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John 20-21: Witnessing the Resurrection and Ascension
August 26, 2025 · 15 min
Discover the faith-infused moments of Jesus' resurrection and the sending of His disciples.
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The Resurrection and Faith Restored 0:09 Good morning. Welcome to Stand on the Word. Thanks for joining me this0:12 morning as we come to the end of the amazing book of the gospel according to John as we look at chapters 20 and 21 today. Verse 21 of chapter 20. So Jesus said to them again, peace to0:24 you. As the father has sent me, I also send you. So in these 2 chapters, here's what we have. We have a footrace. We have folded grave clothes. We have fear. We have faith infused.0:36 We have fish, and we have feeding sheep. Alright. Verse 1, chapter 20. Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the0:48 stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and the other disciple, of course, we know that that other disciple was John, whom Jesus loved and said to them, they0:59 have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. Peter therefore went out and the other disciple and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together. The1:11 other disciple outran Peter, we're at the footrace, and came to the tomb first. So John beats Peter in the footrace, but Peter crosses the finish line first because he1:23 goes into the tomb. Verse 5, and he stooped, stooping down, looked in, and saw the linen clothes lying there, yet he did not go in. That's John. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the1:35 tomb, and he saw the linen clothes lying there. Notice what they found when they looked into the tomb. Verse 7. And the handkerchief had been that had been around his head, not1:47 lying with the linen clothes, but folded together in a place by itself. So why do you think this detail is recorded here? Well, verse 8, then the other disciple who came to the1:59 tomb first went in also, and he saw and he believed. For as yet, they did not know the scripture that he must rise again from the dead. Now had the body of Jesus been2:11 stolen, the thieves would have not have taken time to unwrap the body, or if they had, they certainly wouldn't have folded the grave clothes neatly and laid them to the side. For2:23 for for John, it then clicked. When he saw all this, he he was reminded of Jesus repeatedly saying that he would rise again on the third day. Next,2:35 fear is still on display among the disciples. Verse 19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, the disciples were assembled for fear2:47 of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, peace be with you. When he had said this, he showed them his hands in his side, then the disciples were glad when they2:59 saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, peace to you. As the father has sent me, I also send you. Now this would be further explained in the great commission that we read back3:11 in Matthew chapter 28. That is that they were to go forth. They were now about to be commissioned to do the work that Jesus began at the cross, and that is taking that3:22 message. Jesus finished the work at the cross, but the work of the church was just beginning. And we're really gonna get into that next time when we get into the book of Acts. Now the,3:34 Jesus, it says he he he breathes on them. Now look at the verse 22. And when he had said this, when he said to them that he was sending them, it says that he breathed on them and3:46 said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Now this was a temporary infusion of the Holy Spirit until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, again, which we're going to see here in the next couple of days as we move3:58 into the book of Acts. So So faith is needed. The next thing we see here, verse 24, Now Thomas, called the twin, 1 of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came. So he wasn't there.4:10 Don't know where he was at. But the other disciples, therefore, said to him, we have seen the Lord.' So he said to them, unless I see his hands, the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the4:21 nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. Alright? Verse 26. Alright? So 8 days later, the disciples were again inside and Thomas with him,4:33 and Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, peace to you. Then he said to Thomas, right, he knew what Thomas was saying, even though he wasn't in the room when Thomas4:45 heard. He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here and look at my hands, and reach your hand here and put into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to4:57 him, My Lord and my God, a clear, clear declaration of Jesus's divinity. Verse 29, Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are5:09 those who have not seen me, yet have believed. So John concludes this chapter with an explanation of the many signs that Jesus did and the reason.5:21 Verse 30, and truly, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which were not written in this book. So we know that Jesus did a lot more than what we have recorded in the5:33 gospels. But these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing, you may have life in his name.5:45 Now let's move on to the final chapter, chapter 21, and it's seen by many scholars as kind of an addendum to the other events that took place between the resurrectionThe Restoration of Peter and the Call to Follow 5:56 and the ascension, and they're not necessarily in chronological order, but they're things that John felt were important to communicate to the church. Verse 1 chapter 21. After6:08 these things, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way, he showed himself. So 7 of the remaining 11 disciples were6:20 on this fishing trip. Verse 2. Simon Peter, Thomas called the twin, Nathaniel, the sons of Zebedee, and 2 others of the disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them,6:32 I'm going fishing. They said, to him, we're also going with you. They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. So we're going back, they're6:44 going back to what they knew how to do, and that was to fish. The great commission had not yet been given. They were probably uncertain of the future. Even though they had seen Jesus, the6:56 future was still taking shape. Jesus notice he doesn't rebuke them when he encounters them while they were fishing. He doesn't re rebuke them for work. In fact, Jesus appears to them while they're7:08 engaged in this routine work, showing us that an encounter with Jesus in the workplace can be the same as it is in the sanctuary. He will meet us wherever we are.7:20 Verse 4. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore, yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Now verse 5. Then Jesus said to them, children, have you any7:32 food? They answered him, no. And he said to them, cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of7:43 fish. Now they were about a hundred yards from shore, so they couldn't see that it was Jesus, and they were, frankly, probably not expecting him to to show up. But7:55 this supersized catch on the right side of the boat was a clue. Now, let's go back to their very recorded encounters that Jesus had with him. It was almost identical.8:08 They had been fishing, and he and he he tells them to cast out their nets, and they bring in this great, catch of fish, and he tells them that he's gonna make them fishers of men. So he8:20 was taking them back to the beginning. This was a bookend to their encounters with Jesus. And I think it was, you know, it was just taking them back, and it just triggered8:31 as they began to see all of the things that Jesus had done from that very first start. So I think it's sometimes it's important to be reminded of our first encounter with Jesus when we're saved,8:43 when we come to know him as our lord and savior, especially in those times of uncertainty. Alright. Verse 5. Well, let me let me actually go back. Let me go back to Luke where they had this8:55 encounter. Luke chapter 5 verse 5. But Simon answered and said, now, master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing. Nevertheless, at your word, we'll let this down. So this was that first encounter. And when they9:06 had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. And Jesus said to Simon, do not be afraid. From now on, you will catch men. So when they had brought their boat to land, they forsook all and9:16 followed him. Again, I believe Jesus was providing a vivid reminder of the call that was upon their lives. And these reminders are important in times of uncertainty, and that's9:28 where the disciples were at that moment. They didn't know what the future held, and there's gonna be times in our lives when we don't know that either, and we need to go back to that place where Jesus called us. So9:40 Peter jumps out of the boat, wades ashore, and finds Jesus cooking breakfast. Verse 9, then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and the fish laid on it and bread. Now notice9:52 Jesus was not only cooking fish, he had bread. No meal is complete without bread. But where did Jesus get the bread? I don't know, but I think it's reflective of the fact that he is10:04 the bread of life. So Jesus tells Peter, bring some of the fish that you caught. It's b y b o y f, bring your own fish. Alright? So verse 11.10:16 So Peter, Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land full of large fish, 153, and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Now some10:27 ask about this specific number of 153. Now there are a few theories that have been put forth by scholars through the years, but I think the10:39 most evident is that the the the being specific in the number validates the reality of the event. It it It wasn't 1 of those fishing stories10:51 you tell by the campfire. It was real. There were 153 fish. Next, we read of the restoration of Peter. Alright? This is the feeding of the sheep. 3 times Peter denied11:03 him. Now he is given 3 opportunities to express his love for Jesus. Verse 15, so when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than11:14 these? He said to him, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. Verse 16, He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? He said to him, Yes,11:26 Lord, you know that I love you. He said to him, Tend my sheep. He said to him a third time, Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him a third time, Do11:38 you love me? And no doubt that this was going through Peter's mind. You know, I denied him 3 times just as he said he would. And he said to him, Lord, you know all things. He knew11:50 that Jesus knew all things at this point because he had predicted what he would do when he denied him. And now he says, you know that I love you. Jesus said, feed my sheep. A very12:02 powerful picture of restoration. Alright. Quickly, 1 more truth in this passage I need to point out before we wrap up. Jesus prophesies Peter's death. Alright? Tells him12:14 how he's gonna die. I'm not sure if Peter grasped it fully, but, anyway, he told him, and then he turns and he looks at John, verse 20. Then Peter turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following.12:26 But, Lord, what about this man? So Peter wants to know, what's gonna happen to this guy? You told me what's gonna happen to me. What about him? Jesus said to him, if I will that he remain till I come, what12:38 is that to you? You follow me. Wow. That's powerful. A very strong and clear message for us in these closing verses12:50 of John. As Paul writes, we are 1 body but different members. We're all connected to the head, which is Jesus, but we're all called to serve in different ways. Be who13:02 God uniquely created and called you to be. Don't try to be somebody else. Don't be concerned with what God might be doing in someone else. Pray for them, but don't try to be them. Don't13:14 measure others according to your call and don't measure yourself according to the call of someone else. Be who God has called you to be and walk13:26 in the fullness of who that is. Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the book of John and and the truths that we have found here about the divinity and the humanity of13:37 Jesus, the word. And may we stand on the word resolutely with confidence, with courage, with conviction. And, Lord, as we13:49 anticipate turning to the book of acts next and and experiencing and seeing and reading of the power of the holy spirit, may we operate in that power. And so we14:01 thank you Lord for your word. We thank you for the gifts that you've given. And I pray, Lord, that we would each be who you've called us to be, and may we serve you bringing glory and honor to you. For we pray this in14:13 Jesus' name. Amen. Alright. Thanks for joining me this morning, and until next time, keep standing on the word.14:28 Today's study comes from the stand on the word bible reading plan available for free at frc dot org slash bible. By following along in just a few minutes a day, you14:40 can read through the entire Bible in just 2 years. Learn more and request the free reading guide at frc dot org slash bible.In this video 0:00 The Resurrection and Faith Restored5:51 The Restoration of Peter and the Call to Follow
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