FRESH BREATH

 

APRIL 28, 2023

^{JOHN 20:21-22}

 

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

Well this week, we have been in the room with Jesus followers. A gathering of grieving, wounded, disappointed, confused, and fearful disciples who needed comfort and peace and calm. We have noted that Jesus showed up to them, and with his appearance there was a sense of comfort and calm that filled the room because of Jesus presence, and power, and words, and peace and wounds and the overflowing and abundant love of Jesus that was so manifest in the room.

I would like us to end the week by also noting that comfort came upon these followers by the gift of the Spirit. Jesus didn't just speak peace to them, He breathed on them. And as He did, He said, "receive the spirit." And the same spirit that came upon these Easter People in the Gospel, is the same spirit that is poured out on all of us as we receive power to serve Jesus, as we receive power to see our situations and circumstances with certainty and promise, to see the ability of Jesus to bring new life into our most trying and difficult places.

I know I say the following a lot, but it is because it is true and I want all of us to live out of this truth. Whatever you're dealing with there is power through God’s Spirit for you. It's the same power Jesus gave his followers in that room. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead has been given to His followers for abundant living, has been given, so that we can do what we have been called to do. Did you notice in our reading that Jesus said a second time “Peace be with you!” and then offered the words of commission, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John’s Gospel goes on to record “And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

I believe, even now Jesus is breathing on his people, breathing the Spirit into these moments, breathing life into his word as it goes out from faithful witnesses. And no matter what you're feeling or what your emotional state is like today, can I just remind you again what we have noticed this week, I believe that right now, Jesus is in your room, right where you are. Fear can not keep Him out. Locked doors can not keep Him out. Overwhelming hardships cannot keep him out. Jesus is there with you wanting to breathe his spirit on you, wanting to fill you with power and peace.

LET US PRAY

God, we pray for a fresh breath from heaven, a sense of comfort and calm because of your presence and your power and your peace and your wounds and your victory and your love for us. Amen.