He is Alive

John 20

After Jesus’ death there were a couple of very sad and confusing days.  What happened?  How did everything go so wrong?  Those who had followed Jesus had walked away from everything and now He is dead.  I am sure they were thinking something like, “this is not how it was supposed to end.”  Well, they were right!  It did not end.  Little did they know, it was only beginning!

Mary Magdalen was the first to find the tomb empty.  She is shocked and then runs and tells Peter and John that something has happened.  Someone has stolen the body of Jesus. (20:1-2)  Peter and John race to the tomb and discover, He is not there.  The tomb is empty.  What a confusing moment!  The guys look around and head back home. (20:10)  But Mary sticks around and cries.  She is distraught.  She blames the gardener for taking the body.  But is she talking to the gardener? 

Something very interesting happens, Mary in all her grief, confusion and emotions does not see (or realize) Jesus standing right in front of her.  It isn’t until He says her name, “Mary”, that she recognizes Him. (20:16)  Can you imagine the power in that moment for Mary.  Suddenly, through all her hurt and anguish, she hears the loving voice of her Savior.  Jesus is alive!

Later, Jesus appears to His disciples and commissions them as the Father commissioned Him (20:21).  Before, Jesus had washed their feet to point toward His cleansing work on the cross.  Now, Jesus breathes on them.  The same life giving breath that spoke the world into being (Genesis 2:7) was blown over His beloved friends. The Helper He spoke of a few days before (14:15-17) will now come and fill them.  The Holy Spirit who will empower them to proclaim the good news (20:22-23).

They know He is alive!  But one was missing, Thomas.  And he is just not sure of what he has heard.  Thomas refuses to get his hopes up unless he can see Jesus and touch Him.  Eight days later, Jesus appears behind locked doors and focuses solely on Thomas. (20:27)  Jesus tells Thomas to touch Him and feel His scars.  In seeing and touching, Thomas believes.  But Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (20:29)

John chose to begin to wrap up his Gospel story here.  If we are not careful we may miss something very important.  Even though Thomas doubted, he was the first to refer to Jesus as “My Lord, My God” (20:28)  Thomas’ declaration seems to bring John’s story full circle.  Jesus, a man from Galilee, is truly God manifested in human form!  The Savior of the world walked among us! He is alive!