“The Promise of Jesus’ Empty Tomb”

John 20:19-31

Point # 1 Jesus appears to his disciples and commissions them to carry on his mission to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ mission continues and is effective in our ministry (20:19–23).

Point # 2 Jesus again appears to his disciples, including Thomas, who confesses Jesus as his Lord and God (20:24-29).

· Thomas' confession is the climatic exemplification of what it means to honor the Son as the Father is honored (5:23), and the crowning display of how human faith has come to recognize the truth set out in the Prologue: "The Word was God. The Word became flesh" (1:1; 1:14).

· This is a personal confession of faith.

· We need to articulate the same confession. John's readers, like Thomas, need to come to faith - and this is what coming to faith looks like.

Point # 3 The purpose of John’s Gospel (30-31)