Going deeper week 5 – Personal daily study notes on Jn. 20:19-23
This first church starts out as a fearful and
hopeless band. How has the world been so transformed from such hopeless
beginnings? The answer is in the words of Jesus “receive the Holy Spirit”. How
will we, and our church, have greater impact on this community, our friends,
family and even the world? We must embrace Jesus’ commission and empowering.
Monday: “Peace be
with you
Read John 20:19. The disciples
are shut away in fear and Jesus mysteriously enters the room, by-passing the
locked door. To this group who have deserted Him in the garden, who have lost
faith, who are cowering in fear, He pronounces His peace. To each of us, Jesus
offers His peace – His forgiveness and presence in our lives.
Tuesday: “overjoyed”
Read John 20:20, 16:20. The
disciple’s grief is turned to joy as they perceive that this is Jesus and He
has risen. What else has changed? The Romans and Jewish authorities are still
against them; they are still a small unimpressive group… Jesus being alive
changes our perception even when nothing else changes. Jesus is alive and is
with you today!
Wednesday: “I am sending you”
Read John 20:21, 17:18, 17:20. As Jesus was sent
into the world from heaven to bring salvation, so we have received a commission
from heaven to bring salvation, in Jesus’ name, into this world. Spend some
time ‘hearing’ this commission for yourself and your church again. Pray that we
could be obedient and courageous.
Thursday: “Receive the Holy Spirit”
Read John 20:22, Acts 1:8. How could this fearful bunch carry out Jesus’ mission
in the world? The answer is to “receive the Holy Spirit”. Jesus breathing on
them is not the giving of the Spirit – this will happen at Pentecost (Acts 2),
this is an enacted promise of the Spirit’s gift and empowering. A promise that
is available for us.
Friday: “Receive the
Holy Spirit”
Read John 20:22. “Jesus comes and gives us peace with God. Then he gives us power to do the kinds of things that mere humans can’t do — like
defeating our own selfishness, loving other people, treasuring Christ above
all. With that peace and power he gives us our central purpose for existence:
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (Piper)
Meditate upon and pray out of Matthew 28:19-20
Saturday: “If you forgive… if you don’t forgive”
Read John 20:23, Luke
24:47-49. To put it another
way, the Spirit-filled church, in her mission, declares people forgiven, as
they put their faith in Jesus; she also declares as condemned those who have
not received forgiveness. We are to be confident and robust in our declaration
of the gospel.
You can catch up on all the messages in the
John series at:
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