The Resurrection and Redemptive Reversals
John 21:11-23:
11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.
14 This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”
19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” 23 So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”
Introduction:
Herman Bavinck profoundly stated, “The resurrection is the Father’s ‘Amen’ to Jesus’ ‘It is finished.’” Christ fulfilled redemption at the cross, but the Father declared it victorious in the resurrection! The cry of “Tetelestai” was not the end but the beginning, for in the empty tomb, new creation has dawned. As G.K. Beale and Kim affirm, through the resurrection, “God’s purpose in the original creation begins to be fulfilled in the new creation.” The resurrection was not merely a victory over death, but the inauguration of a re
stored order, reversing the curse of sin and ushering in eschatological renewal. How fitting that this cosmic reversal unfolded in a garden, paralleling Genesis, where the curse first began. Now, Christ, the Last Adam, undoes the fall, breathes new life, and sends His disciples into their mission.
In this passage, we encounter three key movements highlighting the resurrection’s transforming power.
I. A Grieving Woman: Christ meets us in our grief
“Woman, why are you weeping?” (John 20:15)
Mary stood outside the tomb, weeping. She came expecting to mourn, not to celebrate. Even when she saw the empty tomb, her first thought was, “They have taken my Lord away.” How often do we look at life’s circumstances and assume the worst? We suffer loss, disappointment, pain and we thinkGod is absent. But He is not. He is nearer than we realize.
It was only when Jesus spoke her name (Mary) that she recognized Him. Her sorrow was instantly turned to joy. And Christ does this for us. God speaks our name in love when we grieve. In our moments of
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heartbreak, He meets us and calls us personally, reminding us that we are known, loved, and never forgotten.
Illustration:
Since the beginning of this year, our church has faced grief, loss upon loss, sorrow
that lingers. We have felt the sting of death, and the weight is real. But no one hates death more than Christ, no one lamented it more deeply, and no one conquered it more powerfully. A. When Mary stood at the tomb, weeping, Jesus did not rebuke her. He called her by name. The Ris en Lord does the same for us. We still walk through grief, but we do not walk alone. He holds us. He knows us. He speaks peace into our sorrow. And because He has conquered death, we have hope that what is broken will be restored, what is lost will be redeemed, and what is dead will rise again. B. Mary’s grief was transformed into mission. She was sent to proclaim the risen Christ. And that is what resurrection does: it does not leave us mourning; it sends us forward with hope. Mary is given a greater mission. Jesus tells her, “Do not cling to me” (John 20:17), because His resurrection moves be yond physical presence. It ushers in the era of new creation, a restored communion bond with His peo ple. Take note of the Genesis connection - Why did Jesus tell Mary not to cling to him? The phrase “touch” (ἅπτομαι) in Genesis 3:3 references Eve’s interaction with the forbidden fruit - a grasping that led to separation from God. Jesus’ words to Mary in John 20:17 reverse this pattern: she must release the old reality to embrace the new. Christ is no longer confined to earthly presence. He reigns as the Resurrected Lord, ascending to bring the Spirit’s indwelling communion.
Christ’s resurrection transforms mourning into mission. Mary’s tears are met with the voice of the ris en Lord, turning her grief into Gospel proclamation.
II. A Gathering of Fearful Disciples: Christ transforms fear into peace
“Peace be with you.” (John 20:19, 21)
The disciples were hiding behind locked doors, afraid that they would suffer the same end as Jesus. They had seen Him die, and though they had heard reports of His resurrection, fear still controlled them. Then, Jesus appeared in their midst and spoke these simple words: “Peace be with you.”
Fear paralyzes. It keeps us from moving forward, from trusting, from living freely. But Christ’s resur rection breaks the chains of fear, because it proves that death has no hold, and the enemy has been defeat ed.
Illustration:
Mateo’s everyday shot and Sef’s weekly shot (Every evening, the needle waits - small, necessary, but terrifying to little hearts. Their eyes widen, their breath quickens, and panic sets in. But then, your hands wrap around theirs, steady and warm. “I’m here. I’ve got you.” The shot still comes, but the fear fades. They do not face it alone. Your embrace doesn’t remove the pain, but it makes it bearable. Your presence replaces panic with peace.)
This is what Christ does for us in the resurrection. The world still holds struggles, but His presence calms our fears. He holds us, whispers His peace, and walks us through, even the hard things.
A. Peace that comes from knowing that Jesus is in control. The Lord of creation in the prologue appears as the Lord of new creation in the epilogue.
B. Christ’s presence overcomes fear – The disciples were paralyzed, but Christ’s appearance replaces fear with faith. When Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” He declared freedom from fear. This was not empty encouragement. His peace was based on His victory. The same peace that calmed the disciples is available to us today. His resurrection means we can trust God's plan, even in uncertainty.
III. A Gospel Commission: The resurrection launches us into a new mission
“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)
John 20:22 is the culmination of the passage. It is Genesis 2:7 FULFILLED.
A. The giving of the Spirit as the dawn of new creation – Andreas Köstenberger affirms that Genesis 2:7 is the theological antecedent of John 20:22.
B. Christ restores what Adam lost – Herman Ridderbos writes, “Just as in the beginning God breathed a living spirit into humankind, so in this moment of the new creation Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit into the disciples.”
C. resurrection transforms the disciples into a new messianic community – Andreas Köstenberger states that just as “God’s in-breathing to Adam made him a living being, Jesus’ breathing upon the disciples constituted them as the new messianic community, empowered for multiplication.”
Illustration:
Every Lord’s Day, we gather not just to worship, but to proclaim that Christ is risen, that life has tri umphed over death, and that the Gospel is still calling people to new life. But the resurrection is not just something we celebrate inside these walls, it is something we declare to the world.’
A. Opportunities are before us. Mother’s Day is coming, and it is a chance to invite families to hear the good news. Our blood drive is an opportunity to serve others, reflecting Christ's sacrificial love. Arts in the Park and youth camp give us moments to engage, start gospel conversations, and plant seeds of truth.
B. Every encounter is a divine appointment. Every event is an open door. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, so I send you.” We have been equipped and empowered by the Spirit not to sit in silence, but to go, to proclaim, to invite others into the life-giving power of the resurrection. Let’s not miss the mission set before us.
Christ’s breath reverses the curse, restores communion, and renews His disciples for mission.
Conclusion:
From Mary’s sorrow to the disciples’ fear, Christ’s resurrection transforms lives. Today, He calls each of us to:
1. Rest in His Victory – The curse of sin is reversed in His resurrection.
2. Abide in His Communion – The Spirit restores a new bond between God and His people. 3. Fulfill the Creation Mandate – Just as Adam was called to multiply, we are sent to proclaim Christ to the nations. John Calvin beautifully expresses this mission:
“We must remember that the chief thing to seek in the Gospel is not merely doctrine, but the life-giving Spirit, who enables us to truly become new creations in Christ.”
The resurrection is not just an event - it is the turning of the ages. Think of the resurrection as re demptive reversals: from death to life, from curse to blessing, from fear to peace, from separation to com-
munion, and from mourning to mission. Let us live in that resurrection power, proclaim ing the name, person, and work of our risen and ascended Messiah!