This week as I tried to write this sermon, I found that I struggled to get words onto paper. I struggled to keep my chin up and work through the normal everyday obstacles that came along my path. What’s worse I had already forgotten what I had heard God say to me through His Word last week about, His great sacrifice, and what he had done for me.
It hit me later in the week that this struggle is not something that I am alone in. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to be a common problem for many of us in the weeks following the celebration of our risen Lord. We get down on life, we feel our burdens creeping up on us and we tend to forget the good news of Jesus’ resurrection . The reason it hit me so profoundly was because it is the exact same thing that happened to the disciples on that very first Easter, the day that our Lord and Saviour had been raised from the dead.
Mary Magdalene after Jesus had called her by name and had revealed himself to her, ran back to the place where the disciples were staying and told them exactly what Jesus had said to her, that ‘He was ascending to His Father and their Father, to His God and their God.’ What amazing news she was given to proclaim to them, but how quickly and easily their joy from the news had turned to dread. They did not yet trust Jesus or His resurrection, they doubted him, so they feared the Jewish authorities and bolted all the doors of the house.
It has now been seven days since you heard, that Jesus is Alive, That He is Risen Indeed. And today I want to ask you: Have you doubted your Lord Jesus Christ? Have you doubted his resurrection and the promises which these bring? Have you let your worries bolt the doors, trying to keep everyone out, Keeping Jesus Out?
Let me just say if this is the case with you, don’t worry, Bolts can’t keep our Lord the risen saviour Jesus Christ out, not even the doors of death could do that. Jesus came on that very first Easter, pass the bolted door that the disciples had barricaded themselves behind, the doors which prevented anyone coming in or going out. They were in that house full of fear, just waiting for the Jewish leaders to arrive, arrest, beat and kill them. Then whoop, there He is. Jesus Christ appears to the disciples in the middle of their house.
I wonder what the reaction would be if Jesus appeared in church next time you went???
When Christ came to His disciples the words that He said were “Peace be with you”. We receive this peace after receiving forgiveness in His name... We acknowledged Christ being present with us at the beginning of the service whenever we start in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit... And most importantly we receive his presence in Holy Communion every time we eat and drink of His body and blood. Jesus the risen saviour appears in His church, every single sunday. Where ever your sins are forgiven. Where ever God’s name is declared and His Word is proclaimed in purity and truth. Christ is there in that place. And in that place you receive His peace.
So what is our reaction to Christ appearing to us? Is it to do as Christ has said to do after he gave his peace to the disciples??? Jesus says: “Just as the Father sent me, I send you”.
We receive the peace of God every time you go to church, you pray to God for His strength and you go out into the world that God has placed you. You go back to our job, or our study, and to your friends and family, with the peace of God. But what does this mean practically? It means that because you have the assurance of God’s peace you can live a life reflecting the peace of Christ.
We hear on the news stories of chaos, of earthquakes, fires, floods, and storms. I even know that many people watched in wait on friday night for some disaster to rock the royal wedding. The world we live in and the people who surround us do not hear or feel peace. But this is exactly what they need. They yearn for God’s peace. And you are the only ones equipped to bring that peace into the lives of those around you.
Jesus said to his disciples:Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld. What a responsibility Jesus gives us. Now that we have received the peace of God. Now that we have had our sins forgiven. Now that he has revealed himself to us through Holy Communion. We are called to do the same. The Father sent the Son to die for us, to be a sacrifice for all our sin. And Jesus says to us, “Just as the Father sent me, I am sending you”. Jesus isn’t sending us into an easy cushy world, he is sending us into the same world He is in. A world that hates truth and loves lies, A world that is alive in sin but dead to life. A world that is in chaos because of sin but yearns for true peace.
If this seems a bit daunting to you don’t worry. Christ does not send you out into the world alone. He gives you the Holy Spirit. The Spirit who is Truth, the Spirit who is Strength, the Spirit who points the way to Jesus Christ. And whats more He sends you out, not as you were when you came here this morning, but with His peace. Remember the peace of the Lord you received after your sins were forgiven, remember the peace you receive each time you partake of the Lord’s supper. Remember the peace you receive when you receive the blessing at the end of the service. These are constant and true reminders of Christ’s resurrection and they help remove all doubt.
We are not living in a world that needs to be shown that it is in shambles, we look at the news and we see it every night. We live in a world that has no peace. The world we live in does not know that Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, came down from heaven and was born of the virgin Mary, that he suffered, that he died on the cross and was buried. They don’t know that Christ arose from the grave for the sake of the whole world, that all people might be saved.
My friend, this is your charge, that you love your neighbour as Christ loved you. That you speak of God’s forgiveness and grace to all those who will hear it. That you receive the Holy Spirit and let Him guide you where and when he wills. And that you live in the peace that Jesus Christ speaks to you at your church, in His forgiveness, in His body and blood, in His Word and in His blessing.
And may the peace of God, which passes all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, Our Risen Saviour. Amen
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