Pray

Begin by thanking God for the new day and then ask Him to help you learn from what you read. Prepare yourself by:

• Clearing your mind and being quiet before the Lord
• Asking God to settle your heart
• Maybe listening to worship music
• Asking God for a teachable heart

Read

Read the chapter below. You can either read below or read your physical Bible. Read it slowly, take it all in.

Examine

Ask yourself the following questions after reading your chapter for the day. Write your answers down in a journal or notebook you can use just for your time with God.

• What do I need to know about God, myself, others?
  
  
   
• What do I need to stop doing (sins, habits, selfish patterns)?
  
  
   
• What can I change in my thoughts, attitudes or actions?
  
  
   
• What do I need to do to be obedient to God’s leading?

Summarize

Do ONE of the following:

• Discover what the passage reveals about God and His character, what it says or promises about you, and what it says or promises about others - my parents, friends, teammates, etc. Write this down in a journal or notebook.
• Rewrite one or two key verses in your own words.
• Outline what the chapter is saying.
• Summarize the chapter in several words.

Share

Talk with God about what you’ve learned. Also take time each day to share with someone else who attended Fields of Faith or another fellow Christian the things learned as well.

Day 20 - John 20

The Empty Tomb

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put Him!"

At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. For they still did not understand the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went home again.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus' body had been lying. They said to her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"Because they've taken away my Lord," she told them, "and I don't know where they've put Him." Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, though she did not know it was Jesus.

"Woman," Jesus said to her, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"

Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, "Sir, if you've removed Him, tell me where you've put Him, and I will take Him away."

Jesus said, "Mary."

Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" —which means "Teacher."

"Don't cling to Me," Jesus told her, "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God."

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them what He had said to her.

The Disciples Commissioned

In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were [gathered together] with the doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"

Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." After saying this, He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain [the sins of] any, they are retained."

Thomas Sees and Believes

But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called "Twin"), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples kept telling him, "We have seen the Lord!"

But he said to them, "If I don't see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!"

After eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them. He said, "Peace to you!"

Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don't be an unbeliever, but a believer."

Thomas responded to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed."

The Purpose of This Gospel

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Holman Christian Standard Bible Broadman Holman