Winning Disciples to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus
Introduction
This session focuses on John 20: 1-10, which describes Mary’s search for the body of Jesus at the tomb. She and other women arrived early at the tomb and told Peter and John about it, but without success. Jesus appeared to the women and men who followed him at different levels of their seeking him and their understanding of what was written about his resurrection. He appeared first to women and then to men.
Objectives
By the end of this session, the learner will have:
- Understood the principles of resurrection to the followers of Jesus
- Challenged to believe in Jesus even without seeing.
- Appreciated that most times, seeing Jesus is determined by the level of our seeking and the level of understanding the scripture, etc
Outline
- Resurrection of Jesus
- Activity of Mary, Peter and John at the burial site
- The connection between understanding and believing
- Discern the people you ask to seek with you
Group Study Time
John 20:1-10
Connecting
- Gather with two or more people for a community discovery bible study session.
- Start with a heartfelt prayer, inviting God to guide and bless your understanding.
- Explore the passage by reading it at least twice, using different Bible versions if available, then retell the story together as a group.
- Reflect and share the challenges and blessings you experienced from the previous study.
Comprehending
- Read John 20: 1-10. What is resurrection? List at least 3 proofs that Jesus had risen from the dead. Who are the people who mentioned this early this morning? What did each do towards the resurrection of Jesus?
- Why did Mary go to inform Peter and John instead of seeking the body herself? John 20: 2, 9- 11. Did the two disciples help her in the search for Jesus’s body? What does this tell you about the people you ask to pray with you?
- Read John 20: 8-9. Jesus had told the disciples that he would rise from the dead three times on the third day. Why didn’t the disciples believe the scriptures and Jesus that he would rise again? What is understanding? How do we know? Why is understanding essential for believing?
Committing
- Engage with the Bible—read, study, memorize, meditate, pray, listen, and live it out.
- List three lessons you have learnt as an agent of change that you would like to put into practice and teach others about.
- Take time and worship Jesus with the attributes revealed about Christ.
- Use the SPACEPETS model, to assist you in putting God’s word into practice. Look for:
- Sin to confess
- Promise to claim
- Attitude to change
- Command to keep
- Error to change
- Prayer to make
- Example to copy
- Truth to obey and
- Something praiseworthy
Communicating
- Identify one person you can connect with and share the valuable insights and lessons you gained from this session.
- Reach out to a new believer—either in person or by phone—and pray with them to support them through their challenges, including any concerns about attending church.
- Create a new group and guide others through this study to help them grow in their understanding.
Post Lesson Teaching Summary
Great job completing the study! Take a moment to listen to this summary to reinforce your group’s understanding of the text and ensure you’re all on the same page. We’re here to support your learning journey!
Winning Disciples to believe in the Resurrection of Jesus
John 20:1-10
Audio Summary
John 20:1-10
- Context:
- Jesus repeatedly foretold His death and resurrection (e.g., John 12), yet His disciples struggled to believe, even after it occurred.
- John 20:1-10 shows Jesus winning disciples to believe in His resurrection, overcoming their disbelief and fear.
- Disciples’ Disbelief:
- Despite Jesus’ predictions (over three times), disciples hid after His death, fearing the Jews, and failed to grasp the fulfilled Scriptures.
- Peter had rebuked Jesus’ prophecy (Matthew 16:22), reflecting their resistance to His plan.
- Mary Magdalene’s Discovery:
- Early on the first day, Mary and other women went to the tomb with spices, expecting a body, not resurrection—unaware of Jesus’ specific teachings to the Twelve.
- Found the stone removed (too heavy for one person), Mary ran to tell Peter and John, assuming the body was taken.
- Peter and John’s Response (John 20:1-10):
- John outran Peter to the tomb but didn’t enter; Peter arrived, entered, and saw linen strips and the head cloth folded separately.
- John then entered, “saw and believed,” yet both “did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise” (v. 9); they returned home puzzled.
- Lack of Understanding:
- The empty tomb, folded linens, and open stone were proofs of resurrection, but fear, guilt (Peter’s denial), and disappointment (expecting a political Messiah) numbed their comprehension.
- Understanding—interpreting experience with Scripture—was missing; they didn’t connect Jesus’ words or prophecies (e.g., Psalm 16:10).
- Mary’s Persistence:
- Unlike Peter and John, who left, Mary stayed, seeking Jesus despite not understanding—highlighting the value of persistent seeking.
- Choosing the right companions matters; Peter and John didn’t aid Mary’s search, leaving her devastated.
- Application:
- Jesus reveals Himself to seekers—those understanding Scripture and those simply persistent (like Mary)—winning them through resurrection proof: Scripture, His words, and the empty tomb.