Sunday Recap for 4/30:  How do we receive the peace of Jesus?

Sunday Recap for 4/30:  How do we receive the peace of Jesus?

Sunday, April 30, 2017, we attempted to answer this Big Picture Question:

Big Picture Question: How do we receive the peace of Jesus?

And we looked at John 20:19-23 to help us.

John 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

And we found these 3 answers to our Big Picture Question.

Big Picture Question: How do we receive the peace of Jesus?

  • Jesus earns it.
  • The Father sends it.
  • The Spirit gives it.

Jesus earns it

John 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus appears to His disciples after His crucifixion. They were fearful. The Jews wanted to kill them. They feared Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead. Mary had seen Him, but they hadn’t seen Him themselves. And Jesus appears and declares peace to them.

Our peace also comes from Jesus. He earned our peace by ending the conflict between us and God, the Father. Our sinned merited God’s righteous judgment. Jesus took that judgment to earn our peace.

The Fathers Sends It

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Jesus shows that He rose again by showing His hands and sides. And then, He once again declares peace but tells the disciples that as the Father sent Him to give peace, He now sends the disicples to give peace.

Part of our receiving the peace is understanding the missional nature of it. The peace of Jesus is not just for personal consumption. It is to be shared sacrificially. We often miss out on our own personal peace because we don’t seek to extend peace to others.

The Spirit Gives It

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus gives the disciples a measure of the Holy Spirit so that they may better understand what He has to teach them in the next 40 days until the Spirit is poured out in full. And then Jesus tells them that the disciples they will forgive and people will be forgiven, they will not forgive and they will not be forgiven. Mark 2.7 says that God alone forgives. So, of course, the disciples have not taken on that roll. They are the verifiers within the church just as church officers are today. They are verifiers of the Spirit’s work in their lives. Please to the audio for greater detail.

Big Idea: How do we receive the peace of Jesus?

Truth: Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Father gives us the peace that Jesus earned on the cross.

Application: Live knowing that the Spirit works a heavenly peace in your life that should overshadow any earthly conflict.

Action: Seek a peace that resembles the peace that Jesus earned for you. First, in the church, and then in the world.

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