Peace, Purpose, and Power in the Resurrection

In one paragraph

Easter Sunday brought a resurrection message built around five scenarios drawn from John 20, asking everyone in the room to locate themselves in the story. Pastor Mark walked through the appearances of Jesus after the empty tomb was found, showing that the risen Christ met each person exactly where they were. Pastor Mark opened with five scenarios meant to account for the range of people present....

Read together

1. John 11 covered the previous week on Palm Sunday, the raising of Lazarus
2. John 12 covered the previous week, the triumphal entry
3. John 16 Jesus saying he has much more to tell the disciples but they cannot bear it yet
4. John 20:1 Mary Magdalene coming to the tomb early on the first day of the week
5. John 20:2 Mary running to tell Peter and the beloved disciple the stone had been taken away
6. John 20:3-4 Peter and John running to the tomb, John outrunning Peter
7. John 20:5-7 the linen cloths and folded face cloth found in the empty tomb
8. John 20:8-9 John saw and believed, though they did not yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise
9. John 20:10 the disciples went back to their own people
10. John 20:11-12 Mary weeping outside the tomb, seeing two angels where Jesus had lain
11. John 20:13 angels asking Mary why she weeps, her saying they have taken her Lord away
12. John 20:14-15 Mary seeing Jesus but not recognizing him, supposing him to be the gardener
13. John 20:16 Jesus calling Mary by name, her responding Rabboni
14. John 20:17 Jesus telling Mary not to cling to him and to go tell the disciples he is ascending
15. John 20:18 Mary announcing to the disciples that she had seen the Lord
16. John 20:19 Jesus appearing to the ten disciples behind locked doors, saying peace be with you
17. John 20:20 Jesus showing his hands and side, disciples glad when they saw the Lord
18. John 20:21 Jesus saying as the Father sent me, so I am sending you
19. John 20:22 Jesus breathing on the disciples and saying receive the Holy Spirit
20. John 20:23 if you forgive sins they are forgiven, if you withhold forgiveness it is withheld
21. John 20:24 Thomas was not with them when Jesus came
22. John 20:25 Thomas saying unless he sees and touches the nail marks and Jesus's side he will never believe
23. John 20:26 eight days later Jesus appearing again behind locked doors, Thomas present this time
24. John 20:27 Jesus inviting Thomas to touch his hands and side and not be unbelieving but believing
25. John 20:28 Thomas declaring my Lord and my God
26. John 20:29 Jesus saying blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed
27. John 20:30-31 John stating these signs were written so that you may believe Jesus is the Christ and have life in his name
28. Romans 8:11 if the Spirit who raised Jesus dwells in you he will give life to your mortal bodies
29. Acts 1:8 you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes and be witnesses to the ends of the earth
30. Ephesians 1:18-23 used as the benediction, the immeasurable greatness of God's power that raised Christ and put all things under his feet

Talk about it

1. Pastor Nathan walked through five scenarios describing where someone might be in their relationship with Jesus right now. Which of those scenarios felt most honest to where you are, and why?
2. Mary Magdalene was the first person Jesus appeared to and the first one he sent to carry the news of the resurrection. What does it say to you that Jesus entrusted that message to her, given the way women were regarded in the first century?
3. When Jesus appeared to the ten disciples behind locked doors, the first thing he said was 'Peace be with you,' even though most of them had abandoned him. What does that tell you about what God is offering people who feel like they have failed him?
4. Thomas said he would never believe unless he could physically touch Jesus's wounds, and Jesus showed up and let him do exactly that. Has there been a time when you needed God to meet you at a very specific point of doubt or need, and what happened?
5. Pastor Nathan read John 20:31, where John states plainly that he wrote his gospel so that readers would believe Jesus is the Christ and have life in his name. How does knowing an author's stated purpose change the way you might read or re-read the gospel of John?