The Empty Tomb (Faith Talk)
Sunday: April 20, 2025
Series: His Hour
Sermon: The Empty Tomb
Series: His Hour
Sermon: The Empty Tomb
Scripture
John 20:31 – But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Summary
Our Easter sermon explored how different individuals in John 20 came to believe in the resurrection through personal encounters with the risen Christ.
The passage shows five paths to belief:
Pastor Brian addressed common objections to the resurrection and emphasized that while modern believers cannot physically see or touch Jesus, the dramatic transformation of Jesus' followers—from fearful hiding to bold proclamation, even unto martyrdom—provides compelling evidence that they genuinely encountered the risen Christ…and you can too.
Main Points:
The passage shows five paths to belief:
- The beloved disciple believes when he sees Jesus’ grave clothes (20:1-10)
- Mary Magdalene believes when Jesus calls her by name (20:11-18)
- The disciples believe when they see Him (20:19-23)
- Thomas believes when he sees the evidence for himself (20:24-29)
- Those who yet believe when they read what is written (20:29-31)
Pastor Brian addressed common objections to the resurrection and emphasized that while modern believers cannot physically see or touch Jesus, the dramatic transformation of Jesus' followers—from fearful hiding to bold proclamation, even unto martyrdom—provides compelling evidence that they genuinely encountered the risen Christ…and you can too.
Main Points:
- The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith—without it, faith is "worthless" (1 Corinthians 15:17)
- Different people come to faith through different experiences
- The resurrection transforms followers from fear to faith, from running to resting, from despair to joy, from doubting to believing, and from blindness to blessing.
Home Discussion Questions
Homes with Adults
Homes with Students
Homes with Kids
- Which of the five paths to faith described in John 20 most closely resembles your journey to faith?
- What evidence for the resurrection do you find most compelling, and how might you articulate this to someone who is skeptical?
- How has believing in the resurrection transformed your approach to life?
Homes with Students
- The sermon gave five examples of people coming to faith. Which one stood out to you most?
- Thomas is often criticized for doubting, but Jesus still showed him compassion. How does this impact your view of asking questions about faith?
- Faith in the resurrection of Jesus transformed the lives of the disciples who followed Him. As modern-day disciples of Jesus, what are some ways your faith in the resurrection has changed your life, or should change your life?
Homes with Kids
- Why was the empty tomb such a surprise to Jesus' friends?
- How do you think Mary felt when she heard Jesus say her name?
- Jesus said people who believe without seeing Him are blessed. What helps you believe in Jesus even though you can't see Him?
Pray Together
Heavenly Father, thank You for the miracle of the empty tomb and the reality of Jesus' resurrection that transforms our lives. We are grateful that You meet each of us where we are—whether through the evidence we can examine, personal encounters, or the testimony of those who have gone before us. We ask for Your help in moments of doubt and uncertainty, trusting that You understand our questions just as You understood Thomas'. Help us to hear when You call our name and to respond with joy and obedience. We commit to living as resurrection people, allowing the power that raised Christ from the dead to work in our lives, making us bold witnesses to this good news. In the name of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Family Activity
Resurrection Eyewitness Cards
Create "Resurrection Eyewitness Cards" together. Give each family member index cards to illustrate the different people who encountered the risen Jesus (Mary Magdalene, Thomas, the beloved disciple, etc.).
On the back of each card, write how that person recognized Jesus and how they responded.
Then play a simple game: shuffle the cards and take turns drawing a card and sharing that person's story. Talk about how each person came to believe in different ways. End by discussing which biblical character's experience most resembles each family member's own faith journey.
This activity helps people understand that faith develops differently for everyone while reinforcing the historical evidence for the resurrection.
On the back of each card, write how that person recognized Jesus and how they responded.
Then play a simple game: shuffle the cards and take turns drawing a card and sharing that person's story. Talk about how each person came to believe in different ways. End by discussing which biblical character's experience most resembles each family member's own faith journey.
This activity helps people understand that faith develops differently for everyone while reinforcing the historical evidence for the resurrection.
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