Part 3: Locked DoorsJohn Chapter 20

Faith and Trust in God’s Trustworthiness Based on multiple pieces of evidence

Reviewed healing of man blind from birth We are part of today’s evidence for God We “show” God to the world

Literary Structure of John 20 Five sections Repetition

Motifs, phrases, words, references back

Unbelief Setting Evidence Questions and Doubts More evidence Understanding Belief Commission Witness

What kind of God are you seeking? Our God is (within our limited

perspective) Faithful, but not always predictable Always present, but not always recognizable Not in a box, in churches, or a tomb But is out in the world through the Holy Spirit

Our commission Is to be out in the world where Jesus is To show that Jesus is indeed alive

Second (and Subsequent) Generations John 20:31

“…These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (ESV)

Part 1: Eyes of Faith Part 2: Open Tomb Part 3: Locked DoorPart 3: Locked Door Part 4: Signs, Sight, Faith

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews… (John 20:19a ESV)

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked… (John 20:26a ESV)

Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19b ESV)

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you…” (John 20:21a ESV)

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:26b ESV)

1“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me…25“These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe.

John 14:1, 25-29 ESV

19On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

22And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”

(ESV)

19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God.”

(John 3:19-21 ESV)

39Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

(John 9:39-41 ESV)

John 12:44And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

47If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.

(John 12:44-48 ESV)

24Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

(ESV)

26Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”

28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

(ESV)

What is its significance? Jesus had a changed body Symbolizes fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) Symbolizes unbelief Desire to assert control over self Lack of witness Jesus wants his brothers (v. 17) to move out

from behind locked doors Locked doors are not barriers to Jesus

It’s the only thing that can move people out from behind closed and locked doors God’s love is powerless without it Proves Christ’s righteousness and God’s

justice Without it, the claims against Jesus would be

true Proves the truthfulness of Jesus’ claims about

God

To the risen Christ To the character of God

Love and liberty To the healing of relationships

Forgiveness and restoration Power through the Holy Spirit

To judgment Each person’s choice regarding God’s offers