JOHN

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John Chapter 20

• John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. 

We usually assume this is on a Sunday but the tomb was empty and Christ was gone on the 1st day of the week. Actually He could have been resurrected any time during the night or the evening before. We usually remember His resurrection though on Sunday because that was when it was discovered. He might have been resurrected very early in the morning after 12 midnight. 
Actually the day really doesn't matter that much as long as we know that the prophecy came to pass and He was in the tomb 3 days and 3 nights as Jonah was in the belly of the fish. 

• Matthew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 

Maybe we don't know for sure because God wanted us to emphasize the event not the day. 
He fulfilled the law with His death on the cross. Jesus became our rest and our Sabbath.

Observance of days, months and years are no longer necessary because Jesus fulfilled all and brought in a new and better covenant placing the law in our hearts instead of in outward, sacrifices, rituals and ordinances.

The handwriting of ordinances that were against us is cancelled by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We now worship in spirit and in truth. It doesn't matter what day or if we worship every day. Our bondage to a certain day of the week or holiday is null and void through Christ.

We are free to worship Him any day of the week. Our bodies need a day to rest from labor especially those that do hard physical labor. The example of a Sabbath rest is needed for the sake of servants and slaves. A seven day week is the best way and rest on one day is necessary to refresh the body and soul of man.

Since we don't actually know which day is the Sabbath because of so much change in calendars and days, it really doesn't matter for our true rest is in Jesus. Yet some do prefer to rest on Saturday and have their meetings on Saturday and I sure do not have a problem with that. Whatever works for them. If the place I choose to worship changed everything to a Saturday, it wouldn't bother me.

Yet we can see from Matthew that coming to Jesus and trusting in Him for our salvation is a type or spiritual rest.

• Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

We need a day of rest physically but we are not under the law but are under grace which works through the love of God within us given to us by the Holy Spirit. We live by love and not by the letter of the law. 

All this Jesus did on our behalf knowing that there is no way we could keep the whole law without breaking any one rule. He kept the law for us and took our place by paying for every sin that we have broken. By trusting in Him and accepting what He did on our behalf, we are free from the condemnation of the law and are new creatures in Jesus saved from sin and given the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us in all truth so that we do not go back under the bondage of sin or the bondage of trying to keep the Old Testament laws which we cannot keep. 

A better way is now in place through simple child like faith in the Son of God, Jesus our Christ. We now can go to God without a mediator, priest, pope, saint, minister, preacher, pastor, Mary, idols or intercessor. Jesus is the only way from man to God. There is no other way, person or image between us and God except Jesus.

The blood of Jesus cleanses us from sin. Not water baptism, not joining a church, not partaking of any sacrament, not doing good works, not going around with a good attitude and smiling, not doing penitence, not paying tithes but simple faith in Christ that a child is able to do and be saved. If it is something a child cannot do then it is not the way of salvation. A child has no trouble believing what he is told by a person who he trusts. 

If it is so complicated that a child cannot understand it, then it is not the way of salvation. If one has to go through rituals, rites, ceremonies and baptisms to be saved, it is not simple. Simple faith in Jesus is sufficient to save us from sin and cause us to be "born again" by His spirit. After we become born again by our faith in Jesus, we can become obedient to His word by following Him in water baptism, partaking of the Lord's supper, giving, being kind, receiving the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and do good works because we are saved, not to get saved. Now the fruits of the Holy Spirit is within us to spread the gospel and live in holiness and in truth as we grow in the knowledge of the Lord we have received. The written word we call the bible teaches us and we begin to seek the one who saved us by His grace. We can now continually have the joy of the Lord. There will be times of sorrow, temptation and troubles, but the Lord is continually with us and will never leave or forsake us.

• Luke 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. 

Now back to the discovery of the resurrection. 

• John 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him. 
• 3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher. 
• 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulcher. 
• 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 
• 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 
• 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 
• 8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed. 
• 9 For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 

They should have known because Jesus told them many times preparing them for what He was going to go through. Perhaps their knowledge was limited so that they would not try to prevent what happening and hinder the way of salvation.

• John 20:10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. 

I guess they just didn't exactly know what to do. 

• John 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher, 

Sometimes women have more determination to not give up. She wanted to know what happened to the Lord. 

• John 20:12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 
• 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 
• 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 

The first witness of the resurrection was a woman. Notice how many times Jesus does not leave women out of this new way of salvation.

• John 20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 
• 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 
• 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. 

She was probably clinging to Him and He had other people to visit so that He could return to His Father at the right time. Notice how Jesus quickly pointed out that His Father was now the Father of all who believe. He is our God now when He was not our God before. Our sin stood in the way. He removed our sins on the cross. However, the sin is only removed from those that receive these words and believe. 

She was probably so relieved to see Him okay and alive that she didn't want Him to leave again. I would have felt the same way. I wouldn't have wanted Him to leave. Sometimes I read and hear of the world and how bad it is getting, that I long to see Jesus return even now. Every time I think of it, tears will come into my eyes as I long for the return of Jesus. 

• John 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. 
• 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 
• 20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 

Can you just picture this? How glad they must have felt that all He said to them were true and that He truly was the Messiah, savior and Son of God that became flesh, dwelt among us and made the way for us to be born again by the spirit of God. 

• John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 
• 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 

They could not preach or go into all the world to preach without first receiving the Holy Ghost. 

• John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 

Jesus was not giving them the power to forgive sins. Only He can do that. He gave them power to preach the gospel of repentance of sin. Whoever would believe would have their sins forgiven but whoever would not believe would keep their sins. If they die in their sins, there is no salvation. 

• John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 
• 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 
• 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace, be unto you. 
• 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 
• 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 
• 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. 

This is our blessing if we have not physically seen Jesus in person and yet we believe. We believe because we have heard their word, read their words and have had the Holy Spirit to confirm their words. 

• John 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 
• 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Here is the only way to eternal life. Believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah, one God sent) that He is the Son of God. God that came into the flesh. Believing this brings us eternal life through His authority or name. To deny His deity is to deny His name. To deny His authority to save us from sin and grant us eternal life is also a way to deny His name. When we hear the word spoken, the Holy Spirit is present to draw us into all truth, for He is the spirit of truth. He draws, we respond. We choose yes or no. We have a free will. I hope and pray many would choose to believe and then receive Jesus our Lord and Christ. 

This alone is sufficient for our salvation. Nothing outside of this will save a soul from sin and from being lost for eternity. We can't climb up some other way by doing good deeds, keeping the Old law or joining a church. It is not what day you worship, whether or not you are baptized in the name of Jesus or in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, or whether you join a particular denomination. It is simple faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the savior or Messiah God sent to save us from sin. DC