (v31)?

v1-2	According to all four Gospels, women were the first witnesses of the resurrection, a fact that no conspirator in the first century would ever have invented. The Gospel accounts of the discovery of the empty tomb sound breathless, fragmentary, confusing and have an authentic ring to them. Like everything else in Jesus' life, the resurrection provoked contrasting responses. Those who believed were transformed. Those who did not believe found ways to ignore convincing evidence. The same responses to Jesus can be seen today.
v6-7	The position of the burial wrappings is an important piece of evidence. Jewish burial customs involved wrapping the body in strips of linen from the shoulders to the toes. The body of Jesus had passed through the wrappings, with the cloth round Jesus' head lying separately by itself.
v19-23	Jesus gave his disciples peace and the Holy Spirit, who would come upon them in power seven weeks later (see Acts Ch2).
v24-29	Thomas had to be persuaded with undeniable proof. He finally recognised that Jesus was his God.