These notes are a summary of a sermon on YouTube delivered by David Friery at Bromborough Evangelical Church in October 2026. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
The sermon begins with a story about someone mistakenly believing a person had died, only to discover that the person was actually still alive. But John 20 describes something far more extraordinary: encountering someone who had genuinely died and had now risen from the dead.
Jesus’ death was real and beyond doubt: He was mocked, beaten and crucified. He was innocent of wrongdoing and died in the place of sinners. This gives hope to sinners who trust in him.
After Jesus’ body was placed in a borrowed tomb, everything changed three days later. John records encounters between the risen Jesus and four people or groups: Mary Magdalene; Peter and John; the gathered disciples; and Thomas.
Each encounter is different, demonstrating how Jesus reveals himself to different people. The Gospel accounts contain variations in detail because each writer selects material to communicate particular truths. These differences are compatible and contribute to the credibility of the eyewitness accounts.
John’s purpose is stated in John 20:31: to lead people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God, and to have life through him.
1. Mary Magdalene (John 20:1–2, 11–18)
Mary’s love for Jesus
Mary had experienced significant personal transformation through Jesus, who had driven seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). Her gratitude and love for Jesus motivated her continued devotion to him. She was among the women who supported Jesus’ ministry and remained present at the cross when even the apostles (except John) had withdrawn out of fear.
Mary’s grief and confusion
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, she went to Jesus’ tomb. She was devastated to discover that the stone had been rolled away and that Jesus’ body was missing. She told Peter and John, who ran to investigate. After they left, Mary remained at the tomb, weeping. The darkness of the early morning reflects the darkness of her grief. (Light and dark is a common theme with John.)
Although Jesus had predicted his resurrection, Mary’s sorrow prevented her from remembering and understanding his promises. Grief and sorrow can distort our spiritual perception and cause us to lose sight of God’s promises of comfort. Do not be harsh on her.
Jesus reveals his idenity to Mary
Mary initially mistook Jesus for the gardener and asked where his body had been taken. Then Jesus simply spoke her name: “Mary.” Recognising his voice, she responded, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher.”
The significance of Mary’s testimony
Mary was the first person recorded in John’s account (and the other three gospels also) to see the risen Jesus. This is particularly significant in the first-century context, when women’s testimony was often unfairly regarded as less reliable than men’s. This was not Jesus’ view of women. Jesus entrusted Mary with the responsibility of telling the other disciples he had risen.
2. Peter and John (John 20:2–10)
After hearing Mary’s report, Peter and John hurried to the tomb to investigate. John arrived first and saw the linen burial cloths lying there, but initially remained outside. Peter arrived and went straight into the tomb. John subsequently entered and believed that Jesus had risen.
Their different reactions reflect their distinct personalities: Peter was impulsive and acted immediately, but John approached the scene differently and is specifically described as believing.
The empty tomb and burial cloths are presented as evidence that the resurrection was a real historical event, not merely a philosophical idea or spiritual metaphor.
Although John believed, the disciples had not yet fully understood from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
Questions for reflection:
Is your faith grounded in the historical reality of Jesus’ resurrection? Do you recognise that Christianity rests on both the salvation plan revealed in Scripture and the historical event of Christ rising from the dead?
3. Jesus appears to the disciples (John 20:19–23)
Jesus brings peace
On the evening of the first day of the week, the disciples were gathered behind locked doors because they feared the Jewish authorities. Jesus came and stood among them and greeted them with the words, “Peace be with you.” This recalls his earlier teaching about peace in John 14. His peace was particularly important because he was sending his disciples out on a difficult mission.
The nature of Jesus’ resurrection body
Jesus had not merely returned to ordinary mortal life. His body was the same real, physical body. It was recognisable and touchable. He was not a ghost. The wounds of crucifixion were still visible. And yet it was a glorified, resurrection body – transformed, immortal and Spirit-filled. And it was a pattern for the future bodies believers will have in the new earth when Christ returns.
The disciples’ mission and the Holy Spirit
Jesus commissioned his disciples to continue his work. He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This was a foretaste of the greater outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. Their mission would require God’s power, not merely human effort.
Forgiveness and the preaching of the Word
John 20:23 speaks of the disciples forgiving or retaining sins. It is acknowledged that Christians have debated the meaning of this verse throughout history. But God alone forgives sins; he commissions preachers to proclaim the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. A person’s response to the gospel reveals whether they receive or reject the salvation offered through Christ.
4. Thomas (John 20:24–29)
Thomas struggles to believe
Now, Thomas was absent when Jesus first appeared to the other disciples. Because he had not seen Jesus himself, he refused to believe their testimony. He insisted that he needed to see the nail marks and place his hand in Jesus’ wounded side before believing. This was even though Thomas had previously witnessed Jesus’ teaching and miracles, including instances of people being raised from the dead.
Jesus meets Thomas’s doubts
A week later, Jesus appeared again when Thomas was present. Jesus offered Thomas the opportunity to examine his wounds, but Thomas did not need to carry out the examination he had demanded. He responded with the confession: “My Lord and my God!” The word “my” is highlighted as an expression of personal recognition and a deeper relationship with Jesus. Such a response demonstrates that even a committed sceptic can become convinced of the truth.
A challenge to those who doubt
It should be questioned whether Thomas deserves the lasting negative label “Doubting Thomas”. Those who struggle with belief should consider what would help them trust Christ. Persistent unbelief risks missing the blessings of knowing God and the hope of eternal life. Doubt need not be the end of the journey towards belief.
The purpose of John’s resurrection account
John brings together different encounters with the risen Jesus, building a cumulative picture of the evidence for the resurrection. Like a detective assembling evidence, he selects and presents eyewitness accounts to support his central message. The purpose is not simply to record an extraordinary historical event, but to call readers to faith in Jesus Christ.
John 20:31 summarises the chapter’s purpose: Jesus is the Messiah; Jesus is the Son of God; Believing in him brings life in his name.
Application: How should the resurrection change our lives?
A. Move beyond merely knowing the facts
The story is recounted of a minister preparing a sermon on the resurrection who suddenly ran out of his study exclaiming, “He’s alive! Jesus is alive!” He had believed in the resurrection for years, but its truth had suddenly affected him with fresh power and personal significance.
His experience illustrates how prayerful study of Scripture can deepen our appreciation of the risen Christ. Believing the facts intellectually is important, but the resurrection should also affect our hearts, attitudes and daily lives.
B. Avoid cold or arrogant Christianity
Some Christians can defend orthodox doctrine while treating unkindly those who disagree with them on some finer point of doctrine. Knowledge without love can produce an attitude that is cold, arrogant and self-important. Do not behave like the Pharisees, who appeared confident in their religious standing. The truth of the resurrection should produce humility, love and graciousness, rather than pride.
C. Recognise that believers have different experiences
Mary, Peter, John, the disciples and Thomas each encountered the risen Jesus in different circumstances. Similarly, Christians may have different experiences of coming to know Christ personally. Nevertheless, all believers share the same central truth: Jesus Christ has risen from the dead.
D. Continue growing in your relationship with Christ
Whatever your present level of faith or spiritual experience, there is always room to grow: To know Christ more clearly, to love him more dearly, and to follow him more nearly. Believers should continually seek a deeper understanding of Jesus and a more wholehearted commitment to him.
Practical ways to live as resurrection people
Four practical consequences of living in the light of Christ’s resurrection:
- Prayer and the study of God’s Word – Develop a deeper two-way relationship with the Lord through prayer and Scripture.
- Love for fellow Christians – Seek to love other believers increasingly in the way Jesus loves them.
- Passion for those who do not know Christ – Pray for family, friends, colleagues and people throughout the world, and ask God to show mercy to them and bring them to call upon Jesus for salvation.
- Maintain a confidence in your eternal heavenly home – Face everyday hardships and disappointments with the hope of heaven. Remember: The best is yet to be.
Final challenge and conclusion
John 19, which records Jesus’ death, would leave the reader in despair if the story ended there. Without the resurrection, there would be no assurance that Jesus had conquered death or could lead his people into eternal life.
But John 20 transforms the picture. Jesus is alive! Gloom becomes glory; Despair becomes delight; Death gives way to the hope of resurrection.
Christians are described as “resurrection people” because Christ’s resurrection guarantees their future hope. They are thus urged to live in the light of this truth and allow it to shape every aspect of their lives. Jesus is alive and people today can share in the hope experienced by Christians throughout the last 2,000 years.
Those who have become complacent about eternity, who come to church yet have never trusted in Christ, are challenged not to ignore or reject God’s offer of salvation. Jesus has died for sinners and risen again. The gospel is offered as God’s free gift, to be received through faith in Christ.
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Key takeaways for personal reflection
(Note that these following points were not preached here at the end of the sermon, but are deduced from various points made in the sermon.)
- The resurrection is historical: Christian faith rests on the reality that Jesus rose bodily from the dead.
- The resurrection is personal: Jesus revealed himself to individuals in different circumstances, including those experiencing grief and doubt.
- The resurrection gives assurance: Christ’s victory over death provides believers with the hope of forgiveness and eternal life.
- The resurrection transforms character: Genuine faith should lead to humility, love and graciousness, not spiritual pride.
- The resurrection gives purpose: Christians are called to prayer, Scripture, love for the church and evangelism.
- The resurrection gives hope: Believers can face suffering and disappointment with confidence in the eternal future Christ has secured.
Central question to take away: Does the truth that Jesus is alive merely form part of what you believe, or is it a living reality that shapes how you think, love, serve and face the future?