AND THEY WERE CHANGED
John 20:19-25
Introduction:
What we see in John 20:19 is a pathetic picture. The disciples of Jesus were
hiding for fear of their lives.
A.
They forsook
B.
Denied and cursed
C.
Doubted
D.
Committed suicide
E.
Left
F.
After being told Jesus was
risen they were impolite (Luke 24:11; Mark
G.
The one who said he would
never deny Jesus, look at him in John 21:15-17
1.
Yet, he did deny Jesus
2.
In all his despair he went
back to the fisher's nets
3.
Jesus had to restore him
I.
Now these men will not due
A.
They had a hard time
catching on - almost naive
1.
Mark 9:31-32 - Jesus' death
burial and resurrection.
2.
Matthew 16:5-12 - The leaven
of the Pharisees
B.
They sometimes seemed
immature
1.
Mark
2.
Mark 9:33-37 – Argued over
who is the greatest?
II. Then one day after
his resurrection, they saw Jesus
A.
There are at least ten times
when Jesus appeared to his disciples
1.
Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9)
and the women (Matt. 28:9)
2.
Peter (1 Cor. 15:5)
3.
Men on the way to Emmaus
(Luke 24:28-33)
4.
The ten disciples (John
5.
The eleven including Thomas
(John
6.
The seven on the sea (John
21:1-2)
7.
James the brother of Jesus
(1 Cor. 15:7)
8.
The 500 (1 Cor. 15:6)
9.
Stephen (Acts
10.
Paul (Acts 9:3-6)
B.
When Stephen saw Jesus,
Jesus was standing (Acts
C.
James the brother of Jesus
was once an unbeliever (John 7:1-5)
D.
And, yes, there was Paul,
who said himself, "And last of all
he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time" (1 Cor. 15:8)
1.
A persecutor of the church
2.
Accessory to murder
3.
Such ungodly acts were the
dictates of his conscience (Acts 23:1)
4.
Yet, he was changed after he
saw Jesus.
a.
Exhibited unyielding faith
b.
uncompromising spirit
c.
unwavering love for God
III. We need to see Jesus
A.
Gospel needs to be preached
in such a way as to allow others to see clearly with the eye of faith a
resurrected Christ (Phi. 3:7-11)
1.
I left a
lucrative career in the Methodist church much to the disappointment of my own
family (Speak on ordination)
2.
I abandoned the faith of my
family for Christ's sake
B.
All those material, worldly
concerns that once characterized myself and cause many to say about me "He
won't do as a preacher" or "This is just a fad," I repented of
and put out of my life (All because, I too, have seen Jesus and believe in the
power of His resurrection) I have been changed
IV. Have you seen Jesus through your faith (2 Cor. 5:7)?
A.
Do you know the power of the
resurrection?
1.
Rom. 6:3 - Buried in death;
raised to a new life
2.
Born again - 1 Pet. 1:3
3.
Saved - 1 Pet. 3:21
B.
Have you been changed? (For
those who know the power of the resurrection)
1.
Have you counted all things
as loss?
2.
Are you living the life?