Only Believe

In John 20, we see a powerful and moving account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a seriously pivotal moment in Christianity. The chapter begins with Mary Magdalene, who was the first to witness the empty tomb. She comes to the tomb early on the first day of the week, while it is still dark, and finds the stone rolled away from the entrance. In her immediate shock and confusion, she runs to tell Simon Peter and another disciple, who is referred to as "the disciple whom Jesus loved"—likely John himself. They immediately rush to the tomb to investigate, and when they arrive, they see the linen cloths lying there, but Jesus' body is not there.

At first, Peter and the other disciple do not fully understand what has happened, but they believe the body of Jesus has been taken. However, as they stand there trying to make sense of it, the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb second, enters and sees the linen cloths lying there as well, but now noticing the way they were arranged. It wasn’t the way someone would take a body; it seemed like something more had happened. At this moment, John tells us that the disciple “saw and believed.” He understood what was unfolding before him—that Jesus had risen from the dead.

This is significant because even though they didn’t fully grasp the full meaning of the resurrection at that moment, they began to believe it. It wasn’t just about an empty tomb or missing body—it was about something far greater: Jesus had conquered death. This is something that, at the time, no one fully understood. It was a concept that was beyond their comprehension, but in that moment, a spark of belief began to ignite within them.

Mary Magdalene, though, remains outside the tomb weeping. She doesn't quite yet know that Jesus is alive. Her sorrow blinds her from the truth that is about to be revealed to her. As she weeps, she bends down to look into the tomb again and sees two angels sitting where Jesus' body had been. They ask her why she is crying, and she replies that she is grieving the loss of Jesus. After this, she turns around and sees Jesus standing there, but she doesn’t recognize Him. She thinks He is the gardener, and He asks her why she is weeping and whom she is seeking. When He calls her by name—"Mary"—she immediately recognizes Him. Jesus, in His kindness, speaks her name, and in that moment, her sorrow turns to joy. She must have been overwhelmed, realizing that the one she had followed, the one she had seen crucified, was now alive.

Jesus instructs her not to touch Him because He has not yet ascended to the Father, but to go and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead. This is one of the beautiful things about the resurrection: it isn't just about personal joy; it’s about sharing that joy with others. Mary Magdalene, the first to encounter the risen Lord, becomes the first to carry the message of the resurrection to the others. She goes and tells them, “I have seen the Lord,” and she shares with them the message that Jesus had given her.

Later, Jesus appears to His disciples. They are gathered in a locked room, filled with fear because of the religious leaders, and Jesus suddenly stands among them. He greets them with peace, saying, “Peace be unto you.” The disciples are startled and afraid, unsure of what they are seeing. But Jesus shows them His hands and His side, so they can see the wounds from the crucifixion. This is the same Jesus, the one who had been crucified, but now He stands alive before them. The disciples rejoice when they see the Lord.

Jesus speaks to them again, saying, “Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” He commissions them with a purpose—to continue the mission He had begun. After saying this, He breathes on them and says, “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” In this moment, Jesus is preparing them for the work they are about to do, a work that they could not accomplish without the power of the Holy Spirit.

But there is one disciple who wasn’t with them when Jesus appeared—Thomas. He has earned the nickname “Doubting Thomas” because of his reaction when he hears about Jesus’ appearance to the others. He refuses to believe unless he can see the wounds for himself. He wants to touch Jesus’ hands and side, and without that, he won’t believe. A week later, Jesus appears again, and this time Thomas is with them. Jesus doesn’t rebuke Thomas for his doubt; instead, He invites him to do exactly what he said he needed—touch the wounds, see for himself. “Be not faithless, but believing,” Jesus says. Thomas, upon seeing Jesus, declares, “My Lord and my God!” This moment is significant because it shows the grace of Jesus toward those who struggle with doubt. Jesus doesn’t condemn Thomas; instead, He provides the evidence Thomas needs to believe.

Jesus’ words to Thomas are powerful: “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” This is a message not only for Thomas but for all who would follow Jesus in the future. Faith is not about seeing; it’s about believing without seeing. It’s about trusting in the unseen, knowing that Jesus is real and alive, even when we cannot physically touch Him.

John ends the chapter by telling us the purpose of his Gospel. He writes, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” The purpose of John’s Gospel, the purpose of this entire account, is for us to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, the Son of God, and in believing, we might have life through His name. That life is not just eternal life in heaven; it’s life here and now, a life that is transformed by the power of Jesus' resurrection. All we need to do is… believe!

John 20 is a chapter of profound significance. It is a chapter about the resurrection, the ultimate proof that Jesus is who He claimed to be. It is a chapter about grace, about belief, about the power of the Holy Spirit, and about the calling to share the good news of Jesus with the world. It is a reminder that even when we doubt or struggle, Jesus is there, offering His peace and inviting us to believe.

For us today, John 20 invites us to reflect on our own belief. Do we truly believe in the resurrection of Jesus? Do we understand the implications of that belief for our lives? Like the disciples, we are called to share this message of hope with others, to proclaim that Jesus is alive and that through Him, we can have life. John’s Gospel calls us to experience the joy and peace that come from knowing that Jesus has conquered death, and because of that, we too can have victory over death and sin.

In the end, the message of John 20 is one of hope, of transformation, and of the power of the risen Christ to change lives. It calls us to believe, to share, and to live in the light of His resurrection.

If this message has blessed you, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you!

In Christ

image by AI