The Risen Lord

John 20:19-23

 

Introduction: The first day of the week, much had happened in the last few hours.  Jesus had been crucified, buried and now he had risen from the dead.  Amazing!  Now we begin to see the events begin to happen after He had risen from the grave.

 

I.             The Hiding Disciples.  Vs 19

A.    It is the same day He arose, between 6 and 9 PM.

1.     The disciples were hiding for fear from the Jews.

a.     the same ones who crucified Jesus.

b.     They were behind locked doors

c.     The imminent danger was that they could be arrested also.

d.     Their faith was weak because of fear.

2.     They were discussing the events of the day.

a.     Spoke about the empty tomb

b.     The linen clothes discovered by Peter and John

c.     The appearances to Mary Magdalene and the other women

d.     The two on the road to Emmaus

3.     Jesus appeared suddenly

a.     His appearance was very real

b.     It was to shoe His love for them

c.     His sudden appearance shock and frightened the disciples

1.     They thought they were seeing a vision or spirit

2.      Note: No doors can shut out God’s presence

d.     The first thing Jesus did was to prove that it was really He.

1.     He came Himself to give full assurance

2.     Jesus wanted them to be ‘eye wittiness of His being alive

3.     Assures them because He lives they to can live.

 

II.          The Risen Lord – Vs 19

A.    His presence was very real.

1.     His message to them was Peace.

2.     His greeting was very common – “Peace be unto you”

a.     Meaning: “May every blessing of heaven and earth which you need be granted unto you”.

b.     Also: “Conferring upon them all the blessed fruits and effects of His death and resurrection”.

c.     Next: “All good be unto you, all peace, always, by all means”

B.    Christ had left them His peace for a legacy. Vs 21 [John 14:27]

1.     By death of the Testator, the Testament was become of force.

2.     He was now raised from the dead to prove the will. [Testament]

a.     He was now to be Himself the Executor of it.

3.     His speaking peace makes peace

a.     Creates the fruit of the lips

b.     Peace, peace with God

c.     Peace in your own conscience and with others

d.     Not the peace of the world, but peace in Christ

4.     His wounds were His evidence

a.     Such a touching moment for the disciples

b.     Showing each of the ten His hands, His feet, His side

c.     Proof He was not just a vision or a spirit

d.     Proving it was His body, the very Jesus they knew.

1.     1 John 1:1-2

5.     The effect on the disciples

a.     Unbelievable joy and gladness

b.     Their spirits and attitudes were charged with joy

c.      They were transformed from the lowest form of dejection to the highest point of triumphant conviction.

d.     They now knew what Jesus meant, That He was truly:

1.     The way to God

2.     The truth of God

3.     The life of God

e.     In Him was life – His life was literally true

1.     He had meant exactly what He said

2.     They had spiritualized His words

3.     Twisted them to mean what they wanted

f.      But now they knew:

1.     When He said He was going to die, He was going to die.

2.     When He said He was going to arise, He meant He was going to arise.

g.     And here He was standing before them

1.     Reveling the most glorious truth in all the universe

2.     Now man could conquer sin and death, and live eternally

3.     He came that we may have life – John 10:10

4.     Now they saw and understood – ‘When they saw”

a.     See, [saw] means more than sight

b.     It is seeing with understanding

c.     Same word used when John saw and believed. John 20:8

 

III.           The Holy Spirit – Vs 21-22

A.    Christ had just commissioned His disciples

1.     He told them, “The Father sent Me, now I send you”

2.     He gave them power to carry out His orders.

B.    The Holy Spirit Coming – Vs 22

1.     The breathing – A prophetic sign of the Spirit coming

a.     A spiritual quickening for the disciples

b.     Both symbolic and a spiritual preparation

2.     Preparing them for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

a.     To receive power for the believer, the church

b.     Acts 1:8

3.     The Spirit was not to come until Christ’s ascension

a.     John 16:7

b.     Christ breathed on all of them

c.     Symbolic that the Holy Spirit was to indwell the corporate body, the church in a special way.

d.     Why He told them to wait. Luke 24:49

 

Conclusion: Only God can forgive sins.  The crucifixion, the burial and the resurrection, His appearances were fulfilling many prophecies.  All this was in preparation for His ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit.