John 20:19-29
The Rest of the Story
For years, Paul Harvey had a radio program called "The rest of the
Story." In that 5 minute or so broadcast, he would take news events
that we might have heard something about and give us details that we
did not know. Believe it or not, that is what John’s purpose was. He
wrote his gospel late, years after the others had written their
accounts. Why? Not to give us the details but to give us some things
that the other writers left out. Some of the messages that go with
the details. He continued that in this chapter.
Last week, we saw the resurrection of Jesus through John’s eyes.
Every precaution that the devil placed on the tomb is a proof that
Jesus did not just swoon and His body was not stolen. He arose.
After recording the resurrection, John recorded several eye-witness
accounts as proof to the resurrection of Jesus. As I said last week,
John did not record them all—no gospel writer did; but why do you
suppose John selected the ones that he did? I believe it is because
of his purpose. John has not been interested in giving us a detailed
chronology of Jesus’ life. In fact, he is not even consistently
recorded Jesus’ life. Only the events around which Jesus gave a
teaching. John recorded the events with a message, a declaration. In
each one of the witnesses’ accounts that John recorded, there was a
message.
Let’s see it.
I. \\#John 20:11-18\\ Jesus was first seen by Mary.
A. We looked at that event last week. We saw that even though
Mary saw the angels and went to find the disciples, she did
not believe in the resurrection. She was looking for the
body not the resurrected Lord. But all of that changed when
she that familiar voice call her name!
B. \\#17\\Tonight, notice the message Jesus gave.
1. \\#John 20:17\\ Notice Jesus’ yet incomplete work.
John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not;
for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go
to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend
unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God,
and your God.
2. Jesus came to do MANY tasks. Two of the most important:
a. He came to teach us of the Father, sin, and salvation.
b. He came to die for us on the cross. to pay sin’s
price.
3. However, there was one task that was yet incomplete.
a. Jesus had to make either a trip or one more trip to
the Father.
b. It is hard to know what Jesus did while His body lay
in the grave and what He waited to do until AFTER
His resurrection.
(1) I KNOW Jesus’ did not stay in a tomb for three
nights and two days!
(a) \\#2Cor 5:8\\ To be absent from the body is
to be present with the Lord….
(b) I don’t know that that verse really applies
to Jesus, but I do not see the eternal God
living in a grave for three days!
(2) At some point, He had to take His blood to the
altar.
Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest
of good things to come, by a greater and more
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that
is to say, not of this building;
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves,
but by his own blood he entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
for us.
(a) \\#Ex 29:12\\ In the Old Testament, the
blood of the bullock had to be sprinkled on
the altar and then the priest had to be
consecrated for seven days \\#Ex 20:35\\.
(b) I have always imagined that Jesus took His
blood the heavenly altar as soon as His
body released His spirit.
(c) Jesus, having no sin, Jesus may not have had
to be consecrated seven days.
(d) But His blood had to be placed on the altar
and Jesus is the only One qualified to do
it.
Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might
sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered
without the gate.
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living
God?
(3) And at some point, He had to take those in
paradise to heaven.
(a) Paradise is described.
Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes,
being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom.
26 And beside all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which
would pass from hence to you cannot; neither
can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
(b) When the thief on the cross died, Jesus did
not say that He would see him in heaven!
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I
say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in
paradise.
(c) \\#Is 5:14\\ describes hell enlarging
itself.
i. That might simply mean that so many
people are dying lost that hell keep
having to enlarge itself to accommodate
them.
ii. However, it could refer to hell taking
up the place where paradise once was.
(d) My belief is that the Old Testament saints
could not enter into heaven until AFTER
Jesus died and paid for their sins.
(e) Once the payment for sin was made, Jesus had
to fetch them home!
Eph 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave
gifts unto men.
9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that
he also descended first into the lower parts
of the earth?
10 He that descended is the same also that
ascended up far above all heavens, that he
might fill all things.)
(e) Note that the timing of giving the gifts of
Holy Ghost to the church is WHEN He led
captivity captive.
(f) The giving of gifts in earnest started at
Pentecost, but John will record that Jesus
gave one Gift on resurrection even!
(4) Of course, maybe Jesus just wanted to go see the
Father!
C. John’s first eyewitness account was to Mary and the
message was there was a task yet to be completed.
II. \\#John 20:19-23\\ The second recorded witness of John was the
TEN disciples.
A. Judas was dead and Thomas was not present.
1. It is logical that Jesus would appear to the disciples at
some point. They were to be His witnesses.
2. I wonder why He waited until that "evening"?
\\#John 20:19\\
3. Could it be so that their faith could be examined?
4. Have you ever noticed how many times God shows up either at
the past possible minute or a few minutes too late?
a. Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego were already in the
fiery furnace.
b. Daniel was already in the lion’s den.
c. Abraham was about to plunge a dagger into his son.
d. Lazarus had been dead for four days.
e. A faith that fizzles before the finish had a fatal
flaw from the first.
B. What was the message? Threefold.
1. \\#19, 21\\ Have yourself some peace! Jesus had made
peace between God and the sinner. With that problem
taken care of, there is not reason for Christians not to
have peace!
2. \\#22\\ Have yourself some Holy Ghost!
a. John recorded more about the Holy Spirit’s ministry
than any other gospel.
b. Now he tells us that the Holy Ghost came first on the
apostles before the Day of Pentecost. I do not
believe that He stayed. I think He came to help
them to understand.
c. Luke says it this way:
Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding,
that they might understand the scriptures,
d. I takes the Holy Ghost to understand spiritual truths!
3. \\#23\\ To the apostles, have yourself an extra dose of
power.
a. I will be the first to say that there are things in
the Bible that I do not understand, and I don’t
understand this verse.
b. But it appears to me that God not only called these
men to be witnesses but also to be so filled with
the Holy Ghost that they would be able to see the
hearts of some people as God sees it.
c. We understand that God is not fooled by prayers,
baptisms, and membership cards.
d. He only saves those who from the heart call upon Jesus
in faith.
e. I think this verse might be indicating that the
apostles could see the heart like God and knew who
was legitimate and who was not.
III. \\#John 20:24-31\\ Thomas was the third that John recorded to
see Jesus.
A. For whatever the reason, Thomas was not in the upper room that
evening. He was a disciple and would have to see the Lord.
B. What is the message?
1. Don’t miss Sunday night services!
2. The gospel will be believed not because of proof but
because of faith!
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because
thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed
are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.
3. Do you realize God COULD have PROVEN the resurrection.
a. Jesus could have walked in the temple, visited Pilate,
traveled the world, ascended before Caesar!
b. Why did He not? Because the means of salvation is not
believing proof.
c. It is believing God, the Bible, and the Holy Ghost.
d. Most certainly, fewer will be saved if salvation is by
faith; but that is the means that the sovereign God
has chosen!
e. Faith is the message that Jesus delivered to Thomas.
(1) Thomas, I will prove this to you just like you
asked.
(2) But there will come into My fold a group that no
man can number and they will be blessed because
they believed without proof!
(3) That is not a call for Christians to be ignorant,
blind, dumb, or stupid.
(4) Study and understand what you can but proof will
never replace faith.
As always, it was the message that John wanted to record. Jesus is
alive. He arose from the dead, offered His blood for the payment of
our sins, left us the Holy Ghost, and now you must make a choice. Can
I prove that Jesus is alive? No. I can show you some proofs but I
cannot erase all doubt. In the end, if you are to accept Jesus as
your Savior, you must come by faith. Will you tonight?
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