This past weekend I was preaching from Luke 10 as part of a three-week series that is looking to focus our church on the mission to which God has called us. As often happens in research and study for a sermon there are many texts and passages of Scripture that I encounter and pour over that do not make it into the final sermon that is preached. Although, often times those passages may not make it into the final outline of the sermon, but the Holy Spirit prompts me to bring those Scriptures out in the course of preaching. In saying all of this, one passage this week that had been part of my preparation for this past Sunday’s sermon since I began preparation some time ago was John 20:21. I had even included it in the sermon notes I had sent out earlier in the week, yet I did not cover it this past Sunday. If you had ever wondered how a sermon finally makes its way into the pulpit, now you know a little more then you did before you started reading this blog post.
John 20:21 states, “So Jesus said to them, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’” (NASB) This passage really revolves around the presence of Christ. I often remind people that peace is not the absence of trouble but rather the presence of Christ. Jesus appeared to the disciples when they were in the midst of great fear in their lives. The disciples believed in the resurrection at this moment, not because that Jesus had promised, but rather because He stood in their presence. At this moment He promises them the power and presence of the Holy Spirit and sends them out into the world. The mission of Jesus was not ending but rather it was continuing in a greater way. Does John 14:12 come into view here as Jesus did promise, “Truly, Truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” All that is happening here points to the fact the risen Christ was going to carry on His saving work through His messengers on earth, and this message was to go forward powered by the Holy Spirit.
I thought about ending in my previous paragraph, but I want to continue my thought here. Is this how the church is acting at this very moment? Okay, we all have those moments where perhaps our faith is not as strong and active as it can be, but I am not talking about that. Does belief in Jesus lead us to action as Jesus has called us? As you ponder your answer here remember what Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed” (John 20:29). Are you feeling blessed today, were you blessed in the past, will we be blessed in the future, will we be blessed beyond all comprehension in eternity? The world is being shaken up right now. I would say that all of our lives have been shaken up at some point this past year. I am even going to go out on a limb and say that some are so shaken that they are cowering as the disciples did after the death of Jesus. Is God surprised right now about what is happening in the world, because of the pandemic, or what happened in our nation’s capital? We all know the answer to that question. Does God’s Word not say, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)?
What is your faith doing right now? Faith is an action, faith is based on Jesus, and Jesus has promised us that we will do greater things because of Him. To steal the old Nike slogan, “Just do it.”