FBCWest First Baptist Church of Westminster, California

There is a common expression, "seeing is believing," but when Thomas was told by his fellow disciples that they had seen the Lord, he refused to believe but said, "Not only must I see, but I must touch the wounds that he had." Jesus will later tell Thomas that there are certain benefits by believing but not seeing. Let's see what Jesus talks about in this situation.

John 20:19 & 20 Jesus appears in the room where the disciples are even though the doors were shut, shows His wounds and they rejoice
John 20:21 Jesus tells them as the Father sent Him, He is sending them
John 20:22 Ahe breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit
John 20:23 Forgiving and retaining sins
John 20:24 & 25 Thomas was not with the other disciples and even though they tell him they have seen the Lord, he refuses to believe unless he sees the wounded hands and put his finger in Jesus’ side
John 20:26 & 27 8 days later Jesus gives Thomas the opportunity to do as Thomas demanded
John 20:28 Thomas responds “My Lord and my God”
John 20:29 Jesus tells him “Blessed are those who believe but have not seen”

Scriptures tell us that he rises from the dead and there are other scriptures so we have reasons. So no I was not there to see the empty tomb myself and I have yet to see it but I believe those who have seen it and I believe those who have written of it and I believe that the word of God has demonstrated he has risen from the dead and that his spirit testifies to my spirit that he is God and they raised him from the dead. When I take all of those combined I can firmly say I walk by faith not by sight but I walk by faith with reason not with just superstition. So if he rose from the dead and he did what does that mean for you and me?


Sermon Notes
John 20:1 & 2 Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark, saw the stone rolled away and assumed someone took Jesus’ body
John 20:3 – 8 Peter and John run to the tomb after being told that Jesus’ body was missing, entered into the tomb, did not find the body, but found the linen wrappings
John 20:9 They didn’t understand the Scriptures about Jesus rising from the dead
John 20:10 Peter and John went home
John 20:11 – 14 Mary while weeping looked into the tomb and saw two angels, who ask her why she is weeping
John 20:15 Jesus asks her why she is weeping and she turns around, thinking that Jesus is the gardener asks where the body was taken
John 20:16 When Jesus says her name she recognizes Him
John 20:17 Jesus tells her to stop clinging to Him and tells her and go to His brethren and tell them that “I ascend to the Father”
John 20:18 Mary does as instructed
1 Corinthians 15:3 - 8 Jesus’ resurrection according to the Scriptures

Why do Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah? Many people who aren't followers think, "Well, it's just blind faith." We disagree. Our faith is based on the scriptures and historic events. In a couple weeks, we'll be talking about the major event that happened that causes most people to say that's why they believe that Jesus is the Son of God. However, the scriptures told us ahead of time when Jesus would appear. They told us how we would teach and how we would be rejected by His people. It also foretold that He would be crucified in the manner of that death. It also talked about His burial. Most times people don't look at that. But the scriptures foretold the way that Jesus' body would be handled and the condition of that body and how He would be buried. They were done according to the scriptures. So we have faith based upon events that happened according to the scriptures. See how His condition of the body and His burial comported with the scriptures.

Sermon Notes
John 19:31 & 32 The Jews want the crucifixion over to avoid being on Passover
John 19:33 & 34 Since Jesus was already dead His bones were not broken, but the soldier pierced Jesus’ side and blood and water poured out
John 19:35 John witnessed these things, they are true so that we might believe
John 19:36 & 37 No bones broken and Jesus was pierced in the side, which confirmed the Scriptures
John 19:38 – 40 Joseph and Nicodemus take Jesus’ body and care for it
John 19:41 & 42 They lay Jesus’s body in an unused tomb confirming the Scriptures
Isaiah 53:9 Messiah’s grave predicted

The Roman Empire crucified thousands of people. They also were involved in the crucifixion of Jesus. But the crucifixion of Jesus was different in many ways. I invite you to come and listen to this message on how the crucifixion of Jesus was different and how it impacts you.

Sermon Notes
John 19:17 Jesus bears His own cross
John 19:18 He was crucified between two men
John 19:19 – 22 Pilate has an inscription written and the Jews object, but Pilate leaves it
John 19:23 – 25a The soldiers gamble for Jesus’ clothing – according to the Scriptures
John 19:25b – 27 Even while being crucified He makes sure His mother is cared for
John 19:28 & 29 Jesus says “I am thirsty” – according to the Scriptures
John 19:30 Jesus gives up His Spirit, it is not taken from Him
1 Corinthians 15:3 Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures

From the time that Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, the people who arrested him bound him and led him to Annas' house. They were seeking to assert control and authority over Jesus. It's interesting, trying to assert control and authority over the Son of God.

When Jesus fails to immediately answer one of Pilate's questions, Pilate says, "Don't you understand that I have authority over you?" Jesus tells him the authority that he has doesn't come from the Roman government.

John 19:1 Pilate has Jesus scourged
John 19:2 & 3 Roman soldiers abuse Jesus
John 19:4 & 5 Pilate presents Jesus saying he finds no guilt in Him
John 19:6 & 7 Pilate attempts to avoid responsibility, but the chief priests and offiers demand that Jesus be crucified and state that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God
John 19:8 – 11 Jesus refuses to answer Pilate’s questions. Pilate asserts he has authority over Jesus, but Jesus responds he only has authority because it was given by heaven. But Jeus also says those who are delivering Him have greater sin than Pilate
John 19:12 – 15 Pilate still seeks to release Jesus, but the Jews keep the pressure on by saying that if he doesn’t crucify Jesus he is no friend of Caesar and they have no king but Caesar

The religious leaders take Jesus to Pilate who is a Roman governor to authorize his crucifixion. During that time Pilate and Jesus have a conversation about his kingdom and his kingship, but during that conversation Pilate deflects by asking a question. He doesn't care really about the answer to the question because he doesn't spend any time to listen. The second thing is he asks the wrong question. Come and hear what Pilate asked and the question he should have asked.

Sermon Notes
John 18:28 - 32 Religious leaders take Jesus to Pilate to crucify without accusation
John 18:33 – 37 Pilate discusses with Jesus about being a king and the kingdom
John 18:38a What is truth?
John 18:38b – 40 Pilate tries to release Jesus but the crowd wants him to release a robber