Easter At Calvary 2026 – John 20:1-31 | Five Resurrection Realities

John 20:1-29
Five Resurrection Realities

I. Introduction

1. 2000 years ago, Jesus died and rose again.
2. John records what happened on that first Easter morning.
3. At the end of our study, we will consider five resurrection realities.

II. vv. 1-10 The first events of Easter morning

1. vv. 1-4 The empty tomb is discovered by Mary and reported to the disciples.
   1. Picture of running disciples.
      
      
      
      John 20:1-4 ¹ Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” ³ Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. ⁴ So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.^[1]
      
      
   2. The massive stone, weighing 1.5 to 2 tons, was put in place to keep the disciples from entering the tomb, stealing the body, and claiming Jesus had risen from the dead.
   3. The Jews anticipated the body being stolen, so they took steps to ensure that this would not happen (Matt 27:63-66).
   4. They had Pilate seal the tomb and place a Roman guard unit there.
   5. Mary thinks the body of Jesus has been taken, and all the disciples come to the tomb in haste.
2. vv. 5-8 Linen cloths still in the tomb
   1. Picture of a tomb with burial cloths.
      
      
      
      ⁵ And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
      
      
   2. We know that in addition to the weight of the burial cloths, there was also about 100 pounds of burial ointments and aromatics.
   3. The point is that the body was not simply stolen. The body that had been wrapped had risen from the dead, leaving behind the burial cloths.
3. v. 9 Not in expectation of the resurrection
   
   ⁹ For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

III. vv. 11-18 Jesus appears to Mary.

1. Picture of Jesus and Mary outside the tomb.
   
   
   
   John 20:11-18 ¹¹ But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. ¹² And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³ Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” ¹⁴ Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
   
   
2. v. 17 Jesus gives instructions
   1. Picture of Mary running to tell the disciples.
      
      
      
      ¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ” ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
      
      
   2. Don’t cling to me, but go tell the others that I will ascend to the Father.
      1. The relationship will be different now.
      2. They will not have the physical presence of Jesus with them moving forward.
   3. The words do not cling are better translated “Don’t hold on to me.”
   4. The idea is that He will soon ascend to the Father, and the relationship they knew before the cross will no longer be able to be experienced.
   5. As promised, He will ascend to the Father and send the Holy Spirit.

IV. vv. 19-23 Jesus appears to the disciples.

1. v. 19 Jesus appears behind closed doors
   
   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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
   
   1. They were behind closed doors for fear that the Jews would come for them. No doubt the missing body causes them to fear, not having faith.
2. v. 19b Peace
   
   ¹⁹ … Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
   
   1. To their fears
   2. To their spiritual life
3. v. 20 Jesus shows his scars.
   
   ²⁰ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
   
   1. When we see Jesus, we will see the scars He still bears from the cross. We will see him as a Lamb that has been slain (Rev 5:6).
4. vv. 21-23 Jesus sends them on a mission.
   
   ²¹ So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
   
   1. As the Father had sent Him, He gives them the Holy Spirit.
      1. John spoke often of the work of the Holy Spirit in his account, and now the disciples begin to experience this ministry.

V. vv. 24-29 Jesus appears to Thomas.

1. Picture of Jesus with Thomas and the disciples.
   
   
   
   
2. vv. 24-25 Thomas declared he must see the wounds before he would believe.
   
   ²⁴ Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
   
   
3. vv. 26-28 Jesus appears and shows them to Thomas
   
   ²⁶ And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” ²⁷ Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” ²⁸ And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
   
   1. Thomas responds in a statement of belief, calling Jesus BOTH Lord and God.
4. v. 29 Jesus said blessed are those who don’t see yet believe
   
   ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

VI. When we come to the story of the Resurrection, many reject the historical, biblical Christian view.

1. Some say there was no resurrection. They believe this was a swooning (i.e., passing out) that took place.
2. Others say Jesus rose in spirit, but not bodily.
3. Still others say He is in the tomb because the disciples forgot which tomb it was.
4. Others claim that the resurrection was one that took place in the hearts of the disciples.
   1. Some would say it is not important whether Jesus rose from the dead, only that one believes that He rose from the dead. It is not important that one hold to the objective truth that Jesus came back from the dead.
   2. I say without hesitation and in complete boldness that Jesus is alive! It matters beyond what words can adequately describe.
   3. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then He lied about who He was. He deceived His closest companions and foes when He said He would be killed but rise from the dead. Mankind is still lost in sin, and there is no hope for being reconciled. There is no hope of salvation or life beyond the grave.
   4. But praise the Lord that Jesus has risen. He is a true prophet, the Christ, the Son of God. He has forgiven us our sins, and all who believe in Him will have everlasting life and need not fear death, for we have a Savior who has defeated death and its sting.
5. Consider what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19.
   
   1 Corinthians 15:17–19 ¹⁷ And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.
   
   1. The Resurrection is the pivotal point by which Christianity stands or falls as the one true teaching about faith and God.
      1. If the Resurrection did not happen, then you can put Christianity in the same group as all the hundreds of other so-called religious truths.
   2. We are putting our faith and hope of forgiveness of sin in a dead man, NOT a death-conquering, sin-defeating Savior.
      1. Everything the Bible teaches, and Christians hold dear, hangs upon the certainty of the Resurrection.

VII. Five resurrection realities

1. These points are crucial to the Christian faith, and all are dependent upon Jesus rising from the dead.
2. Jesus is God.
   
   Romans 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
   
   1. To be the Son of God means to be equal with God.
      
      John 5:18 Therefore, the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
      
      
   2. Jesus taught many radical things and claimed to be the ONLY WAY TO GOD IN HEAVEN.
      1. If He truly is the Son of God, we ought to listen to Him and put our trust in Him as the ONLY Savior of the world sent by the Father.
      2. If He is not the Son of God, then why should I put any more trust in Him than any other man claiming to have spiritual answers?
   3. If Jesus rose from the dead, as He said He would, this is the ultimate proof that He was who He claimed to be, the Son of God.
3. Our sins can be forgiven.
   1. We know quite clearly that Jesus died as a sacrifice for our sins.
      1. Jesus suffered and died upon the cross for our sins so we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty of sin.
      2. But if Jesus Christ is still in the grave, His death would have just been tragic and not able to deal with our sin.
      3. As Paul said, “We are still in our sins, and faith is futile.”
         
         1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
         
         
      4. This forgiveness means we are accepted and justified before God.
         
         Romans 4:22–25 ²² And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” ²³ Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, ²⁴ but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, ²⁵ who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
         
   2. Many are content to think of Jesus as being a good teacher without believing that He rose again from the dead.
      1. They say it is not important whether He rose from the dead or not. It is important whether you think He did.
      2. But as you can see, if Jesus did not rise again from the dead, then He failed to accomplish the one thing that He came to this world to do, to redeem man.
      3. It means the penalty of sin was too great to overcome, and so the debt of our sin remains unpaid.
4. We have been set free.
   1. Not only does the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead validate His claims to be the Son of God and prove that His death on the cross for sin was accepted, but it also means that the power of sin to control our lives has been broken (Romans 6:4-7, 12-14).
      1. Somebody once said we have been delivered from the penalty of sin, we are being delivered from the power of sin over our lives, and one day we will be delivered from the presence of sin when we are in heaven.
   2. The cross and the resurrection mean that the power that sin previously had over our lives has been defeated through the work of Jesus.
   3. When a person puts trust in Jesus Christ, there is a real and powerful transformation that takes place in the Spiritual realm.
      1. So that the same power that was at work defeating sin at the cross and giving new life to Jesus at the cross is working in the hearts and lives of believers today.
      2. If Jesus has not risen from the dead, then we have no hope of being set free from the controlling power of sin.
5. Jesus will judge the world.
   1. The next point of teaching I would like to consider is a negative one, yet it still holds a very comforting truth to the believer.
      1. Because Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the Bible teaches us that we can have assurance that Jesus will judge this world.
         
         Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.
         
   2. When Jesus came to this earth, it was to seek and save the lost, but those who do not receive Him will experience Him as a judge rather than as a Savior.
      1. Which will Jesus be to you?
      2. It will be a fearful and terrible end for those who meet Jesus as judge rather than justifier.
      3. Jesus came the first time and provided a way to JUDGE sin at the cross so we could be accepted by God.
      4. When Jesus comes the second time, it will be to judge sinners.
      5. It will be a terrible day when real people with real names will experience the wrath of God.
      6. This will certainly be a negative experience.
   3. For believers this judgment holds the hope of the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
      1. The Lord must put down all rebellion to establish His everlasting Kingdom.
      2. It is bittersweet. It is bitter because the world will experience the judgment of God, but it is also sweet because the Kingdom of God is coming to pass.
6. We have eternal life.
   1. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the hope of eternal life can only be found in Jesus Christ.
      1. If Jesus Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then why would anyone think that having belief in Jesus would assure them of life after death?
         
         2 Corinthians 4:14 knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.
         
         1. If we are hoping for a dead man who promised to raise us up from the dead, what hope do we really have?
   2. Do you have the hope and assurance of eternal life this morning?
      1. This is one of the great claims of the Bible.
      2. We spend so much time working and planning to make this life a pleasant one, but what about the next life?
         1. This life will last for many fewer than 90 years, but the next life will last for eternity.
         2. The next life is eternal, and we all will live forever either in heaven with God or we will live separated from God in hell.
      3. On our own we can do nothing to plan for the next life.
         1. Man is powerless to secure a single second of the next life. We are totally dependent upon the goodwill of God to grant us life in His presence.
         2. He has provided one and only one way for us to enter the hope and assurance of eternal life.
   3. The hope of eternal life in the presence of God is such an incredible promise.
      1. A new body free of pain.
      2. Reunion with loved ones who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
      3. A place free of sin, pain, crime, death, and sadness.
      4. A perfect place where every moment of every day is better than you could ever plan for or hope for.
      5. Experiencing God in a very personal, physical way every day.
   4. Praise God that Jesus rose from the dead, for now we have the hope that the one who rose from the dead will also raise us up to eternal life.
      1. This hope and reality can be yours, and God intends that it should be yours.
      2. Scripture says that God is not willing that any should perish, that means you.

VIII. Conclusion

1. vv. 30-31 That we might believe.
   
   ³⁰ And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these 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.
   
   1. John’s purpose in writing this account was to bring people to belief.
   2. By believing they might have life.
2. There is no reason to ever meet Jesus the judge.
   1. God does not find pleasure in judging men. The Bible tells us that He loves you so much and desires that you would escape judgment so badly that He sent His Son to die upon the cross to take your judgment.
   2. We all have broken God’s Law, and if we have not received forgiveness in this lifetime, we will stand guilty in the next.
   3. You may think, “I am not a bad person.”
      1. The standard of God is sinless perfection. The Bible says we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
      2. If we have lied, we have sinned. If we have lusted in our hearts, we have committed adultery. If we have hated, we have committed murder. If we have taken that which does not belong to us, we have stolen.
   4. Jesus judged all these sins at the cross, extending forgiveness and hope.
   5. But for those who don’t come and admit their failure and ask for forgiveness, they will stand before God and be judged themselves.
3. Salvation is something that can be yours right now, this moment.
   1. God isn’t asking you to make a bunch of changes, clean your life up, and then He will save you. If we could clean ourselves up and earn our way to heaven, then Jesus died needlessly upon the cross.
   2. The truth is, there is no amount of good deeds or life changes we could make that would earn salvation.
      
      Ephesians 2:8-9 ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.
      
      
   3. The way to enter into this relationship with God, experience forgiveness of sin, and have the hope of eternal life is through belief and confession.
      
      Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

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^[1] All Scripture quotations are from the NKJV unless otherwise noted.