Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Sermon Transcript

What do you believe in? It’s not the easiest question to answer because it depends on what I mean by “believe.” There are really two types of belief. There is belief that is mere intellectual assent to the existence of something. For example, though I have never seen or touched it, I believe in the Great Wall of China. I believe it exists, but nothing in my life depends on it and nothing in my life would be different if it didn’t exist. That’s a type of belief. On the other hand, there is belief that is synonymous with trust. I believe in my bed; I trust that when I lay down on it, it can hold my weight. I trust in and depend on it. My life would be different if I laid down in it and it buckled under the weight. I also believe in my wife Andrea, and by that I mean a whole lot more than I assent to her existence. Rather, I mean that I have received her as my wife and I rest my life on the promises she’s made to me. There really are two types of belief.

 

The Bible passage that we are reflecting on this morning is found in the Gospel of John, which is sort of like a biography that details what Jesus of Nazareth said, did, and how people responded to him. And the point of all of it is to lead you to believe in Jesus Christ. We see that this is the point in John 20:30-31 – “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” When John says that he wrote his Gospel so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing we may have eternal life in his name, he’s not saying that he wrote his Gospel so that we will believe in Jesus Christ like I believe in the Great Wall of China; He exists, interesting, but irrelevant, and now I get eternal life. No! John wrote his Gospel so that we will trust in Jesus Christ like I trust in and depend on my bed, and receive Jesus Christ like a bride receives her husband staking our lives on his promises. And that brings us to the big idea not only of our passage and Easter Sunday. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Believe for the first time this morning or be renewed to keep on believing until your last breath. Our passage provides us with three reasons why we should believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and live every day by faith in Him. 1. Jesus really did rise (vv. 1-10) 2. Jesus’ resurrection changes everything for the better (vv. 11-23) 3. Jesus welcomes doubters (vv. 24-31). 

 

JESUS REALLY DID RISE

 

We should believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and be strengthened in that belief because He really did rise from the dead. In the first ten verses of our passage, which we read earlier in our service, John included some specific details in order to persuade us to believe that Jesus really did rise from the grave bodily. The first detail is the women. John records that a woman named Mary Magdalene was the first to discover the empty tomb, she was the first person that the Lord Jesus revealed his resurrection to, and she was the first person to announce Jesus’ resurrection to Jesus’ male apostles. How does this detail help convince us that Jesus really did rise? At this time in history, the testimony of a woman or a group of women was not admissible in Jewish court because women were considered less reliable witnesses than men. In fact, there is a leading first century historian at Oxford University named NT Wright who says that by the time John wrote his Gospel there was probably incredible pressure on him to adjust the story to make it more believable, but he didn’t. Why? Because John is presenting a genuine, historical account of an empty tomb and a resurrection. If John were making it up, he’d never weaken his case by saying that the empty tomb was discovered by women. If John were fabricating a story, he’d never include the details about Mary Magdalene. 

 

The second detail that reveals that Jesus really did rise is the day. The day. Notice that Mary discovered the empty tomb on the first day of the week, that is, Sunday. Now, you’re probably aware that before the resurrection of Jesus, for a solid 1,500 years, God’s people observed the Sabbath on Saturday. And yet, from this first Easter Sunday morning, the Jewish people who believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, gathered together to worship the Lord every Sunday, since that’s when he rose. That’s a big change in habit. What’s the most difficult habit you’ve ever broken? Maybe smoking, snacking after dinner, or interrupting people? If you’ve ever broken a very difficult habit, then you know how much time and effort it typically takes. How much longer would we expect it to take to break a 1,500 year old family, cultural and religious habit like orienting your entire life around observing the sabbath on Saturday. And yet, notice that Jesus’ first Jewish disciples broke the habit overnight. What can account for that? Something more than a stolen body and a make-believe tale must have happened. Something truly miraculous must have taken place that Sunday morning! Jesus really did rise!

 

The third detail that should convince us that Jesus really did rise is the difference it made in his first disciples. John 20:8-10 – Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. Now that’s very interesting. They believed that the tomb was empty, but then they simply went home. Notice this: It’s not so much that these two disciples didn’t believe that Jesus rose from the dead – it didn’t even cross their minds! Why not? Like good Jews, they believed in a future, corporate, physical resurrection of God’s people at the end of history. They didn’t believe in individual, physical resurrection from the grave in the middle of history. They didn’t understand that the OT Scriptures had been promising this; it didn’t even cross their minds because the idea of the Christ dying and rising didn’t fit their worldview. I was about fourteen when I was first confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ; that Christ died and rose to forgive sins and that Jesus is the only way to the Father. Growing up in a half Jewish, half Roman Catholic home, and highly irreligious home, I had a major hang up with the idea that Jesus is the only way to the Father, the only way to be reconciled to God and inherit eternal life. It took me nearly two years of conversation and reading to change my mind, trust in Christ as the only way of salvation, and become a Christian. It takes time for your worldview to change. But that’s not how it happened for the disciples. Within forty days they changed their worldview, worshiped Jesus as Lord, and went into the world risking and giving their lives to preach that he has risen. Would you die for something you knew you made up?! What can explain this transformation in belief and action?! One thing: Jesus really did rise. Here is my point: It’s not enough to not believe the resurrection – you have to come up with a more intellectually satisfying explanation for the evidence, and there isn’t one. So, believe and be strengthened to keep believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, first, because He really did rise. Second, believe because…

 

JESUS’ RESURRECTION CHANGES EVERYTHING FOR THE BETTER

 

The second reason to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have eternal life in his name is that Jesus’ resurrection changes everything for the better. John reveals at least three things that change for the better when we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. 

 

• A better family

 

John 20:16-17 – 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” This is the first time in the Gospel of John that the Lord Jesus calls His Father their Father. One of the greatest changes the resurrection brings is adoption. Contrary to popular opinion, we are not all children of God. God created us all, but we are not all his children. We have all disobeyed and ignored God in the world He created. Therefore, we are enemies of God, but Jesus Christ became what we are so that we can become what He is. He died and rose, taking our sins, so that we can share the privilege of being children of God. The resurrection means that God is no longer your judge, but your loving Father to whom you have royal access. As the late pastor Tim Keller once wrote, “The only person who dares wake up a king at 3:00 AM for a glass of water is a child. We have that kind of access.” Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, because through faith in Him you are adopted as God’s child and made family with his people, the church. You never have to be lonely again. 

 

• Better peace

 

John 20:19 – 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 20:21 – Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you…”  When Jesus says “peace,” he’s offering more than a greeting. Since Jesus is risen and we are reconciled to a peaceful relationship with God as our Father through faith in Him, we can enjoy true peace. True peace is a peaceful heart-attitude that can delight in our Father’s wisdom in all circumstances, even bad circumstances. In some ways, 2025 has been one of the most challenging years of my life. Do you know what anchors me? Jesus had made peace between me and God. He is my Father and I can delight in his wisdom that governs all my circumstances, especially my bad ones. The resurrection of Jesus Christ means we can have better peace than anything this world has to offer. 

 

• Better purpose

 

John 20:21 – Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” What a purpose! The Father’s job for Jesus is Jesus’ job for us. Of course, we aren’t going to die and rise to forgive sins. Rather, we are sent to bear witness to others that Jesus died and rose for sins. We are sent to promise that to all who receive and rest in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, their sins are forgiven forever. What greater purpose could anyone have than carrying the message of eternal life wherever they go. Even if what you thought was the purpose of your life doesn’t seem to be working out, you have the better purpose of carrying the good news of eternal life through Christ wherever you go. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, because Jesus really did rise, because his resurrection changes everything for the better, and, finally, because…

 

JESUS WELCOMES DOUBTERS

 

Our passage concludes with Thomas, sometimes called Doubting Thomas. Thomas was not present for Jesus’ first resurrection appearing and vowed not to believe that Jesus was risen unless he could touch Jesus’ wounds. Thomas is sort of demanding, but the Lord Jesus doesn’t seem offended. John 20:26-29 – Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Do you struggle with doubt? Do you sometimes wonder if all the stuff in the Bible, including the resurrection of Jesus from the grave, is really true. Don’t be embarrassed. Be encouraged. Jesus is so kind and merciful toward doubters. He’s not embarrassed by your doubts. In fact, Jesus meets Thomas right where he is in his doubts and he’ll meet you there as well. However, notice that Jesus doesn’t leave him in his doubts. Some of us treat doubt as though it’s simply a feature of our personality or identity that is neutral and never going away. No, Jesus’ word to Thomas is his word to us, “do not disbelieve, but believe.” Doubt is not something to live with, it’s something for Jesus to overcome to turn into increasingly strong faith and trust in Him. Thomas actually provides a window into how to deal with doubt. Do you notice how specific Thomas is? He wants to touch the scars. When doubt grips you, don’t let it remain as general background noise. Don’t generalize it, saying, “I struggle with doubt.” Identify it. Name it specifically. Name the specific thing you doubt and then bring it before Jesus Christ in prayer and Bible study, and ask his people, the church, to help. Jesus welcomes doubters so that he can turn our doubt from disbelief to belief. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

Friends, believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God because He really did rise, his resurrection changes everything for the better if you believe, and because He is in the business of graciously turning doubt to belief. So, do you believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? I’m not asking if you believe in Him like I believe in the Great Wall of China; true but irrelevant. I’m asking if you trust in Him as the Christ, the Son of God who died and rose to forgive your sin, reconcile you to God, give you peace & purpose, and eternal life in His name. If you say, “yes,” then be encouraged to keep believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. If you say, “no,” I want to invite you, as Jesus invited Thomas, to not disbelieve any longer, but believe for the first time today. If until today you would have said “no, I don’t believe,” or “sure, I believe in Jesus, but sort of like you believe in the Great Wall of China,” I want to give you a quiet minute or two to turn from disbelief to true belief. There is a sample prayer on your connect card that can provide you with language to express your new, true belief to God. Take a few quiet moments and turn from disbelief to belief, then all who believe will take the Lord’s Supper together and stand to worship Him.