What Happens When Jesus Shows Up? | John 20: 1-31 | Darien Gabriel
Series: Signs & Glory
Title: What happens when Jesus shows up?
Scripture: 📖 John 20:1-31 NIV
Preacher: Darien Roger Gabriel
Bottom Line: Peace like Jesus gives can only come from belief in who Jesus is and what he did.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
📖 SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
🎥 YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION
MAIN REFERENCES USED
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Opening Prayer
Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in Him and leading others to do the same. Amen.
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INTRODUCTION
In 2003, I accepted an invitation to fly to East Asia to encourage and see the mission work being done by a young man from our church in North Carolina. He was serving with Cru on a college campus in central East Asia. His work was simple—friendship evangelism that led to intentional discipleship over time.
I believed I was supposed to go.
So I bought the plane ticket.
I got my passport in order.
I packed my bags.
I drove to RDU.
All evidence of belief.
The first leg of the trip was from Raleigh to Detroit. That’s where I was supposed to meet up with about fifteen others from all over the country—people going to the same place, for the same reason, led by the same group leader.
But when I arrived in Detroit… there was no group.
No leader.
No gathering crowd.
No familiar faces.
Boarding started.
And suddenly belief met resistance.
If I got on the plane and was wrong, I would land alone in East Asia without language, contacts, or a plan.
If I didn’t get on the plane and was wrong, I would waste thousands of dollars and miss what I genuinely believed God had called me to do.
I was afraid of going.
But I was also afraid of not going.
So I prayed.
And I got on the plane.
After we were airborne, I asked a flight attendant if anyone else was part of a group headed where I was going. She said yes—the group leader had missed the connection, but another leader was already on the plane.
Relief.
Peace.
Joy.
Looking back, the clearest evidence that I truly believed I was supposed to go wasn’t what I felt—it was what I did.
I got on the plane in Detroit.
And in the middle of that crisis of belief, Jesus showed up—not visibly, but powerfully—through a stewardess with good news of great joy.
So I want to ask the question John 20 presses on every one of us:
What happens when Jesus shows up?
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CONTEXT
It’s Sunday morning.
The third day.
Still early—just after sunrise.
The disciples are not celebrating.
They are grieving.
Several women make their way to the tomb expecting to tend a body…
…but nothing about this morning will go the way they expect.
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Takeaways for today:
Peace always precedes mission.
When Jesus shows up, grief does not get the final word.
Transition: What happens when, in our moment of need, Jesus shows up? Let’s answer that question by looking at 3 times this happened on the first Resurrection Day:
SERMON
I. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (John 20:1–18)
Mary comes to the tomb while it’s still dark—both literally and emotionally.
The stone is rolled away.
The body is gone.
Her grief deepens into despair. She weeps. She assumes the worst: someone has taken Jesus’ body away. Even when angels speak to her, grief clouds her vision.
Then Jesus speaks one word.
Her name.
“Mary.”
And everything changes.
The risen Christ meets her personally. She recognizes his voice. Recognition leads to belief. She sees more clearly. Belief leads to obedience. Jesus sends her to tell the others what she has seen. She goes.
When Jesus shows up, grief does not get the final word.
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II. Jesus Appears to the Ten Disciples (John 20:19–23)
That evening, the disciples are together—but not in confidence.
The doors are locked.
Fear fills the room.
Then Jesus shows up.
He doesn’t rebuke them.
He doesn’t shame them.
He says, “Peace be with you.”
Twice.
He shows them His wounds—proof that the same Jesus (fully human) who was crucified now stands alive before them. (Fully alive)
Then He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit. (Fully divine) And only after He gives them peace does He give them purpose:
“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”
Jesus never sends fearful disciples.
He sends peaceful ones.
Peace always precedes mission.
When Jesus shows up, grief does not get the final word.
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III. Jesus Appears to Doubting Thomas (John 20:24–29)
Thomas isn’t there the first time.
When the others tell him they’ve seen the Lord, he refuses to believe. He wants more than words. He wants proof.
And Jesus does not reject him for that.
A week later, Jesus shows up again. This time, Thomas is there.
Jesus invites him to examine the wounds. To see. To touch.
And Thomas responds with the strongest confession in the entire Gospel:
“My Lord and my God!”
The doubter becomes a worshiper.
But Thomas’s story doesn’t end in John 20.
Church history tells us that Thomas carried the gospel east—into Persia and India—boldly proclaiming the risen Christ. According to early tradition preserved in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, Thomas was eventually pierced with spears and killed for his faith.
The man who once doubted died a witness.
The ultimate evidence that Thomas truly believed wasn’t just his confession—it was his faithfulness to the end.
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TRANSITION — John 20:29–31
At this point, John steps forward and tells us exactly why he wrote this Gospel.
Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
John recognizes that this is where we enter the story.
Some believed because they saw.
We believe because of their testimony.
John then tells us that Jesus did many other signs—far more than he recorded. This Gospel is selective, not exhaustive.
And then John gives his purpose statement:
“These are written that you may believe…”
That Jesus is the Christ—Messiah, King, Lord.
That Jesus is the Son of God—fully divine.
And that by believing, you may have life in His name.
Jesus truly lived.
Truly died.
Was buried.
And rose again—bringing abundant and eternal life.
John wants belief to lead to life—Life lived like his was: Sent.
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IV. What Happens When Jesus Shows Up?
We see a clear pattern throughout the chapter.
People move from grief, fear, and doubt…
to seeing and believing…
to peace and joy…
to awe, worship, and a desire to live sent.
Belief in John’s Gospel is never merely intellectual—it is embodied trust.
Peace is not the absence of trouble.
Peace is the presence of the risen Christ.
And Jesus always gives peace before He gives purpose.
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CONCLUSION
So what happens when Jesus shows up?
He replaces grief, fear, and doubt with peace—and a willingness to live sent.
Peace always precedes mission.
When Jesus shows up, grief does not get the final word.
That’s what He did for Mary.
For the disciples.
For Thomas.
That’s what He did for me in Detroit.
And He still does it today.
So let me ask you:
Are you in the middle of a crisis of belief?
Are you carrying grief right now?
Are you living with fear about the future?
Are you struggling with doubt?
Jesus sees you.
Jesus knows.
Jesus cares.
And Jesus is able.
Are you paying attention?
Will you recognize Him when He shows up?
What happens when Jesus shows up?
I hope you’ll be ready to tell that story too.
INVITATION
What about you?
Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:
““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” Acts 2:36-39 NIV
How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:
Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:
What is God saying to me right now?
What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.
What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.
[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.
Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.
Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.
Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)
Pray
NOTES
The 4 G's
God is great. Therefore, we don't have to be in control, for God is able.
God is gracious. Therefore, we don't have to prove ourselves to other people, for God loves us just as we are.
God is good. Therefore, we don't have to find satisfaction anywhere else. For God is more than enough for me.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What do I want them to know?
Why do I want them to know it?
What do I want them to do?
Why do I want them to do it?
How do they do this?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Read the passage together.
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Final Questions (Write this down)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg
The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce
John, RC Sproul
John, Köstenberger
The Gospel According to John, DA Carson
Let's Study John, Mark Johnston
The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin (TLHC)
The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner (TVW)
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee (TTB)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com
Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion
ChatGPT AI
John Foxe, Foxe's Book of Martyrs (FBOM)