WEBVTT 00:00:00.140 --> 00:00:03.680 We have a number of visitors here with us today 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.419 And I just want to remind you it seems like we 00:00:06.419 --> 00:00:10.320 have a lot of up and down we have a lot of singing 00:00:10.320 --> 00:00:15.519 and what we are doing is responding God speaks 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:19.399 to us. He calls us and we we stand up and we 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:23.100 respond We sing in response to what we hear from 00:00:23.100 --> 00:00:26.699 God's truth It's an act of faith that we have 00:00:26.699 --> 00:00:35.649 even in the Lord's service Jesus is risen. Our 00:00:35.649 --> 00:00:40.890 sermon title today is peace. Jesus' gift of love. 00:00:42.170 --> 00:00:45.750 And just like last week, it's subtitle would 00:00:45.750 --> 00:00:51.990 be Jesus keeps his word. Let us pray. Glory be 00:00:51.990 --> 00:00:54.109 to you, O God, the Father who did raise your 00:00:54.109 --> 00:00:56.710 son Jesus Christ from the dead and has made us 00:00:56.710 --> 00:00:59.189 partakers of his victory over sin and death. 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:03.500 Glory be to you, O Lord Jesus Christ, for our 00:01:03.500 --> 00:01:06.920 sakes became flesh and has overcome death and 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:09.319 has opened up the gates of eternal life for us. 00:01:09.799 --> 00:01:12.459 All glory be to you, O Holy Spirit, who has made 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:16.579 us your people, your temple, and who day by day 00:01:16.579 --> 00:01:19.680 does lead us in all truth in Jesus Christ. We 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.859 ask that you please make the words of my mouth 00:01:21.859 --> 00:01:24.379 and the meditations of all our hearts acceptable 00:01:24.379 --> 00:01:26.900 in your side, O Lord, our nearest kinsman and 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:32.239 redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen. Again, for those 00:01:32.239 --> 00:01:38.359 that are visiting, our method is to, from Advent 00:01:38.359 --> 00:01:42.140 until Pentecost, to preach the Gospel reading, 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:45.900 to let the life of Christ be central for half 00:01:45.900 --> 00:01:50.000 a year. Our focus is on Christ Jesus. And so 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.019 again today, we'll be looking at an Easter text 00:01:53.019 --> 00:01:56.680 from John chapter 20, beginning in verse 19. 00:01:57.099 --> 00:02:00.079 And then the same day at evening, being the first 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:03.159 day of the week, when the doors were shut, where 00:02:03.159 --> 00:02:05.180 the disciples were assembled for fear of the 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:08.280 Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said 00:02:08.280 --> 00:02:11.879 to them, Peace be with you. And when he had said 00:02:11.879 --> 00:02:14.840 this, he showed him his hands and his side, and 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:18.199 the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:23.120 So Jesus said to them again, Peace to you. As 00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:27.229 the Father has sent me, I also send you. And 00:02:27.229 --> 00:02:29.330 when he had said this, he breathed on them and 00:02:29.330 --> 00:02:33.349 said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. And if 00:02:33.349 --> 00:02:35.949 you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven 00:02:35.949 --> 00:02:39.650 them. If you retain the sins of any, they are 00:02:39.650 --> 00:02:42.729 retained. Now Thomas called the twin, one of 00:02:42.729 --> 00:02:45.110 the twelve was not with them when Jesus came. 00:02:45.650 --> 00:02:49.090 And the other disciples therefore said to him, 00:02:49.129 --> 00:02:53.590 we have seen the Lord. And so he said to them, 00:02:53.650 --> 00:02:57.409 unless I see his hands the prints of the nails 00:02:57.409 --> 00:02:59.509 and put my finger in the print of the nails and 00:02:59.509 --> 00:03:04.669 put my hands in his side I will not believe and 00:03:04.669 --> 00:03:07.530 after eight days his disciples were again inside 00:03:07.530 --> 00:03:10.610 and Thomas with them and Jesus came and the doors 00:03:10.610 --> 00:03:14.889 being shut and stood in the midst and said peace 00:03:14.889 --> 00:03:19.210 to you then he said to Thomas reach your finger 00:03:19.210 --> 00:03:22.569 here and look at my hands, and reach your hand 00:03:22.569 --> 00:03:27.229 here, and put it to my side. Do not be unbelieving, 00:03:27.550 --> 00:03:30.669 but believing." And Thomas answered and said 00:03:30.669 --> 00:03:35.150 to him, My Lord and my God. Jesus said to him, 00:03:35.150 --> 00:03:37.490 Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed. 00:03:37.849 --> 00:03:41.210 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have 00:03:41.210 --> 00:03:45.270 believed. And truly Jesus did other signs in 00:03:45.270 --> 00:03:47.210 the presence of his disciples, which are not 00:03:47.210 --> 00:03:49.840 written in this book. But these are written that 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.580 you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the 00:03:52.580 --> 00:03:55.639 Son of God, and that believing you may have life 00:03:55.639 --> 00:03:59.340 in His name. These are the words of Almighty 00:03:59.340 --> 00:04:05.060 God. Receive them in your hearts. Dearly beloved, 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:09.439 this is the second Sunday of Easter. The church 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:13.060 calendar gives us 49 days of celebration for 00:04:13.060 --> 00:04:17.360 Easter. 40 days after Jesus' resurrection, and 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:20.980 nine more days where the disciples had waited 00:04:20.980 --> 00:04:25.139 in Jerusalem after His ascension. Easter, like 00:04:25.139 --> 00:04:30.160 Christmas in the church, is longer than for the 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.259 world. As you know, many people, when they celebrate 00:04:34.259 --> 00:04:39.240 Christmas, they do it on just one day. But when 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:41.870 you follow the church calendar, we celebrate 00:04:41.870 --> 00:04:47.069 Christ's entry into the world for 12 days. For 00:04:47.069 --> 00:04:50.750 the unbeliever, Christmas is a nice story where 00:04:50.750 --> 00:04:54.250 after the hardships of the parents, a baby is 00:04:54.250 --> 00:04:59.350 born. Christmas for most is like a hazy dream, 00:04:59.769 --> 00:05:04.149 largely forgotten and maybe replaced. Gifts are 00:05:04.149 --> 00:05:08.000 given. And some murky aspirations for peace are 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.720 grasped after like vapors that slip right through 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:17.480 your hands. As if to say, if you play some soft 00:05:17.480 --> 00:05:20.800 melodic music and you get a little snowfall out 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:25.860 there, whoa, peace. What a swing and a miss. 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:32.410 For the church, Easter. is a grand celebration 00:05:32.410 --> 00:05:37.910 of God's faithfulness for our deliverance. Easter, 00:05:38.449 --> 00:05:42.389 that season, this season is afforded seven Lord's 00:05:42.389 --> 00:05:46.730 days. We the church cannot contain the excitement 00:05:46.730 --> 00:05:50.170 and joy of the good news found in Jesus crushing 00:05:50.170 --> 00:05:55.649 the head of Satan in his resurrection. We sing, 00:05:55.970 --> 00:06:00.620 we sing. The fulfillment of Hosea 13 -14 where 00:06:00.620 --> 00:06:03.660 it says, I will ransom them from the power of 00:06:03.660 --> 00:06:06.600 the grave. I will redeem them from the death. 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:11.259 O death, I will be your plagues. O grave, I will 00:06:11.259 --> 00:06:14.079 be your destruction. And we see that echoed in 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.879 1 Corinthians 15 where it says, O death, where 00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:21.300 is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? 00:06:22.220 --> 00:06:24.939 And again, we see the fulfillment of Isaiah 25 00:06:24.939 --> 00:06:29.259 -8. He will swallow up death forever, and the 00:06:29.259 --> 00:06:32.480 Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces. 00:06:33.060 --> 00:06:35.439 The rebuke of His people He will take away from 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:38.920 the earth for Yahweh. That's the covenant name 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:42.660 of God, the covenant keeping God, for Yahweh 00:06:42.660 --> 00:06:50.839 has spoken. Easter changed history forever. Children, 00:06:50.860 --> 00:06:54.569 look up here. Easter's not about an egg hunt, 00:06:54.610 --> 00:06:56.810 although that's fun. It's not about the inflatables 00:06:56.810 --> 00:06:59.410 we're gonna go do. That's fun, too. It's not 00:06:59.410 --> 00:07:02.149 about the feast. All you guys who are thinking 00:07:02.149 --> 00:07:05.589 about lunch right now, it's not about that. No! 00:07:06.310 --> 00:07:11.790 Easter changed history forever. Think about this. 00:07:12.329 --> 00:07:15.790 In our reading today from 1 Peter, bless a bee. 00:07:15.980 --> 00:07:18.660 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:21.220 who according to His abundant mercy, that's for 00:07:21.220 --> 00:07:25.800 you and me, has begotten us again to a living 00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:29.360 hope, not a dead hope, not a wishful hope, but 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:33.139 a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus 00:07:33.139 --> 00:07:37.220 Christ from the dead. We are of course to rejoice 00:07:37.220 --> 00:07:40.800 year round, but oh what joy there is in Easter! 00:07:41.490 --> 00:07:44.310 Romans 5 8 says think about this. This is one 00:07:44.310 --> 00:07:46.610 of the reasons for us to have joy Did you come 00:07:46.610 --> 00:07:49.709 to church today being excited for this day? Or 00:07:49.709 --> 00:07:52.370 was it another Sunday? Maybe you you came here 00:07:52.370 --> 00:07:55.250 out of obligation Children, maybe you came here 00:07:55.250 --> 00:07:57.589 because your parents say it's the day got to 00:07:57.589 --> 00:08:00.709 go to church Got to put on those church clothes 00:08:00.709 --> 00:08:05.610 No Think about this now. This is the joy of Easter, 00:08:05.629 --> 00:08:08.829 but God demonstrates his own love towards us 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:13.139 that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 00:08:13.139 --> 00:08:16.639 us. There's a bunch of you young people out there 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:18.839 that are transitioning. You're transitioning 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:21.060 to new co -ops, to new schools. You're getting 00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:24.800 older. What I'm trying to tell you today is this 00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:27.519 is a great day. This is the Easter season. This 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.819 is a wonderful day. You need to be excited because 00:08:29.819 --> 00:08:34.139 the world changed on Easter. And today's sermon, 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:37.460 although it's not Easter Sunday, is taking up 00:08:37.460 --> 00:08:41.940 the latter half. of that day, the end of Easter's 00:08:41.940 --> 00:08:50.519 day. Is your joy overflowing this morning? Oh, 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:53.320 the joy and the gratitude to God through Jesus 00:08:53.320 --> 00:08:56.080 Christ, our risen Lord. There are three things 00:08:56.080 --> 00:08:57.879 I want you to hear out of this passage. That's 00:08:57.879 --> 00:09:00.860 all just prep. So are you excited for God and 00:09:00.860 --> 00:09:05.220 his great mercies? Hear this now. Three things. 00:09:05.340 --> 00:09:09.759 Jesus is the firstborn of the new creation. Jesus 00:09:09.759 --> 00:09:13.100 is the firstborn of the new creation. It's really 00:09:13.100 --> 00:09:17.259 important. Jesus' death and resurrection brings 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:23.139 peace. Jesus' death and resurrection brings peace. 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:28.519 And on that Easter Sunday, the breath of life 00:09:28.519 --> 00:09:32.879 came from the Holy Spirit. The breath of life 00:09:32.879 --> 00:09:38.210 in the Holy Spirit. Now again, John 20 19 tells 00:09:38.210 --> 00:09:41.490 us the same day at evening. So this is the first 00:09:41.490 --> 00:09:44.710 day of the week. It says When the doors were 00:09:44.710 --> 00:09:47.850 shut the disciples were assembled for fear of 00:09:47.850 --> 00:09:51.629 the Jews Jesus came and stood in their midst 00:09:51.629 --> 00:09:55.889 and said peace Be with you now children. I'll 00:09:55.889 --> 00:09:57.870 tell you this right now. God has blessed you 00:09:57.870 --> 00:10:01.909 you live in a pretty safe country Right, you 00:10:01.909 --> 00:10:04.809 don't have many things that get that gives you 00:10:04.830 --> 00:10:08.450 thought of not being at peace. I promise you, 00:10:08.570 --> 00:10:11.509 your parents, day in and day out, there are lots 00:10:11.509 --> 00:10:14.570 of things that make them think about not being 00:10:14.570 --> 00:10:22.610 at peace. Jesus says, peace be with you. Jesus 00:10:22.610 --> 00:10:25.110 shows up the same day, this Resurrection Sunday, 00:10:25.230 --> 00:10:27.549 the first day of the week, the first day of the 00:10:27.549 --> 00:10:31.250 new creation. And Jesus appears to the disciples 00:10:31.250 --> 00:10:34.419 and those that are with them in the house. even 00:10:34.419 --> 00:10:38.220 though the door is shut and secured out of the 00:10:38.220 --> 00:10:41.500 fear of the Jewish leaders. Throughout the day, 00:10:41.500 --> 00:10:43.539 Jesus had appeared to the women, we remember 00:10:43.539 --> 00:10:47.379 that, to Peter as it says in 1 Corinthians 15, 00:10:47.820 --> 00:10:50.940 to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and 00:10:50.940 --> 00:10:56.320 perhaps two more found in Mark 16. The disciples 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:59.559 have an abundance of eyewitnesses among themselves 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:05.070 of Jesus' resurrection. And, in spite of all 00:11:05.070 --> 00:11:10.029 that, they are shut up securely out of fear and 00:11:10.029 --> 00:11:14.049 uncertainty. The grave could not contain the 00:11:14.049 --> 00:11:17.389 resurrected Jesus, nor could a shut and locked 00:11:17.389 --> 00:11:22.690 door keep Jesus out from His people. Jesus' first 00:11:22.690 --> 00:11:25.250 words to those assembled together on the first 00:11:25.250 --> 00:11:30.549 day of the week is, Peace be with you. Here among 00:11:30.549 --> 00:11:34.840 those who hold fear, doubt, joy and confusion 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:40.679 Jesus comes in and Establishes that he is at 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:47.399 peace with them peace Jesus is confirming upon 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:51.299 them the blessed fruits and effects of his death 00:11:51.299 --> 00:11:56.820 and resurrection Because of Jesus atoning substitutionary 00:11:56.820 --> 00:11:59.159 death for their sins and for all of us who are 00:11:59.159 --> 00:12:05.789 his We are all at peace with Jesus which means 00:12:05.789 --> 00:12:10.830 peace with the Father Now remember Jesus is leaving 00:12:10.830 --> 00:12:14.309 his peace as a legacy. He makes the promise back 00:12:14.309 --> 00:12:18.549 in John 14 and Of course the disciples don't 00:12:18.549 --> 00:12:22.330 realize what it means and John 14. He says Peace 00:12:22.330 --> 00:12:25.490 I leave with you my peace I give to you not as 00:12:25.490 --> 00:12:28.490 the world gives to you Let not your heart be 00:12:28.490 --> 00:12:32.830 troubled neither Let it be afraid. After the 00:12:32.830 --> 00:12:35.389 resurrection, Jesus comes in and what does He 00:12:35.389 --> 00:12:39.009 do? He establishes His peace. He makes it known. 00:12:39.330 --> 00:12:43.990 Not just once, but twice. And a third time we're 00:12:43.990 --> 00:12:48.850 going to find them in the following week. Are 00:12:48.850 --> 00:12:54.610 you fearful and afraid? Are you troubled? The 00:12:54.610 --> 00:12:59.440 peace of Christ is with you. All men have been 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:04.820 at war with God. Isaiah 59 has told us, but your 00:13:04.820 --> 00:13:07.840 iniquities has separated you from God, and your 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:11.379 sins have hidden His face from you. And so He 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:14.720 will not hear. Later on in 59, it says the way 00:13:14.720 --> 00:13:17.919 of peace they have not known, and there is no 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:21.019 justice in their ways. They have made themselves 00:13:21.019 --> 00:13:24.980 crooked paths, and whoever takes that way shall 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:28.559 not. No peace. When left to our own, we're at 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:32.179 war with God. Our sinful natures run amok. We 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:33.940 cannot deliver ourselves, and the only thing 00:13:33.940 --> 00:13:37.220 we want to do is go down the crooked path. And 00:13:37.220 --> 00:13:42.600 when we do that, we do not know peace. The disciples 00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:45.960 on that evening are desperately in need of peace. 00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:51.419 Think about this. You've gone through the week, 00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:58.799 right? You've forsaken Jesus. Everybody there 00:13:58.799 --> 00:14:04.120 is turned away. We can only imagine their concern. 00:14:04.860 --> 00:14:06.919 We already know. We talked about this last week, 00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:09.360 right? We know that the chief priests, scribes, 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:11.740 and Pharisees, they were afraid if Jesus rose 00:14:11.740 --> 00:14:16.500 again and for good reason. Right? They plotted 00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:19.840 it. But what about His disciples? What about 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:25.200 His followers? They all forsook Him. So if Jesus 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:29.899 does arise I'm betting I'm not getting that that 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:32.019 seat at his right hand because I didn't stick 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:39.279 it through But we see that all those who should 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:42.679 have stuck with Jesus the king were guilty of 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:46.200 high treason abandonment and even denial of Jesus 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:50.820 They needed Jesus and yes, they desperately needed 00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:58.519 Jesus to give them peace They were afraid of 00:14:58.519 --> 00:15:02.639 the justice of God and they had forgotten Jesus's 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:08.519 promise of mercy through him. Jesus provides 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:11.639 for them all undeniable proof that he has truly 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:14.779 risen from the dead. He shows them his hands 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:17.419 and his side. He does that without them asking 00:15:17.419 --> 00:15:22.019 in that first group. Jesus lovingly demonstrates 00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:25.730 himself to them. And the scriptures tell us that 00:15:25.730 --> 00:15:29.389 they are glad. And so Jesus said to them again, 00:15:29.850 --> 00:15:33.269 peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also 00:15:33.269 --> 00:15:34.909 send you. You know, they could have been caught 00:15:34.909 --> 00:15:37.210 up here saying, oh my goodness. All right, he 00:15:37.210 --> 00:15:40.809 says, is it peace with me? But I'm done. As a 00:15:40.809 --> 00:15:45.169 disciple of his, I'm done. Because who am I? 00:15:49.669 --> 00:15:52.450 Jesus re -emphasizes his peace given to them. 00:15:52.809 --> 00:15:56.490 With this piece Jesus tells them that as the 00:15:56.490 --> 00:16:01.470 father sent him He is going to send them out 00:16:01.470 --> 00:16:05.129 he's gonna send the disciples out Not as the 00:16:05.129 --> 00:16:07.190 disciples who did not know what was going on 00:16:07.190 --> 00:16:09.149 around them And we're always bickering with one 00:16:09.149 --> 00:16:12.649 another and striving for better position Thinking 00:16:12.649 --> 00:16:15.929 about who Jesus was gonna be from their perspective 00:16:15.929 --> 00:16:21.710 but rather You know and Jesus for three years 00:16:21.710 --> 00:16:24.450 has been Correcting them teaching them and they're 00:16:24.450 --> 00:16:26.490 just hard -hearted. Is that like us sometimes? 00:16:27.070 --> 00:16:31.210 We're just hard -hearted about what Jesus Is 00:16:31.210 --> 00:16:39.970 telling us who he is and how we are to live And 00:16:39.970 --> 00:16:43.629 so they had been focusing in on their own glory 00:16:43.629 --> 00:16:49.289 as Jesus disciple as You know Jesus came in humility 00:16:49.690 --> 00:16:53.009 Every man, woman, and child in here, hear this. 00:16:53.389 --> 00:16:58.490 This is important. Jesus came in humility as 00:16:58.490 --> 00:17:02.990 a servant devoted to others' needs and to others' 00:17:03.330 --> 00:17:05.730 causes. What causes that? The fact that they 00:17:05.730 --> 00:17:10.430 are undiscipled, unproclaimed of the gospel, 00:17:11.089 --> 00:17:17.849 in need of deliverance. And He did all this to 00:17:17.849 --> 00:17:23.329 the disregard. of his own interests. He didn't 00:17:23.329 --> 00:17:25.690 think, what, that his position as the Son of 00:17:25.690 --> 00:17:27.930 God and being God was something to be held onto? 00:17:28.829 --> 00:17:32.490 No. He didn't. He came down in the form of a 00:17:32.490 --> 00:17:38.549 servant. Let me tell you something. Every one 00:17:38.549 --> 00:17:42.970 of us is called just like Jesus was called and 00:17:42.970 --> 00:17:47.930 sent to be the servant of others, not proclaiming 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.720 good works not proclaiming the good things we've 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:55.400 done but simply in quiet humility Serving others 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:58.980 that they may be delivered from their sin and 00:17:58.980 --> 00:18:05.579 disciples Jesus called his disciples that day 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:08.180 and all those in the church to a life of serving 00:18:08.180 --> 00:18:13.240 others So that others may know Christ Jesus So 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:20.369 every child in here Every person, every person 00:18:20.369 --> 00:18:24.190 that you come into contact with, your children, 00:18:24.730 --> 00:18:28.029 your husband, your wife, your extended family, 00:18:28.150 --> 00:18:30.609 your coworkers in your community, we are all 00:18:30.609 --> 00:18:33.650 called to proclaim the remedy to all men. Now 00:18:33.650 --> 00:18:35.690 sometimes we think that that is just with our 00:18:35.690 --> 00:18:39.109 words. You don't have to stand on the street 00:18:39.109 --> 00:18:43.269 corner with a bullhorn proclaiming the good news 00:18:43.269 --> 00:18:49.670 of Christ. How do you treat your coworkers? Does 00:18:49.670 --> 00:18:54.309 your marriage reflect the gospel of what Jesus 00:18:54.309 --> 00:18:57.170 is to the church? What do the neighbors think? 00:18:57.250 --> 00:18:59.569 Can they hear you when you fight and drag it 00:18:59.569 --> 00:19:02.970 on? What about those in your extended family? 00:19:03.029 --> 00:19:05.329 Do they know that you are calling upon Christ? 00:19:05.829 --> 00:19:11.309 Can they see Christ in you? You know, to be honest, 00:19:11.630 --> 00:19:16.819 and I'm not talking about laying down For a lie 00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:19.880 and not sticking with the truth But the but if 00:19:19.880 --> 00:19:22.420 we're honest with one another our biggest arguments 00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:25.380 and fights and beef with people in our lives 00:19:25.380 --> 00:19:29.500 and our own lives Have to do with our desire 00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:33.140 to be right ourselves To be vindicated through 00:19:33.140 --> 00:19:39.339 our own mouth That's not what Jesus did Jesus 00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:43.839 let the Lord the Heavenly Father raise him up 00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:48.140 and finally vindicates him in AD 70. It wasn't 00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:51.059 just at the resurrection, it wasn't just at the 00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:55.059 ascension, but he closed off the old creation. 00:19:59.059 --> 00:20:03.119 We are to proclaim the remedy to all men. Now 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:05.460 Jesus doesn't just leave the disciples with his 00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:07.819 words, although his words are always true and 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:11.640 you can count on them. Jesus affirms his peace 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:16.289 by placing his disciples those who first followed 00:20:16.289 --> 00:20:20.430 him into the new creation verse 22 said and when 00:20:20.430 --> 00:20:24.910 Jesus had said this he breathed on them Received 00:20:24.910 --> 00:20:29.430 the Holy Spirit Now this word breathe is only 00:20:29.430 --> 00:20:33.009 used here in the New Testament But it is the 00:20:33.009 --> 00:20:35.329 very same one in the Greek translation of the 00:20:35.329 --> 00:20:39.970 Old Testament used in Genesis 2 7 When Yahweh 00:20:39.970 --> 00:20:44.190 the Covenant God breathed life into Adam at the 00:20:44.190 --> 00:20:47.690 first creation. It's also the word used in Ezekiel 00:20:47.690 --> 00:20:50.730 37 in the Valley of Dry Bones, remember that? 00:20:51.890 --> 00:20:54.470 God is speaking to Ezekiel, says speak to that 00:20:54.470 --> 00:20:58.490 Valley of Dry Bones. Thus says the Lord God to 00:20:58.490 --> 00:21:02.109 these bones, surely I will cause breath to enter 00:21:02.109 --> 00:21:05.970 you and you shall live. I will put sinews on 00:21:05.970 --> 00:21:08.529 you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with 00:21:08.529 --> 00:21:12.849 skin and put breath in you and you shall live. 00:21:13.230 --> 00:21:17.670 Then you shall know that I am Yahweh. In our 00:21:17.670 --> 00:21:22.230 sins we are dead bones. But because of the death 00:21:22.230 --> 00:21:28.789 burial and resurrection of Jesus, we are alive. 00:21:30.069 --> 00:21:36.390 We are given the Spirit. The only way to be truly 00:21:36.390 --> 00:21:41.329 human and alive is in Jesus. Everything else 00:21:41.329 --> 00:21:45.410 is acting beastly. You think about that. In your 00:21:45.410 --> 00:21:48.210 sins, the way you behaved, in the world around 00:21:48.210 --> 00:21:52.730 us, we have people triumphing. Yeah, evolution. 00:21:53.410 --> 00:21:56.069 We're just beasts, so we can act like beasts, 00:21:56.390 --> 00:21:58.250 as long as you don't act like a beast to me. 00:22:03.650 --> 00:22:06.369 First Corinthians 15 .45 tells us this, and so 00:22:06.369 --> 00:22:08.490 it is written, the first man, Adam, became a 00:22:08.490 --> 00:22:12.650 living being, and the last, Adam, became a life 00:22:12.650 --> 00:22:18.940 -giving. Spirit. Jesus did not just come to give 00:22:18.940 --> 00:22:26.940 eternal life, but life now. Life now. We're resurrected 00:22:26.940 --> 00:22:32.460 in him now to good works, to service, to be proclaimers 00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:36.279 of the gospel. Jesus shows up in his glorified 00:22:36.279 --> 00:22:38.859 body and shows what is to come at the fulfillment 00:22:38.859 --> 00:22:41.599 of all things when heaven and earth are no longer 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:47.579 separated. But just as Jesus was given all authority 00:22:47.579 --> 00:22:51.059 in heaven and on earth He gives life and sends 00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:54.859 us out with authority He says this and now he 00:22:54.859 --> 00:22:57.660 is establishing in one sense the authority of 00:22:57.660 --> 00:23:01.180 the church But this is important for us to realize 00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:04.539 that this authority extends to all of us not 00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:08.839 over people with whom Are not we're not responsible 00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:12.799 before God But rather authority to speak the 00:23:12.799 --> 00:23:17.359 truth and speak it just matter of factly. He 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:19.519 says this in verse 23, if you forgive the sins 00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.339 of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain 00:23:22.339 --> 00:23:26.420 the sins of any, they are retained. Now from 00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:28.920 the church's perspective, from the authority 00:23:28.920 --> 00:23:31.660 given to the disciples as the first ministers 00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:34.900 of the gospel, part of this is the church holds 00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:39.720 the keys. And forgiveness is for the humble and 00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:43.970 the penitent. But there is judgment. for the 00:23:43.970 --> 00:23:46.289 unrepentant. I got to tell you, one of the scariest 00:23:46.289 --> 00:23:51.150 things that elders can do is to excommunicate 00:23:51.150 --> 00:23:55.230 someone. This is why sometimes it seems like, 00:23:55.349 --> 00:23:57.329 why are those guys taking so long to deal with 00:23:57.329 --> 00:24:01.890 that guy? Well, if we see any spark of hope, 00:24:01.990 --> 00:24:04.210 if we see any mercy, anything there, we're going 00:24:04.210 --> 00:24:07.569 to work and be long suffering. Now, obviously, 00:24:08.349 --> 00:24:10.789 the size of the sin, the public nature of it 00:24:10.789 --> 00:24:14.599 all requires certain kinds of things. But for 00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:17.460 every one of us you are given by God authority 00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:21.259 in your life children look up here You have authority 00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:23.539 over your own rooms. You have authority over 00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:28.299 yourself you authority to Get up when you're 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:32.299 supposed to Of course that last one probably 00:24:32.299 --> 00:24:37.180 has something for everyone in the room Parents 00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:40.799 you're responsible for your family If you're 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:43.519 over other people in your job, you have responsibilities 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:45.519 to them, if you have responsibilities in the 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:48.420 church, what has God given you responsibility 00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:51.059 for? That is your kingdom that He has bestowed 00:24:51.059 --> 00:24:55.240 upon you. May it be small or may it be large. 00:24:59.220 --> 00:25:02.079 Speak God's word truthfully and word indeed. 00:25:04.259 --> 00:25:06.700 Jesus doesn't just provide us forgiveness for 00:25:06.700 --> 00:25:10.240 our own benefit. but that we may as part of his 00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:13.319 people be the living stones of his new temple 00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:16.859 and live and speak that the good news of God's 00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:19.680 grace and mercy may be found in his son Jesus. 00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:24.200 Now, here's something important. I know you're 00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:26.119 all here and in one way I might be speaking to 00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:29.539 the choir, but you need to understand this. You 00:25:29.539 --> 00:25:34.259 are the living stones of the new temple, right? 00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:38.470 And so this is important. Every week you're going 00:25:38.470 --> 00:25:41.710 to go out of here, commissioned by God to go 00:25:41.710 --> 00:25:44.410 and spread the gospel. And then every week you 00:25:44.410 --> 00:25:47.589 are called back and we take our stones with us 00:25:47.589 --> 00:25:50.109 as we walk out. We're going to do that. And then 00:25:50.109 --> 00:25:52.250 we're going to come back together and build the 00:25:52.250 --> 00:25:55.890 temple of the living stones right here, together. 00:25:57.109 --> 00:26:00.359 You can't worship God in the same fashion. and 00:26:00.359 --> 00:26:02.980 you can't stay alive in isolation. If you take 00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:06.059 your rock and proverbially go home, or as Israel 00:26:06.059 --> 00:26:09.140 did, every man to his own tent, that's disastrous. 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:15.319 You have to be in the vine constantly in order 00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:21.680 to stay alive. Now all this sounds great. A new 00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:25.480 life, a new mission, and all by the death, burial, 00:26:25.660 --> 00:26:29.509 and resurrection and ascension of Jesus. But 00:26:29.509 --> 00:26:31.450 here this morning, you may feel like you missed 00:26:31.450 --> 00:26:36.369 the boat. You say to yourself, I have sins. I 00:26:36.369 --> 00:26:40.470 have doubts. I had a feeling like I wasn't there 00:26:40.470 --> 00:26:44.230 when everyone else was there. You don't have 00:26:44.230 --> 00:26:51.730 the same experience as others. When God calls 00:26:51.730 --> 00:26:56.890 a person, He sees it through. Thomas wasn't there 00:26:56.890 --> 00:26:59.980 and we aren't told why. But as one commentator 00:26:59.980 --> 00:27:02.859 says, it is a terrible thing to miss the assembling 00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:06.720 together as God's people. You don't know what 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:08.900 you're going to miss. Right now, we confessed 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:11.079 our sins when we came in here. We responded to 00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:14.099 God's call. We sang gloriously on the ascension 00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:17.039 up the hill to assemble together. We confessed 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:20.220 our sins. We are in the heavenlies. And here's 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:21.859 something I read over and over again, and this 00:27:21.859 --> 00:27:28.809 is kind of a terrible thing for me. Right? I'm 00:27:28.809 --> 00:27:33.650 representing Jesus' words to you. Do you understand 00:27:33.650 --> 00:27:39.089 that? I'm up here proclaiming Jesus to you, and 00:27:39.089 --> 00:27:41.910 Jesus is speaking to you through me, and it's 00:27:41.910 --> 00:27:44.549 very humbling. And I don't do this for drama's 00:27:44.549 --> 00:27:46.750 sake, but I want you to understand what is happening 00:27:46.750 --> 00:27:54.269 in this room right now. When God calls a person, 00:27:54.670 --> 00:28:01.059 He sees it through. No ordinary salvation can 00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:07.960 be had outside the church. And if you don't understand 00:28:07.960 --> 00:28:10.000 that, just come to me afterwards, I'll talk with 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:13.839 you. Thomas, even with all these eyewitnesses 00:28:13.839 --> 00:28:17.859 whom he knew, says he won't believe and he sets 00:28:17.859 --> 00:28:21.480 up three things. Can you imagine? Like we read 00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:24.539 this and we're just like, is Thomas out of his 00:28:24.539 --> 00:28:28.799 mind? He challenged God. He wasn't there. We 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:31.579 don't know why it wasn't there. But he said this, 00:28:31.640 --> 00:28:33.740 even with all these people he knew, who were 00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:36.079 his friends, who had gone through these terrible 00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:38.539 things together with him, seen the great mighty 00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:41.440 miracles of God, and then suddenly say, well, 00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:45.619 I wasn't there. So one, unless I see the prints 00:28:45.619 --> 00:28:48.799 of the nails in his hands, but not just see him, 00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:53.400 I got to actually put my finger in it. Two, and 00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:58.039 then three. my hand into His side. Otherwise, 00:28:58.640 --> 00:29:06.880 I won't believe. Jesus comes again on the eighth 00:29:06.880 --> 00:29:09.319 day. You see this pattern, the eighth day, the 00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:12.339 first day of the new creation. This is why the 00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:17.279 church worships on Sunday. Again, the door is 00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:22.519 shut. And then Jesus stood in their midst, and 00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:26.730 even with Then barely figuring things out even 00:29:26.730 --> 00:29:28.509 with what he's already told them about peace 00:29:28.509 --> 00:29:32.750 even with one guy that he called Saying I don't 00:29:32.750 --> 00:29:36.150 believe it unless I get all these proofs What 00:29:36.150 --> 00:29:42.309 does he say? He stood in their midst and declares 00:29:42.309 --> 00:29:48.309 peace be to you and Then he went and he called 00:29:48.309 --> 00:29:53.980 Thomas out. Can you imagine? But he doesn't walk 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:58.160 up and stick his finger in Thomas's face or his 00:29:58.160 --> 00:30:02.500 chest and say how dare you Instead he says the 00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:07.440 times reach your finger here Look at my hands 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:13.019 reach your hand here put it in my side Do not 00:30:13.019 --> 00:30:17.880 be unbelieving but believing and Thomas answered 00:30:17.880 --> 00:30:22.769 and said to him my lord and my god Every one 00:30:22.769 --> 00:30:25.289 of us in here should rejoice in the second chances 00:30:25.289 --> 00:30:29.849 or chance after chance that God gives us. We 00:30:29.849 --> 00:30:32.069 believe for a moment and then hardship comes 00:30:32.069 --> 00:30:36.490 and we struggle. And we put up, man, if God just 00:30:36.490 --> 00:30:38.710 does this, then I'll believe. And then we believe 00:30:38.710 --> 00:30:40.710 for a short while, then we say, if God just does 00:30:40.710 --> 00:30:48.109 this. He is so kind, so kind. Jesus is long suffering 00:30:48.109 --> 00:30:53.230 for all those whom he has called. And first Timothy, 00:30:53.970 --> 00:30:57.109 it tells us this, however for this reason I, 00:30:57.150 --> 00:31:00.450 this is Paul speaking to Timothy, a pastor he's 00:31:00.450 --> 00:31:04.490 mentoring, I obtained mercy that in me first 00:31:04.490 --> 00:31:08.130 Jesus Christ might show all long suffering as 00:31:08.130 --> 00:31:10.470 a pattern to those who are going to believe on 00:31:10.470 --> 00:31:14.289 him for everlasting life. Remember, Paul was 00:31:14.289 --> 00:31:17.109 Saul, the great persecutor of the church. He 00:31:17.109 --> 00:31:19.190 threw them in jail. He killed them. He persecuted 00:31:19.190 --> 00:31:22.990 them in every way. And Jesus was long -suffering 00:31:22.990 --> 00:31:29.549 to those he called. And this isn't like an isolated 00:31:29.549 --> 00:31:34.390 message by himself. The long -suffering of Jesus 00:31:34.390 --> 00:31:37.730 towards his own is so important that the Apostle 00:31:37.730 --> 00:31:42.390 Peter in 2 Peter points to Jesus' long -suffering 00:31:42.390 --> 00:31:47.019 towards Paul. You don't believe me. Look at our 00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:50.000 brother Paul. He says this in 2 Peter 3, 14. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:53.619 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these 00:31:53.619 --> 00:31:57.319 things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, 00:31:57.880 --> 00:32:00.420 without spot and blameless. And consider that 00:32:00.420 --> 00:32:04.400 the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, 00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:09.799 as also our beloved brother Paul, according to 00:32:09.799 --> 00:32:11.880 the wisdom given to him, has written to you. 00:32:12.329 --> 00:32:15.329 See, he's referencing what Paul had already written 00:32:15.329 --> 00:32:19.450 on these things saying, yes, Jesus is long -suffering. 00:32:19.529 --> 00:32:22.390 He pursues those who are his. You're here this 00:32:22.390 --> 00:32:25.750 morning. Jesus is pursuing you as his people. 00:32:25.809 --> 00:32:28.710 You are his covenant people. Jesus died for you. 00:32:29.069 --> 00:32:31.650 He rose again for you. He ascended to the throne 00:32:31.650 --> 00:32:35.349 for you. And we can be full of joy and gratitude 00:32:35.349 --> 00:32:45.480 for all of this. For Thomas he is blessed, but 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:49.359 Jesus says to us today and all who are afar off 00:32:49.359 --> 00:32:52.460 Thomas you believe because you've seen me But 00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:55.259 blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe 00:32:55.259 --> 00:33:01.960 that's us praise God His peace is given to us 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:04.740 All these words in our text and throughout the 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:07.539 whole of scriptures are given to us that we may 00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:11.869 believe in Jesus the son of God he is our Savior 00:33:11.869 --> 00:33:15.890 and Mediator, and they're all given to us that 00:33:15.890 --> 00:33:19.750 we may have life in His name. Dearly beloved, 00:33:19.990 --> 00:33:23.670 Jesus' death and resurrection restores peace 00:33:23.670 --> 00:33:30.109 with God for the collective of all y 'all. Jesus 00:33:30.109 --> 00:33:32.890 is the firstborn of the new creation and has 00:33:32.890 --> 00:33:36.490 given His church His breath of life and the Holy 00:33:36.490 --> 00:33:41.940 Spirit for service in His kingdom. Let us pray. 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:45.240 Heavenly Father, we thank you that you have been 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:47.460 gracious and long -suffering to us in Christ 00:33:47.460 --> 00:33:50.460 Jesus. We thank you for the peace and new life 00:33:50.460 --> 00:33:53.619 we've received in Christ Jesus. We humbly ask 00:33:53.619 --> 00:33:57.380 you to grant us belief, courage, gratitude, and 00:33:57.380 --> 00:34:00.500 grace. We boldly proclaim the good news of Jesus' 00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:04.119 death, resurrection, and ascension in your glory 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:07.380 and our humbling benefit. We ask all these things 00:34:07.380 --> 00:34:10.409 for the sake of Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus 00:34:10.409 --> 00:34:13.050 Christ, who reigns with you in the Holy Spirit 00:34:13.050 --> 00:34:14.849 forever and ever. Amen.