Sun, Jan 1, 2023 – “I Have Seen the Lord” (John 20:1-31)

Scott Wakefield

Part of The Gospel of John—Jan–Dec 2022

To take notes, click into the square to the right of the blue “comment box” (see example immediately below.) If you are logged into the FCC app, it should automatically save them until the next Sermon Guide is published (i.e., it changes each Sun morning.) To save a copy, email your notes to yourself (scroll to the bottom.)

“THE GOSPEL OF JOHN”

Series Outline & Memory Verses

John 1-5 – Beholding Christ: The Son of God
John 6-14 – Following Christ: The Man of God
John 15-21 – Exalting Christ: The Lamb of God

Previous Sermons in this Series: fccgreene.org/john

Follow Along with Today’s Sermon Manuscript (sort of, mostly, kind of)

Our preachers don’t always follow word for word, (especially Scott, Lead Pastor), but it will help you follow the train of thought and prepare for your study below.
Scott

Daily Bible Readings
On Sun-Fri, the first passages listed (before the semicolon) are related to this sermon, while the second passages listed help you read through the whole book of John. The Sat reading is for the next day’s sermon, to help you prepare.

Sermon Notes

Today’s Sermon – “I Have Seen the Lord” (John 20:1-31)

John 20:1-2 – 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”

20:12 – And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
20:14 – Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
20:18 – Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

20:1 – Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Mark 16:1
Mark 16:3
Mark 28:2-4

20:2-4 – 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

20:5-6 – 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,

20:7-9 – 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

20:18 – 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

20:20 – 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

20:28 – 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

20:30-31 – 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but 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.

Romans 8:11 – If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Inductive Bible Study Questions

To prepare for Life Group, Pillar breakout groups, or personal use, answer the following inductive study questions based on the sermon and a few other resources we suggest (See “Mostly Trusted & Free Resources” below.)

Inductive Bible study is about going from particulars to principles by prayerfully studying the details—both in the text and the larger Scriptural context of a passage—and allowing them to determine meaning and application.

Observe: What does the text say?

Read the passage at least once, preferably multiple times.
Answer the 4 Ws: Where? When? Who? What? (Ex: author, location, original audience, cultural setting, etc.)
Are there any literary cues worthy of note? (Ex: key words/phrases, transition, repetition, parallel, comparison, contrast, etc.)

It’s helpful at this point to consult a few resources: Study Bible notes, commentaries, Bible dictionaries/encyclopedias, etc.

Interpret: What does the text mean?

How does the wider context help inform our understanding of this passage?
Are there any other passages that help provide a framework for understanding?
What are the passage’s main points?
What is the one main principle God intends to communicate to the original audience?

Apply: What is the text saying to us?

What doctrinal or theological truths does this text teach or reinforce?
What questions does it elicit for you?
Which of FCC’s 7 Habits (or a spiritual habit/practice) does the principle in “Interpret” #4 highlight most?
What is the most important application of this passage to… the original audience? Our world? Our church? Your relationships, family, marriage, parenting, etc.? Your plans, career, schooling, etc.?
What is God trying to tell you?
What is your Next Step of “everyday boring faithfulness”? Or, when it comes to the 7 Habits (or the aforementioned spiritual habit/practice), what do you need to stop doing, keep doing, start doing?

For Further Study: Some Mostly Trusted & Mostly Free Resources

The 7 “I Am” Statements in the Gospel of John
ESV Study Bible – Our #1 recommendation. The English Standard Version, which we use for preaching, has *really good* Study Notes, maps, introductions, mini-systematic theology, etc. Available in hardcopy at cost in *The Hub* at every campus (or for Logos Bible Software below.) The ESV Bible text is free on our app under “Bible” or at ESV.org, where the Global Study Bible Notes are also free.
NETbible.org – Free Bible (various versions, incl ESV with lots of helpful textual notes and a few decent resources and commentaries.
IVP New Bible Commentary – Good basic one-volume commentary. Available in The Hub at any campus.
Logos Bible Software – Download 40+ free resources here to get started, incl 6 Bible versions, ESV Audio Bible, Faithlife Study Notes, Lexham Bible Dictionary, and Easton’s Bible Dictionary, as well as some classics like Charles Hodge’s *Systematic Theology*, JFB Commentary (Critical/Explanatory on Whole Bible), Matthew Henry Concise Commentary, Spurgeon’s *Morning and Evening* Devotions, Bunyan’s *Pilgrim’s Progress*, Augustine’s *Confessions*. ESV Bible and Study Notes available for purchase at logos.com, along with basically any other important biblical and theological resource you could possibly imagine. (Scott’s favorite resource. He says, “I’m in and out of Logos two dozen times a day.”)
*Systematic Theology* by Wayne Grudem – Good overall and highly readable introduction to Christian doctrine. Available at cost in *The Hub* and also for Logos Bible Software. This is what Scott and Mark Liebert often use as a guide on our biweekly *Brown Bags & Bibles* podcast.
Free Online Whole Bible Commentaries (By Dead People) – Albert Barnes, John Calvin (missing some books), Adam Clarke, Matthew Henry (Concise), Matthew Henry (Complete), Alexander MacLaren, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Free Online Dictionaries/Encyclopedias – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Holman Bible Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia