Gospel Outreach International

This Bible study takes us into John chapter 20, exploring the resurrection account and its significance for our faith today. Through examining the “seven firsts” of this remarkable chapter—from the first day to the first reason for John’s Gospel being written—we discover that true belief isn’t just about acknowledging facts in our head, but about trusting Christ with our entire lives and acting on that faith.

Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; John 20:8

• The word “blessed” in Scripture doesn’t mean worldly happiness based on circumstances, but spiritual prosperity—like a couple in India living in poverty yet full of the joy of the Lord
• The Bible is both God’s handbook (showing how to get and maintain relationship with Him) and His love letter to us, authored by the Holy Spirit
• The Turin Shroud cannot be authentic because John 20:7 describes the face cloth as separate and rolled up by itself, not as one piece with the body wrappings—God provided this evidence hundreds of years before the shroud surfaced
• The principle “if you take a text out of its context, it becomes a pretext” is important, and the true context of any Scripture is the whole teaching of the whole Bible from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22
• Christians worship on Sunday (the first day) because it’s Resurrection Day—we don’t live in a dead world but in resurrected existence, already living in relationship with the risen Christ
• In baptism by full immersion, we are buried with Christ under the water and raised with Christ, symbolizing our resurrection to live in relationship with the risen Christ
• Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection, demonstrating the devotion that men can learn from women—she couldn’t bear to be separated from her Lord even in death
• The backbone of many churches has been women, who have a great capacity for love and devotion that often exceeds that of men
• John’s Gospel shows humility by referring to himself as “the other disciple” or “the disciple whom Jesus loved” rather than naming himself—true humility is self-imposed consideration of others, not humiliation imposed by someone else
• Church structure (elders, deacons, church members) is not a hierarchy for promotion but reflects different gifts God has given—elders shepherd spiritually, deacons handle physical tasks
• Our relationship with God must be interactive, not just a monologue—we need quiet time to hear the still small voice of God, not constant noise from start to finish in services
• Thomas gets unfair “bad press” as “doubting Thomas” when he was actually a devoted follower who offered to die with Christ and later took the gospel to India
• True belief means acting on facts, not just acknowledging them mentally—like getting on a bus to Newcastle because you believe it will take you there, not just believing the sign exists

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” John 20:19

So here’s the beautiful truth, friends—Jesus is alive! That upper room visit must have been absolutely awesome—the disciples in the depths of despair, thinking their Lord was dead and buried, and suddenly He’s standing right there in the midst of them. Wow! And poor Thomas gets all this bad press as “doubting Thomas,” but he was such a devoted follower that he said, “Let us also go so that we may die with him.” He just happened to miss that first appearance, but he became a great servant of God who took the gospel all the way to India! The whole point John makes crystal clear is this: these things were written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. But remember, true believing isn’t just head knowledge—it’s like getting on that bus to Newcastle because you trust it will actually take you there. It’s trusting Jesus with all your life, not just saying you believe. One day we shall see Him as He is and we shall be like Him—now that will be a great and awesome occasion! Until then, let’s live in that resurrected existence, celebrating that we serve a risen Savior!

Bible References

• John 20:
• John 20:7
• John 11:44
• John 11:16
• Proverbs 3 (regarding God being intimate with the upright)
• Genesis 1
• Revelation 22