MAN IN THE MIDDLE

 

APRIL 25, 2023

^{JOHN 20:19-22}

 

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

 

I like how the J.B. Phillips translation puts verse 19. It says, in the evening-- so that means it's also dark. When it's dark out, it's scary. When it's dark out, it's foreboding. So, when it was dark, when this says they were met together with the doors locked for fear-- there was fear in their hearts-- Jesus came and stood-- notice-- right in the middle of them, right in the middle of them. They're huddled up, and He appeared right in the middle of their circumstance and said, peace be with you.

What comfort Jesus’ presence must have brought to his grieving, fearful, and disappointed followers. Jesus, their loving Lord, inserted himself in the middle of their mess. It was messy, don’t you think? I really believe this is a word from God for our country and for this world and for our church in this moment, and for you personally that right in the middle of what you are facing, of what we are going through is where Jesus shows up. Like He did when the disciples were on the sea, he's going to show up right in the middle of what you are facing. And when He shows up, I really want you to hear this, When Jesus shows up you can expect to be calmed. You can expect to know peace. Jesus will always speak those words “Peace be with you” and they will calm you.

The Bible says that Jesus showed up and the outcome was the disciples were calmed by his presence. I want you to see in this text that the presence of Jesus made all the difference, for how they went out was the exact opposite of how they came in. They came in afraid. They came in all hunched over.  And they went out triumphant. They went out bold. They went out comforted. 

Because Jesus is the Prince of Peace. What that means then is Jesus doesn't give peace. He is peace.  Jesus doesn't give us peace. He is peace, and that's how He could speak to the situation in our gospel, the words of promise: “I give you my peace.”  In Ephesians 2:14, Paul tells us, “Jesus, Himself, is our peace.” Peace is the presence of God. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace and He is present in a situation, then even in trouble, you can have peace. Amen?

So right now, right there in the midst of your situation, Jesus offers his perfect peace because He is your peace. What I have discovered is that in growing closer to Jesus, we are always moving closer to peace, and we are calmed by his presence.

I want that for you today!!