KEY THOUGHT:
The resurrection of Jesus enables us to move from…FEAR to PEACE…DOUBT to BELIEF…and reorients our lives to accomplish HIS MISSION instead of OUR ‘SHADOW’ MISSION

…THE RESURRECTION ~ [VS 1-10]
Vs 1-2 {MARY MAGDALENE/WOMEN} || Other Gospels record group of women [Mary M, Other Mary, Salome, maybe Joanne] || going to tomb to put more spices || Early in the morning, still dark || stone had already been rolled away || Jesus didn’t need the stone to be moved to get out || MT 28:2-4 says there was a ‘violent earthquake…an angel of the Lord came down, moved the stone and sat on it … his appearance was like lightning/clothes were white as snow … guards posted were so terrified they shook and became like dead men’ ||
Vs 3-10 {PETER AND JOHN} || John/Peter running || John did not enter/Peter went in || interesting John recorded “linen cloths” and “head piece folded” || these two witnesses (linen and head piece) were enough evidence to John that Jesus was alive || “he saw and believed”

…from FEAR to PEACE ~ [VS 11-20]
Vs 11-18 {MARY MAGDALENE} || sunday morning/peering into the tomb || weeping || FEAR that Jesus body was taken || encounters 2 angels inside the tomb || angels asked why she was weeping || encounters gardener (Jesus appears) || “JESUS STOOD” || He asks why she is weeping || “Mary”… got her attention || Don’t cling on to me (still the plan is to be at Fathers side/Spirit needs to be sent || she obeys Jesus || MK records disciples “DID NOT BELIEVE HER” || JESUS’ resurrection enabled Mary to move from FEAR to PEACE
Vs 19-20 {JESUS APPEARS TO DISCIPLES sans THOMAS} || sunday evening/locked room/FEAR of JEWS || LK records 2 disciples to Emmaus/ran back to disciples || (Jesus materializes) “JESUS STOOD” || LK records disciples were ‘startled, frightened, thought they saw a ghost! || FEAR of Jesus/ghost || imagine that moment?!?! || Jesus says “be at peace” obviously/ don’t be afraid / showed them wounds / proved he was alive / in LUKE even asked for food / they were filled with Joy || in that moment the disciples FEAR was replaced with JOY and PEACE || JESUS’ resurrection enabled the disciples to move from FEAR to PEACE…
—> JESUS’ resurrection enables US to move from FEAR to PEACE… || what does fear look like in your life? A result from pain? A result from confusion? A result from scary people? A result from not knowing next steps? A result from difficult relational situations? || over and over in this passage Jesus confronts people who are afraid with these words… “Peace be with you” || or put another way… “don’t be afraid. In place of that I give you MY PEACE. Not like the peace the world gives (temporary) but peace that is real, that is powerful, and it is based in the reality of my resurrection (he overcame) || know that whatever is causing you fear today, Jesus’ resurrection enables you to move from that state of fear to a real, true place of peace. Even in the midst of difficulty, even if the circumstances don’t change, he offers peace. || receive it. Let his peace rule in your life.

…from DOUBT to BELIEF ~ [VS 24-29]
Vs 24-29 {THOMAS} || he wasn’t with disciples first visitation of Jesus / but was with disciples when 2 emmaus rd disciples on resurrection sunday evening came to tell them about their encounter with Jesus || Thomas must have left between the time the 2 emmaus rd disciples arrived and when Jesus arrived || prob as a result of his disbelief: he didn’t believe the women, he didn’t believe the 2 emmaus rd disciples, and he didn’t believe the 10 disciples either || I need proof: “see the mark of nails…” “place my fingers into mark…” “place my hand into his side…” “I WILL NEVER BELIEVE” || STATE OF TRUTH: Jesus was dead, they all very much believed that (religious leaders/guards/large sum of money/bribe/they believed Jesus could be alive/made up story to cover it up)(disciples went from doubting it could be possible and hiding and fear that Jesus was still dead) || THEN: 8 days later/ Jesus “appears” miraculously, materializes, with disciples locked in a room, to all 11 of them, including Thomas || again “JESUS STOOD”
“PEACE BE WITH YOU…” || challenged Thomas to put to test his words || Challenges: BELIEVE…PUT ASIDE DISBELIEF and DOUBT || Thomas was convinced… “My Lord and My God”… Lord=Master God=Deity … huge statement || JESUS’ resurrection enabled Thomas to move from DOUBT to BELIEF
—> JESUS’ resurrection enables US to move from DOUBT to BELIEF… || What does doubt look like in your life? Questions about God? Questions about the Bible? An inability to truly trust God because you can’t “see” the answer, “feel” God with you? || life can be scary. Unstable. Relationships with sinful humans has taught us not to believe God, to trust him. We get into situations and demand proof, and that is what Thomas did. He wanted hard facts. “Show me” let me “thrust my fingers into he wounds” and “put my hand in his side”… he said he would not believe…and yet, Jesus appeared, said, here you go Thomas, have at it! At that Thomas believed! || Jesus proclaimed a promise after this happened… “blessed are those who believe even though they don’t see” ||

That is all of us! || believe for salvation || but also believe in the everyday stuff of life || the resurrection of Jesus enables us to believe that God is powerful, that God is sovereign, that God is loving, that God is present, that God is smart, that God can be trusted! || what is causing doubt in your life? An inability to trust God? Jesus calls us to look at all of this evidence in Johns gospel as proof he is who he claimed to be…and because of the truth of the resurrection, happening just as Jesus said, that we would believe and trust him…so…let the truth of the resurrection move you from doubt to belief.

…from MY MISSION to JESUS’ MISSION ~ [VS 21-23]
VS 21-23 {DISCIPLES}|| Jesus again says “peace be with you” for the second time with this group of 10 || he tells them again (like he prayed in John 17) that just as the Father sent Jesus…on a mission…Jesus is now sending them…on a mission || they were holed up, scared, confused, lost sight of the plan, didn’t understand the plan honestly || then Jesus shows up, changes everything || fear now turns to peace || doubt now turns to belief || Jesus reminds them again that he has a plan…he accomplished his mission (it is finished) and now he is sending them, in the same way the Father sent him, to accomplish their mission || not the mission they concocted, or back to their old way of life, but to complete his mission || “breathed on them” conjures up imagery from creation, a new life || “receive the Holy Spirit” was a statement that would be fulfilled not in this moment, but at pentecost (50 days from passover, Jewish “Feast of Weeks” Shavuot) first fruits offered also when Torah was given to Israel after freedom from Egypt ||
- What mission was Jesus sending them on? || vs 23 “if you forgive the sins of any…” || Jesus is the one who accomplished this work of forgiveness of sins…he now sends his disciples out to share that “good news”… telling people that if they trust in the finished work of Jesus their sins are forgiven…if they reject Jesus, they stand condemned in their sin and are not forgiven || don’t get distracted. Don’t get sidetracked. Follow me. Run the race. Deny yourself daily. Take up your cross. Tell people the good news of salvation that is found only in Jesus || they were to carry on the mission of proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God!…and that by believing the truth of that message they would have life in his name (abundant life here…eternal life there)
—> JESUS’ resurrection enables us to move from being distracted by our own SHADOW MISSION to accomplishing HIS MISSION as SENT ONES… || A Shadow Mission is: “patterns of thought and action based on temptations and our own selfishness that lead us to betray our true mission, resulting in ineffectiveness, regret and potentially sin.” || we are ‘sent ones’…by Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, to “make disciples of all nations…baptizing them…teaching them” || are you on mission with Jesus or are you distracted by your own shadow mission? (Comfort/sin; good vs. best things; obedience, intimacy with Jesus; spirit filled, led, life; || Jesus’ resurrection and his ascension back to the Father resulted in the sending of the Holy Spirit to indwell us, empower us, guide us, convict us…to do the mission Jesus has sent us on || general mission of making disciples || specific mission regarding your specific role in the lives of people, family, church (time talents treasures) || are you on mission with Jesus or distracted by your shadow mission?

JOHN’S WRAP UP #1… “SO THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE…” [VS 30-32]
Vs 30-31 {JESUS} || John ends this section with the key statement of his entire Gospel:
—> Jesus did MANY other signs/miracles (witnessed by many people) that are not recorded in this book
—> John recorded all that he did so that the readers would have an eyewitness account of the life, words, work, death and resurrection of Jesus…proving Jesus was who he claimed to be
—> Two main things John wants us to take away from his book…
1. That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.
2. That by BELIEVING you may have LIFE IN HIS NAME!

KEY THOUGHT:
The resurrection of Jesus enables us to move from…FEAR to PEACE…DOUBT to BELIEF…
and reorients our lives to accomplish HIS MISSION instead of OUR ‘SHADOW’ MISSION

LET THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS MOVE US FROM…
Fear to Peace.
Doubt to Belief.
Your Shadow Mission to His Mission…as SENT ONES