April 12, 2020 | by

A Choice Between Faith and Disbelief

It’s easy to see how Good Friday was a crisis to Jesus’ disciples. But it’s easy to overlook how the empty tomb was also a crisis. On Friday, the disciples lost their dreams for God’s deliverance from a Messianic King (since he was dead). On Sunday, the empty tomb challenged their whole understanding of how the world works. Dead people stay dead. The Empty tomb was evidence that something unprecedented had happened. It demanded a response of faith or disbelief.

In John 20, Jesus’ disciples encounter the empty tomb. Each responds differently. Some with doubts, others with Faith. Two thousand years later, the story still asks us to respond with faith or disbelief. Do we accept a view of the world where resurrection is impossible? Do we see the bold declaration of the disciples, even in the face of death, as proof that Jesus arose? Easter is a time to make the choice.

Questions For Reflection

1. How would I have felt if I had discovered the empty tomb on Easter morning?
2. Do I believe in a world where resurrection can happen?
3. Why did Jesus’ disciples go to their deaths to proclaim that he was alive?
4. Are there places where God is calling me to believe and not doubt?

Other Sermons in This Series

1. Palm Sunday
2. Good Friday