The Disciples: When Jesus Shows Up

As we prepare for Easter, we are looking at the response that some of the key Biblical historical figures had to Christ’s resurrection. Today, we look at where the disciples were after Jesus was buried, and how they responded to the proof that He was still alive. We see that Jesus gave them peace, proof, purpose, power, and pardon for their sins!

Behind A Locked Door

In John 20:19, we learn that the disciples are hiding behind a locked door, afraid of the Jewish leaders, when Jesus comes to show them the proof of His resurrection. They had good reason to be afraid - with Jesus crucified, there may be people ready to come after His followers, too. So the disciples hide - sad, afraid, and lost. They are stuck in the messy middle, in between the sadness of Christ’s burial and the joy of learning that He really did rise from the dead. It is there that we learn that “Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (verse 19, NIV). 

Many of us struggle with fear just like the disciples - fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of the future. We have so many fears that can paralyze us! But Jesus’ presence brings us peace!

The Presence Of Jesus Overcomes Fear

The first thing that Jesus did when He showed up behind the locked door to see the disciples is say “peace be with you!” He stepped into the middle of their fear, anxiety, and troubles - and offered them peace. Peace is not the absence of trouble, but it is the presence of Jesus in the midst of trouble.

Just as Jesus stepped into the fear that the disciples felt and gave them peace, He offers us peace in the middle of our circumstances as well. Stop trying to eliminate trouble in your life - and instead, seek the presence of Jesus in every circumstance. Your problems may not go away, but I promise in the presence of Jesus they won’t be as big of a deal because of the overwhelming peace of the prince of peace Himself!

Jesus offers them this peace two times in this encounter, once in verse 19 and once in verse 21. Clearly, He wanted the disciples to remember the peace that He had been offering them all along. In John 14:27 and John 16:33 Jesus had prepared the disciples for moments like these with a promise of peace. Now He comes into their fear and uncertainty and offers peace once again. He does the same for us today.

Jesus’ Scars are the Proof of His Victory

Jesus doesn’t just offer the disciples peace. He provides them with proof of His life. Verse 20 tells us that “after He said this, He showed them His hands and side.” By showing them His scars, Jesus demonstrated that He was truly alive. The same body that was crucified now stood before them, fully alive. Jesus proved His resurrection by showing His scars. His wounds became evidence of victory, not defeat! The wounds of Jesus were not erased, they became a testimony of His love and sacrifice. The scars of Jesus are proof that He paid the price for our salvation.

The world sees scars as signs of defeat, but in Christ, they are proof of His triumph over sin and death. His wounds did not disappear after the resurrection because they serve as an eternal testimony of what He accomplished. When the disciples saw this proof, they immediately rejoiced (see the latter portion of verse 20). Only a truly resurrected Savior could transform their fear, sadness, and pain into rejoicing. Seeing Jesus, beholding His hands and His side, changed everything for them. They knew that death had been defeated!

The resurrection of Christ is not a myth - it’s a real, historical reality. 1 Corinthians 15:17 says that “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” While we cannot physically touch the hands and feet of Jesus today, the proof of His resurrection is written all throughout history. You can allow this proof to bring you joy in the darkest moments of your life!

We Are Not Just Saved - We Are Sent

Jesus doesn’t just offer the disciples peace and proof of His resurrection. He also offers them purpose by sending them out to preach the Gospel. In verse 21, Jesus says “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” He offers them both peace in the gathering (above), and peace in the scattering (here). 

Jesus was sent by the Father, and now He sends us. We, like the disciples, are sent like Jesus. Jesus was sent to preach the good news, love the outcasts, heal the broken, conquer sin and death, and bring hope to a broken world. Now, we are sent to continue His mission! We are called to continue Jesus’ work - to not only be saved, but sent. 

It is amazing how one of the first things that Christ does when He appears to His disciples is send them out. The church is and has always been a missionary force. Every believer, since the beginning, has a call to make disciples. We are sent into our communities, workplaces, and families as a representative of Christ. We are not meant to stay behind locked doors but to go out into the world and share the Gospel.

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus gives us the Great Commission to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus gives His disciples a mission - and it’s our mission, too. We share a purpose - to share the good news!

We Are Empowered by the Spirit For The Mission

Jesus does even more than offer the disciples a purpose; He gives them power to accomplish the mission He has for them. In John 20:22, we learn that Jesus “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” This becomes a foreshadowing of the events that will take place on Pentecost in Acts 2. 

The Great Commission is not a solo task - it’s Spirit-led and Spirit-powered. That means our mission is not just a duty, but a Spirit-filled adventure that relies on God’s strength, not ours. You don’t have to be the most eloquent or the most experienced - you just need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As the disciples went about preaching the Gospel, people were impressed - not because they were intelligent, but because they were ordinary, unschooled men - who had been with Jesus (Acts 4:13).

What qualifies us for ministry is our time spent with the Lord. It is being empowered by His Spirit that equips us to live out our purpose. The Holy Spirit is our source of strength! Jesus never intended His disciples to carry out His mission alone. The Holy Spirit gives us boldness to share the gospel (Acts 1:8), guides us into truth (John 16:13), and produces spiritual fruit within us (Galatians 5:22-23). Without the Spirit, there is no power for the mission. Jesus doesn’t just save us - He sends us and He empowers us with His Spirit.

We Are Messengers of God’s Forgiveness

Christ does so much for the disciples on this day behind this locked door. He gives them peace, proof, purpose, power - and He pardons their sins. Even more than that, He offers to them the ministry of reconciliation, offering forgiveness to a world that desperately needs it. In verse 23 He says “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” Jesus entrusts His disciples with the message of forgiveness. This doesn’t mean they have the authority to forgive sins, but that they have the message of the forgiveness found in Christ.

The Gospel is centered on God’s grace and forgiveness is at the heart of the Gospel. Jesus died to make forgiveness possible, and now His disciples are called to share that message. Unforgiveness hinders that mission. If we, as Christ’s followers, do not share the message of forgiveness - or if we withhold forgiveness in our own hearts - we hinder the work of the Gospel. Forgiveness brings freedom. When we proclaim and extend forgiveness, we help others experience the new life Jesus offers. 

Conclusion: Walk in the Peace and Purpose of Christ

The disciples were changed after they saw the proof of Jesus’ resurrection. May you be changed as well! May you walk in the peace of Christ, with confidence in the proof of His life, in the purpose that He has for you, with the power of the Holy Spirit, and with the confidence of a life pardoned by His blood. 

-------------

Death Defeated: Week 2. April 6th, 2025. Preached by Ben Dieterly

Article Edited by Julia Castro