May 30, 2021
Sunday School Lesson
Lesson 13 (KJV)
PREACHING TO ENEMIES
DEVOTIONAL READING: Jonah 2
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Jonah 3
JONAH 3
1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.
4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water:
8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. Photo:
KEY VERSE
God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.—Jonah 3: 10
PROPHETS FAITHFUL TO GOD’S COVENANT
Unit 3: Courageous Prophets of Change
LESSONS 9–13
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Define “repentance.”
2. List reasons why the Ninevites’ reaction to Jonah’s proclamation was unexpected.
3. Commit to one needed change to obey God more fully.
HOW TO SAY IT
Assyria Uh-sear-ee-uh.
Elohim (Hebrew) El-o-heem.
Jonah Jo-nuh.
Nineveh Nin-uh-vuh.
Ninevites Nin-uh-vites.
Yahweh (Hebrew) Yaw-way.
Introduction
A. A Satisfying End
Imagine that you are nearing the end of a book you just can’t put down. You anticipate a satisfying ending. But the book actually ends by telling you that the whole thing had been a dream. What? Why was I so invested in this? That’s unfair! Few things are more frustrating to a reader than an unsatisfying ending to an otherwise excellent book.
Or what if the book ended in the middle of a sentence and offered no resolution to any of the conflicts contained within it? What makes a really atrocious ending to a book is when that ending has nothing to do with the book itself, or it explains away the drama of the book in a ridiculous manner, or it fails to actually end up somewhere. Such endings make an entire read feel like a waste of time because nothing that happened actually mattered.
All Jonah wanted was an ending that made sense to him regarding the story of the Ninevites. They deserved to be destroyed. They had done nothing to merit a happy ending. Everyone for miles around could see that they should be destroyed. But how would God write the ending of this drama?
B. Lesson Context
Though the book of Jonah is only four chapters long, it has much to teach us about the character of God. But the book reveals Jonah’s character as well. He reacted to his call like no other prophet in the Old Testament. Those prophets consented to speak for God even when they would rather not (Exodus 4: 10–12; Jeremiah 1: 6–9; etc.). Jonah chose not only to keep his mouth closed but also to try to run away from God (Jonah 1: 1–3).
Jonah appeared to have been willing to live in self-imposed exile rather than deliver a message of repentance to wicked Nineveh, an important city of the aggressive Assyrian Empire. In this way, Jonah held a mirror up to Israel, a nation that would prefer to believe that God’s choosing them meant He cared about them exclusively. Perhaps Jonah and his fellow Israelites needed to read the “all the nations of the earth” part of Genesis 18: 18; 22: 18; and 26: 4 again!
Even so, Israel had good reason to desire God’s sole protection. Assyria was a powerful, expansive nation when Jonah received his call from God in about 780 BC. (See the Lesson Context of lesson 10.) The city of Nineveh, to which Jonah was called, was a royal residence for the king of Assyria. The city was massive (see Jonah 3: 3, below) and had a reputation for violence and cruelty (see 3: 8, below). Jonah was not someone who had fallen into provincial small-mindedness. His nation—in fact the known world—would be safer if the barbarous Assyrians were destroyed.
Ultimately, Israel’s fear of Assyria was justified. Assyria invaded the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, plundered it, carried people into captivity, and resettled the territory (2 Kings 17). While history doesn’t provide detailed accounts of the Assyrian invasion, we have no reason to believe that the aggressors didn’t commit atrocities on the northern kingdom of Israel as done elsewhere.
That was after Jonah’s time. Even so, he certainly preferred to avoid his assigned task entirely. In addition to his escape attempt (Jonah 1: 3), Jonah later revealed his deep disappointment in God (4: 1–3). However, God insisted that Jonah fulfill his prophetic tasks. Even Jonah didn’t dare try to escape God’s calling a second time.
I. The Word of the Lord
(JONAH 3: 1–4) A.
Repeated (vv. 1–2)
1. And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying.
Jonah would not be relying on his own counsel when on his mission (see Lesson Context). He was the chosen messenger of, for, and by the Lord. Jonah is designated as a prophet in 2 Kings 14: 25, and the formula in the verse before us is associated with other prophets (examples: Jeremiah 1: 1–2; Hosea 1: 1). Jonah’s prior disobedience had not disqualified or exempted him from being God’s chosen vessel (see Jonah 1: 3).
2. Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.
This command repeats what God originally told Jonah. Noticeably missing is the previous emphasis on the city’s evil, seen in the phrase “their wickedness is come up before me” (Jonah 1: 2). The prophet was already aware of that fact, but didn’t see the remedy as God saw it. Jonah’s desired remedy was fiery judgment; God’s remedy was repentance (see 4: 1–2, not in our lesson text). Preach unto it the preaching is another way to command Jonah to speak only what God would tell him. Jonah’s marching orders had not changed.
We wonder why would God send an Israelite prophet to a nation that threatened His chosen people. The answer is found in the last verse in the book:
Should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand? (Jonah 4: 11)
In other words, God’s love is not determined or constrained by national boundaries. We live in a world in which nationalism is on the rise—and so it has always been. Exceptionalism, a cousin of nationalism, is the belief that a certain society is superior to all others. Ancient Israel had nationalistic and exceptionalistic pride due to the fact that they were chosen by God uniquely (compare Deuteronomy 9: 4; Matthew 3: 9). It’s not hard to see that trait in Jonah himself when we read the entirety of the book.
What Do You Think?
How should the designation of Nineveh as a “great city” inform our missionary endeavors today, if at all? Why?
Digging Deeper What conclusions should we not draw? Why?
B. Revealed (vv. 3–4)
3. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.
His time inside the great fish had taught Jonah the price of disobedience (Jonah 1: 17–2: 10). Here we see the evidence of having learned that lesson. The three days’ journey ironically matches Jonah’s three days in the fish (Jonah 1: 17).
One suggestion regarding the meaning of an exceeding great city of three days’ journey is that it includes the time necessary for Jonah to stop and preach neighborhood by neighborhood. Archaeology has determined the size of Nineveh to have encompassed some 1,730 acres. Combining this with the population figure we see in Jonah 4: 11 gives us a hint of the strength of the Assyrian Empire.
4. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Jonah walked one-third of the way into the city before delivering God’s message. Given his lack of enthusiasm to this point, the prophet likely was giving God bare minimum obedience. We do much the same when we obey the letter of God’s law but do not allow our hearts to be changed by His commands.
The recorded sermon is simple but powerful, just five words in the Hebrew. This could be all that Jonah said, or it could be a summary of a longer sermon. Lacking from the recorded text here is a call to repentance. This seems to be in keeping with Jonah’s mind-set to this point: he seems not to have wanted to mention the possibility that God would forgive. After all, the Ninevites were an evil people who deserved judgment!
The number forty has symbolic meaning in the Bible. Rain fell for that number of days in judgment on wicked humanity (Genesis 7: 17). Forty was the number of years the Israelites wandered in the desert because of their faithlessness (Numbers 14: 33–35). It was the number of days Jesus fasted before facing the tempter (Matthew 4: 2–10). In each case, God considered the completion of this number of days or years to be sufficient to excise evil or prove its absence. Nineveh’s having that amount of time before being overthrown was nothing more than fair in God’s reckoning.
WHOM TO EXCLUDE?
John grew up in church, where he learned to love his neighbors and extend grace. But he also learned to stay away from people who drank, smoked, gambled, and, well, sinned (per his definition). He grew to believe that people who had not repented should feel the full impact of those sins. That would be the best way for them to learn the errors of their ways.
John shared Jonah’s mind-set. When we are challenged because of whom God shows grace, we must follow His leading rather than relying on our perception of what is “fair.” We have all sinned (Romans 3: 23).
Having received God’s grace—and remembering that grace by its nature isn’t “fair”—who are we to decide those to be excluded from experiencing it as well?—L. M-W.
II. The People of Nineveh
(JONAH 3: 5–10)
A. Repenting (vv. 5–8)
5a. So the people of Nineveh believed God.
Several startling events are recorded in the book of Jonah, but one of the greatest is the tremendous response to Jonah’s pointed message. The faith of the people depended not on Jonah’s rhetoric or enthusiasm for the subject (see Jonah 3: 4, above). Instead their reaction speaks to the work of the Spirit of God in their midst, although not specifically stated as such.
The Ninevites, of course, had their own gods. Nineveh was home to the temple of Ishtar, goddess of love and war. Ashur, from which Assyria got its name, was both a city and a god. Other gods of Assyrian or Babylonian invention were also worshipped in Nineveh. But at this point the people believed God, the underlying Hebrew of that designation being Elohim, not Yahweh (see notes on these names in lesson 12, page 325). When the word Elohim is used without the word Yahweh being adjacent, the implication is that of the Creator of the universe (Genesis 1).
Of course, the Lord is both Creator of everything in the earth and Ruler over Israel specifically. Old Testament texts, especially the Psalms, often use the names interchangeably. But the Ninevites’ belief seems to have been tied only to God as He makes himself known through creation (see Romans 1: 18–20), rather than to God as He reveals himself more fully in the Law of Moses.
5b. And proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.
Fasting from food or drink was a common religious practice in many nations during biblical times. It could be practiced privately or corporately. The practice indicated self-denial, repentance, and/ or humility. In the case of the Ninevites’ fasting, all of these applied. Sackcloth was a rough material that was generally made from goat hair; wearing sackcloth signified submission (example: 1 Kings 20: 31–32) or intense distress (example: 2 Kings 19: 1). Fasting combined with wearing sackcloth added intensity to the picture (compare Psalm 35: 13). A spiritual change was happening throughout that city!
What Do You Think?
On what occasions should fasting be promoted today, if any? Why do you say that?
Digging Deeper
Should Acts 13: 2–3; 14: 23 be foundational for your answer? Why, or why not?
6. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
The phrase for word came is similar to that used to describe God’s revelation to Jonah (Jonah 1: 1; 3: 1). This implies that a true word from God made it to the king of Nineveh. But unlike Jonah, the king didn’t attempt to flee from God. Instead, he humbled himself and exchanged his royal robes for the coarse clothing of the penitent masses. His sitting in ashes may have been a sign that the king took additional responsibility for the cities he had destroyed by fire (compare Jeremiah 31: 40).
Critics have questioned the accuracy of this account by charging that a king would not have lived in Nineveh during Jonah’s day because the city did not become Assyria’s capital until later. But Nineveh was a major city in the nation, and kings did reside there occasionally. Further, the hectic conditions in Assyria at the time may have caused some provincial leaders to assume titles of royalty (compare the various “king of …” designations in Joshua 10: 3).
Here we see a pagan monarch responding to God in a more obedient fashion than God’s own prophet! This upended expectations about who responds to God appropriately. The Assyrians in Nineveh responded in submissive humility while the prophet from Israel had done the opposite. Righteous reactions from outsiders are seen in such important later events as the Magi’s intent to worship the young Jesus (Matthew 2).
7–8a. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God.
The king showed his support for the fasting initiative not only by participating in it, but by intensifying its terms. The fast was originally limited to the citizens of Nineveh, but livestock were also to be denied food and water. To cover these animals in sackcloth was a symbol of the city’s repentance. Though we often think of the consequences of sin being confined to humans, this verse underscores that the natural world also suffers because of sin (Romans 8: 19–22). God’s last recorded response to Jonah also reinforced the fact that God cares for all of His creation, not just the human parts (Jonah 4: 10–11).
For the king to risk the health of the city’s livestock by causing them to fast indicates that he believed that destruction was imminent. If God didn’t see genuine repentance, the well-being of the livestock wouldn’t matter anyway.
COVERING THE HATE
What do you feel strongly enough about to “wear” on your skin forever? Some people use tattoos to commemorate a beloved spouse, a dearly departed friend, or even Mom. Others have hobbies, symbols of their faith, or pictures of their BFF inked into their skin. Sadly, some choose symbols of hatred.
Not all who choose a tattoo that proclaims racial or ethnic hatred find those biases permanent, however. They repent of those attitudes and want the symbols of their former beliefs to disappear. For some, this may involve tattoo removal. For others, cover-ups are a popular option. For either, repentance can be an expensive process.
Either a cover-up or a removal is like wearing sackcloth—permanently. The message is the same: there is an inward change, seen now on the outside. Repentance requires a forever-removal. How is the Holy Spirit convicting you in that regard?—J. A. K.
8b. Yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.
The king seems to have recognized that empty ritual would yield no benefit (compare Isaiah 58: 3–7). True repentance begins with the heart and is verified through righteous behavior. For that reason, the king commanded his people to reject their evil lifestyle. The word way refers to well-established patterns of sin, which must be forsaken (compare Jeremiah 25: 5).
The violence of Assyria is seen in archaeological discoveries. Assyrian reliefs and written descriptions record atrocities committed against prisoners of war. These artifacts depict scenes of gruesome torture. Those not tortured to death were deported to Assyrian cities to work as slaves on building projects. The Assyrians indulged in these monstrous tactics to strike fear in the hearts of any nation who dared to oppose them. The city of Nineveh was called on to repent of a way of life built on such violence.
What Do You Think?
What are some godly ways to respond after suffering violence at the hands of another?
Digging Deeper
Categorize your answer in terms of thoughts, words, and actions.
B. Hoping (v. 9)
9. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
God did not need to repent as though He had done something wrong—He hadn’t done anything to Nineveh yet! Rather, the idea here is more of God’s changing His mind about something and then acting in accordance with that change of mind. Turn is a great image for this (compare Jeremiah 18: 8; 26: 3). A change of God’s mind would result in a change of His action. The king’s hope in this regard was not unfounded, but it also wasn’t assured. The people had been told they would perish. For God to follow through on His word to them would be just.
C. Spared (v. 10)
10. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
As the king and the people hoped, God saw their repentance as demonstrated in their works. As in the previous verse, we see language of God’s repentance, and the explanation is the same. Of course, God does not do evil in a moral sense. The idea is to be understood in a physical sense of punishment. God does indeed visit judgment, sometimes in the form of destruction, on people in keeping with His just nature (example: Genesis 18: 20–19: 29).
This verse is one of the key passages in Jonah. It captures God’s forgiving nature (compare Jonah 4: 2–3, 8–9). Here we see seeds of the gospel. Salvation is offered to all peoples—regardless of nation, language, or culture. The apostle Peter wrote that God was “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3: 9). For God has always so loved the world (John 3: 16).
The historical record tells us, however, that Nineveh’s repentance didn’t last. The prophet Nahum, who came along about 150 years after Jonah, catalogued specific sins of which Nineveh was guilty. These included violence, corruption, and idolatry (Nahum 3).
Nineveh suffered destruction in 612 BC. Before that, God used the Assyrian Empire as an instrument of His wrath against His rebellious and idolatrous covenant people. But Assyria went too far in this role and ended up on the receiving end of what they had inflicted on others (Isaiah 10: 5–19).
What Do You Think?
What’s your main takeaway from today’s lesson regarding modern missionary endeavors?
Digging Deeper
How will you act on that takeaway for your church?
Conclusion
A. Grace Without Borders
Throughout Scripture, we witness time and time again that God loves mercy (Exodus 33: 19). The story of Nineveh illustrates this in extreme fashion: the enemies of God’s own people were spared when they turned their hearts toward Him.
God’s intention for all humanity is to encounter His love and remain in it. The apostle Paul catalogued all of the forces incapable of separating God’s people from God’s love (Romans 8: 38–39). No outside force can cause that separation. But we can voluntarily cause it ourselves by rejecting His will as we become as the Ninevites had been. When we do so, repentance is the cure, as the Ninevites discovered.
Today, we also should accept the reality that God’s work will not be limited by geopolitical lines. We see Jonah’s attitudes in both individuals and faith communities who fixate over which groups of sinners are too far beyond the reach of God’s love. Meanwhile, we are reminded that we have a Savior who dined with sinners (Luke 7: 34) and reserved His fiercest anger for the self-congratulating Pharisees (11: 39–52).
Our Lord intends to establish a new people, from every tribe and tongue (Revelation 7: 9). God’s love will go everywhere. We can experience joy at the prospect, or we can resist this reality. Our attitude does not change what God will do for our enemies, but it will change how we react to His blessing those we would curse.
Think about it: if God was concerned for a petulant prophet and a morally bankrupt city, then His loving commitment to us will remain unshaken. We can celebrate that God is “a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness” (Jonah 4: 2). And in the face of divine kindness, we, like the citizens and rulers of ancient Nineveh, can repent.
What Do You Think?
Which thought in today’s text do you have the hardest time coming to grips with? Why is that?
Digging Deeper
What extra effort will you expend to resolve this uncertainty?
B. Prayer
God, You disregard our borders and share Your love wherever You please. We praise You for this because we are dependent on Your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
No human boundaries limit God’s grace.
KID’S CORNER
Because Jesus Rose Again
Sunday May 30, 2021
John 20:19-25
John 20:19-25
(John 20:19) So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Early Sunday morning, the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John were among those who saw the empty tomb of Jesus, but they did not understand the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead. Without first looking in the tomb, Mary assumed that someone had removed Jesus’ body. Later, two angels and Jesus spoke to Mary, and she told the disciples what they said. That same evening, Jesus appeared to His disciples in a locked house and spoke to them; perhaps in the original “Upper Room” they had reserved for Passover where they celebrated the Lord’s Supper. The disciples were afraid of the Jewish police and the Roman soldiers who might come and arrest them too, so they had hidden behind locked doors.
Because they did not understand Jesus earlier, they had forgotten that He had foretold them that He had to return to His Father; therefore, Jesus told Mary to tell (or remind) them. In addition, despite what Jesus had told them earlier, they had no idea that going to His Father would only happen after His crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Remember, in John 20:17, Jesus had told Mary to tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Jesus wanted to give them assurance in their time of trial. [We can understand, “to my God and your God,” as another way of Jesus having said earlier, “the Father is greater than I.”] Because He had died for their sins and had risen from the dead for Mary and all His disciples, Jesus wanted them to know assuredly that His Father was their Father, and His God was their God—they were all members of God’s Family (as well as all who would and will believe in Jesus in the future). Jesus had also promised that He would leave them with His peace after He was gone. Jesus foretold these truths in John 14:27-29, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.” Jesus went away when He died, but He came back to them in the Upper Room as He promised. He would also go away again when He ascended into heaven. But they had forgotten all these truths until Jesus and the Holy Spirit within them reminded them.
On the first evening of a new week and a new life for His disciples, Jesus appeared and did what He had promised them, and they believed as He had foretold they would. So, as He had foretold them, when Jesus appeared to them in the house His first words were, “Peace be with you.” Jesus greeted them and gave them the same peace that quieted the storm when they were storm-tossed and feared they would die in a boat. In Mark 4:39, we read about the incident, “He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.” We might prefer “perfect calm” or “great calm” as a better translation. When Jesus suddenly and unexpectedly appeared to them, they needed His peace once again to quiet all their fears. They also needed His peace because they feared the Jews who had used the Romans to crucify Him. Throughout the subsequent years, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, Jesus has given His followers, “perfect calm” or “perfect peace” in every type of situation.
(John 20:20) And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus did not rise from the dead as a ghost (as the disciples thought of ghosts: see Mark 6:49). Jesus rose in a glorified human body that still showed the marks of His crucifixion, but He was also able to pass through walls and appear and disappear as He willed. Just as the disciples rejoiced when they saw Jesus calm a storm, so they rejoiced when they saw Jesus their Lord again—as a real person. A law court requires that witnesses give “Empirical Evidence;” that is, information they experienced by their senses (seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, or touching). Jesus gave them empirical evidence that He had risen from the dead as a real human being.
(John 20:21) So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
Jesus’ gift of peace is not a one-time, once and for all gift that He never needs to give us again. For after they saw that Jesus was really “Jesus,” He gave them His peace once again. When we lack peace, we can go to Jesus again and again and ask Him for peace. In Philippians 4:6, Paul encourages believers with these words: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” In Philippians 4:7, Paul described the peace that Jesus Christ gives believers in answer to their prayers: “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” For a second time, Jesus gave them His peace. Jesus can give us peace by quieting storms and ending troubles, and Jesus can give us peace by quieting our fears and giving us serenity in storms and troubles.
The Father sent Jesus into the world to save from sin and give eternal life to everyone who would believe in Him. After Jesus received the Holy Spirit, He began His saving work by calling His disciples. The first time Jesus saw His disciples after His resurrection, He told them that He would send them forth as He had been sent forth by His Father—to save from sin and give eternal life to everyone who would believe in Jesus. However, their effective ministry would only begin after they had received the Holy Spirit as the Power from on High. In Luke 24:48-49, Jesus told His disciples, “You are witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” In the power of the Holy Spirit, their ministry would effectively proclaim the good news (the gospel)—the life, teachings, death, resurrection, and return of Jesus Christ to save His people from their sins and grant believers in Him eternal life. They would proclaim that believers in Jesus would be filled with the Holy Spirit, who would abide with them forever. After being with Jesus for three years, He had prepared them for their new mission. When He saw His disciples that night, Jesus gave His disciples a new purpose in life, which would begin after He returned to the Father and they received the Power from on High through the Holy Spirit.
(John 20:22) And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
That very night, the Holy Spirit came to dwell with and remain within Jesus’ disciples—He came from the Father through Jesus as He promised. As we learn in Genesis 2:7, God gave life to Adam in the garden when He breathed into him: “the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.” By breathing on His disciples, by giving them the Holy Spirit, Jesus showed that He gives new life, a redeemed life, a holy life, eternal life, to all who trust in Him. That Sunday night was the first time the disciples received the Holy Spirit, because Jesus’ death and resurrection enabled them to be not only forgiven for their sins but also cleansed from all their sins. Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection made them morally and spiritually clean so they could receive the Holy Spirit without the defilement of the Holy Spirit. Having received the Holy Spirit, they would have Jesus with them personally, even though they might not see Him, and they would become more acquainted with the Holy Spirit day-by-day.
In Luke 24:49, Jesus told them, “And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Later, on the Day of Pentecost, they would receive the Holy Spirit as the Power from on High who would empower their ministry. In Acts 2:4, we learn what happened on the Day of Pentecost: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.” The Holy Spirit would fill them often and give them exceptional power for ministry and preaching. When Peter spoke for Jesus to the Jewish leaders, in Acts 4:8, we read, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders.’” And in Acts 4:31, we read, “When they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.”
Because Jesus’ disciples came to know the Holy Spirit’s indwelling from Jesus having breathed the Holy Spirit into them before His ascension into heaven, they recognized their filling with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday as a filling of the Holy Spirit from Jesus (and not a strange spirit)—He was the same Spirit that Jesus had given them earlier. In this way, they could test the spirits and recognize the Holy Spirit. In 1 John 4:1, John explained, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” What Jesus did for them on that first Sunday evening enabled them to know that the filling of the Holy Spirit they received on Pentecost Sunday was the same Holy Spirit, who now came to them with Power from on High to help them courageously testify for Jesus effectively.
(John 20:23) “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
On the one hand, Jesus gave this command to His original disciples, who would lead the Church and be responsible for Church government and discipline in New Testament times. The way they governed the Church was to become an example or model for all the Church leaders who followed them, for all who had the responsibility of governing a church. The good news of Jesus included the conditions that sincere repentance for sin and a turning to or returning to faithful obedience to Jesus Christ as Lord according to the Scriptures were conditions that sinners must fulfill to be forgiven. If people repented and placed their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, they fulfilled the conditions set forth in the gospel to be forgiven and receive eternal life. If people persisted in disobedience and rebellion against God, they retained their sins and Church leaders would acknowledge that fact for the sake of the Church and all concerned. On the other hand, Christians need to forgive personal sins or wrongs against them for their own spiritual well-being; however, unrepentant sinners retain true moral guilt for having wronged another and they need to repent and ask forgiveness from those they have wronged when this can be wisely done. Christians recognize that those who have sinned against them and have not repented or asked forgiveness from God are retaining their sin and guilt by their own choice to not repent. Consider also, Matthew 18:15-35.
(John 20:24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
As we have seen, Jesus gave empirical evidence that He had risen from the dead whenever He appeared to the disciples and others who saw Him raised from the dead. John described empirical evidence about Jesus’ resurrection suitable for a courtroom when he began his first letter. In 1 John 1:1-4, John wrote, “We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us—we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” Notice: as in John 20:20, rejoicing or joy always accompanies true belief in and fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared to His disciples on that first Sunday evening after He rose from the dead. Jesus did not wait for Thomas to be present before appearing. Perhaps Thomas was not there because he had completely given up on Jesus’ mission. Thomas was convinced that Jesus had died, and all their hopes and dreams had died along with Jesus. Jesus knew that Thomas needed empirical evidence that He had risen from the dead and was alive.
(John 20:25) So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas refused to believe the testimony of the other ten disciples. Thomas demanded empirical evidence. He wanted eyewitness proof, but he demanded that his eyewitness proof be with his own eyes, ears, and hands and not the eyewitness proof of others. This demand is the definition of skepticism. Thomas not only demanded that he see the mark of the nails; he also demanded that he be able to feel the mark of the nails with his own finger. Thomas knew that a spear had pierced Jesus’ side, and he demanded that he not only see where the spear had entered Jesus’ body but be able to put his hand where the spear had entered Jesus’ body and feel His flesh. Thomas demanded the kind of proof that John wrote about in his first letter; proof that Jesus gave to all His disciples. Thomas was skeptical of everything he heard from eyewitnesses, not just one eyewitness but from all the remaining disciples. Jesus had showed the other disciples His hands and side, and Thomas demanded that Jesus show him His hands and side and prove to him that He was not a ghost by allowing him to see and touch the marks on Jesus’ resurrected human body. For this reason, Thomas was given the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” Sceptics are sometimes called a “Doubting Thomas.” Some skeptics will not believe anything that they have not personally experienced, and they often extend their skepticism to doubting almost everything they hear if they have not or cannot also see, hear, feel, touch, or taste for themselves what they have been told about.
Sunday May 30, 2021
John 20:19-25
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost (John 20:21-22—KJV).
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22—NASB).
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22—NRSV).
If Jesus had not been raised from the dead, the defeated disciples would have met one last time and then gone their separate ways. John would have taken Mary home as Jesus had told him until Jesus’ brothers came for her. With shattered dreams, the disciples gathered to pray one more time. Perhaps they worried that God would forsake them as He had forsaken Jesus. They probably lamented their disgrace before their family and friends. They did not try to call Jesus back from the dead as Saul had tried to call back Samuel (1 Samuel 28). They knew better than that, but they completely forgot that Jesus had foretold His resurrection from the dead. So, when Jesus appeared to His disciples, they were shocked, so shocked He needed to bless them twice to give them peace. Jesus’ resurrection was a completely unexpected way for God to answer give them His guidance. At His reappearance, Jesus told them simply to do as He had done. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, the once scattered, fearful disciples would never have been willing to risk their lives, pick up their crosses, and go joyfully off to martyrdom. But here we see another secret of their courage: Jesus sent His disciples out as He had been sent out—in the power of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit within them verified their message, and over the centuries millions have come to know personally that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead.
Thinking Further
Because Jesus Rose Again
Sunday May 30, 2021
John 20:19-25
Name _________________________________
1. How many disciples saw Jesus on Resurrection Sunday?
2. How did Jesus get into the locked house?
3. What did Jesus show His disciples?
4. What blessings did Jesus give His disciples?
5. How did Jesus give His most important gift to His disciples?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. How many disciples saw Jesus on Resurrection Sunday?
Disciple means student follower, one who practices what they are taught. Of the original twelve disciples, Judas and Thomas were not present. Of the original twelve disciples, eleven became apostles, ones who were officially sent out by Jesus to represent Him and His message in and through the Church. There were probably other unnamed disciples who saw Jesus on Resurrection Sunday, including Mary, and others, both men and women, in the room where Jesus appeared in the evening.
2. How did Jesus get into the locked house?
John does not tell us, other than tell the fact that Jesus appeared in the room. He did not need to pass though the locked door. He did not need to have the stone removed to leave the tomb. He may have been invisible in the room and never parted from the disciples and remained as an unseen presence. Through the Holy Spirit, He would eventually live within each disciple.
3. What did Jesus show His disciples?
Jesus showed that He was not a ghost. He was himself with a real human body that still bore the marks of His crucifixion. He showed them His hands and side and breathed on them. He spoke to them with real words they all could hear and remember and tell others. They could hear, see, feel, and touch Him.
4. What blessings did Jesus give His disciples?
Jesus gave them indisputable assurance that He had risen from the dead. He gave them peace. He gave them a spirit of rejoicing or reasons to rejoice. He gave them a God-given purpose for the rest of their lives by sending them out as the Father had sent Him. He gave them the Holy Spirit. He gave them the authority to forgive sins in His name and warn people of the consequences of refusing to repent of their sins. His Father had given Jesus this same authority.
5. How did Jesus give His most important gift to His disciples?
He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Word Search
Because Jesus Rose Again
Sunday May 30, 2021
John 20:19-25
Name _________________________________
John 20:19-25 Word Search
R S P I R I T G K M T F M B A
Q E L O C K E D I L O D E O X
V B T E Y F R Z X R E V K I R
Y N W A Q B N M G H E C T D J
J L Q P I O Q I T N D O O R S
N P O J Q N V A I W S P E D T
R T W H D E E N Y L D R I S E
A X F R N R G D I M H U K E V
E D I S B Z L M V A L B J L I
F K Q F Y J V P N U O T S P E
A C P L D K E D J L K B M I C
B H Q X J B S S E C A E P C E
W E J U T W I A U R P U K S R
A Y Z S K O B K Y S W H Q I Y
L P H D E C I O J E R I N D A
Evening
Doors
Locked
Fear
Peace
Hands
Side
Disciples
Rejoiced
Breathed
Receive
Holy
Spirit
Forgiven
Retained
True and False Test
Because Jesus Rose Again
Sunday May 30, 2021
John 20:19-25
Name __________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
1. The disciples met behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. True or False
2. Jesus walked through the locked door and surprised them all. True or False
3. Jesus met them on the evening of the first day of the week and said to them, “Peace be with you.” True or False
4. After Jesus showed His disciples His hands and side, they knew He was really raised from the dead, and they rejoiced. True or False
5. When Jesus breathed on them flames of fire appeared above the head of each disciple, just as on the Day of Pentecost. True or False
6. After Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” the disciples went out and spoke to the Gentiles in their native language. True or False
7. After they received the Holy Spirit, Jesus told His eleven disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” True or False
8. Because Jesus gave His disciples the Holy Spirit, when His disciples forgave sins, the sins were forgiven. True or False
9. Jesus and His disciples knew that to be forgiven some people would not turn from sinning to faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. True or False
10. Thomas said he would not believe they had seen the Lord until the Lord appeared to Him and proved He was raised from the dead. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
Prayer
God, You disregard our borders and share Your love wherever You please. We praise You for this because we are dependent on Your mercy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.