sermon 4.7.13 - finding peace in purpose - john 20:19-31

Psalm 118:14-29 14 The LORD is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation. 15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the

tents of the righteous: “The LORD’s right hand

has done mighty things! 16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the

LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!” 17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what

the LORD has done.

Psalm 118:14-29 18 The LORD has chastened me severely, but

he has not given me over to death. 19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will

enter and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD through which

the righteous may enter. 21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

you have become my salvation. 22 The stone the builders rejected has become

the cornerstone;

Psalm 118:14-29 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous

in our eyes. 24 The LORD has done it this very day; let us

rejoice today and be glad. 25 LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the

LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless

you.

Psalm 118:14-29 27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light

shine on us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal

procession up to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you

are my God, and I will exalt you. 29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his

love endures forever.

Group Questions #1

1: What is your name and something good that happened this

week…a praise?

2: What are you afraid of…

or were afraid of?

3: What brings you peace?

John 20:19-31 19 On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the disciples were together, with the

doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,

Jesus came and stood among them and said,

“Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he

showed them his hands and side. The

disciples were overjoyed when they saw the

Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

John 20:19-31 22 And with that he breathed on them and said,

“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive

anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do

not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one

of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when

Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him,

“We have seen the Lord!”

John 20:19-31 But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail

marks in his hands and put my finger where

the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I

will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house

again, and Thomas was with them. Though

the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood

among them and said,“Peace be with you!”

John 20:19-31 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger

here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and

put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have

seen me, you have believed; blessed are

those who have not seen and yet have

believed.”

John 20:19-31 30 Jesus performed many other signs in the

presence of his disciples, which are not

recorded in this book.31 But these are written

that you may believe that Jesus is the

Messiah, the Son of God, and that by

believing you may have life in his name.

Group Questions #2 1: In each section (19-23, 24-29), how were

the disciple(s) feeling at the beginning? Why?

2: How did Jesus want them to feel? What

does this say about his priorities? What did

they need to overcome to get there?

3: How do you think the disciples felt when

Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, I am

sending you.”? In what way is Jesus sending

them? What was the role of the Holy Spirit in

this passage?

John 20:19

19 On the evening of that first day of the

week, when the disciples were

together, with the doors locked for

fear of the Jewish leaders,

John 20:19

Jesus came and stood among them

and said, “Peace be with you!”

John 20:20

20 After he said this, he showed them

his hands and side.

The disciples were overjoyed when

they saw the Lord.

John 20:21

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with

you! As the Father has sent me, I am

sending you.”

John 3:16-17

16 For God so loved the world that he

gave his one and only Son, that

whoever believes in him shall not

perish but have eternal life. 17 For God

did not send his Son into the world to

condemn the world, but to save the

world through him.

1 John 4:10-11

10 This is love: not that we loved God,

but that he loved us and sent his Son

as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11

Dear friends, since God so loved us,

we also ought to love one another.

1 John 3:16

16 This is how we know what love is:

Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for

our brothers and sisters.

1 John 2:5b-6

This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must

live as Jesus did.

1 John 4:13

13 This is how we know that we live in

him and he in us:

He has given us of his Spirit.

John 20:22-23

22 And with that he breathed on them

and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If

you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are

forgiven; if you do not forgive them,

they are not forgiven.”

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

peace, forbearance, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness

and self-control. Against such things

there is no law. 24 Those who belong to

Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh

with its passions and desires. 25 Since

we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step

with the Spirit.

John 20:23

23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins

are forgiven; if you do not forgive them,

they are not forgiven.”

John 20:24-25

24 Now Thomas (also known as

Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not

with the disciples when Jesus came. 25

So the other disciples told him, “We

have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the

nail marks in his hands and put my

finger where the nails were, and put my

hand into his side, I will not believe.”

John 20:26-27

26 A week later his disciples were in the

house again, and Thomas was with

them. Though the doors were locked,

Jesus came and stood among them

and said,“Peace be with you!” 27 Then

he said to Thomas, “Put your finger

here; see my hands. Reach out your

hand and put it into my side. Stop

doubting and believe.”

John 20:28

28 Thomas said to him,

“My Lord and my God!”

Group Questions #3 1: We don't face the fear of death. What kind

of fears do we face?

2: Thomas missed the first gathered

experience...but he was willing to show up the

next time. What value is there in experiencing

faith in community?

3: What does being sent look like for you in

your context? How can...does selfishness or

self preservation keep you from going? What

role does the Spirit play?

William Greathouse “We must keep our self-love in check by

walking in the Spirit. Jesus said, “Thou shalt

love thy neighbour as thyself.” By nature we

love ourselves excessively. Likening human

nature to a pair of scales, we may say that

apart from God’s grace we are heavily

weighted and tipped toward self.

William Greathouse We may jump up and down in the scales and

move them somewhat, but by our own efforts

we can never achieve a balance between self

and others. However, by the gift of the Spirit,

God lays His hand on the scales of life and

brings them to balance. To maintain this

balance we must walk in the Spirit. But as we

so walk the love of God is shed abroad in our

hearts by the Holy Ghost, and we are enabled

to keep the second great commandment.”

Application Questions

1: What does being sent look like in

your context?

2: What is your next step in moving

toward living for God’s Kingdom?

3: What is Jesus nudging you to do

this week?