JP1: MOVING FROM FEAR TO PEACE AND PURPOSE

John 20:19-22

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.  Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. (ESV) John 20:19-22

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The disciples, shaken by the brutal death of their dear friend Jesus, find themselves locked in a room, full of fear while hiding from the Jewish leaders.  One could say that they had every right to fear. These were the same Jewish leaders who brought Jesus up on false charges, orchestrated his arrest under the cover of darkness, falsely tried Jesus, and influenced Pontius Pilate to flog and execute him.  Into their gripping fears of personal safety and uncertainty about the future, Jesus presents himself fully alive.

Perfectly understanding their fears and concerns, Jesus speaks the calming words, “Peace be with you.”  And, as if to say, the Jewish leaders are powerless over God’s children, Jesus shows them the healed scars in his hands and side - symbols of a victory already won.  Wasting no time on past failures and present fears, Jesus issues new marching orders.  “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”  Bringing clarity to their future, Jesus explains that moving from fear to peace and from uncertainty to purpose starts by unlocking doors to the world and patterning their lives after his. Jesus is saying that the Father led Him to live a life that serves as the pattern for ours today.  

My mom is known for her sewing and decorating skills.  When I was of elementary age, she enrolled me in an ice skating class.  I was so eager to learn how to skate around the ice rink fast and slick like the bigger kids. But, I was unaware that our class would culminate with us dressing up as a troop of green, skating martians to show off our newly acquired skills.  Insisting that I follow through with the show, Mom dutifully bought a sewing pattern and went to work transforming that green, satin fabric into a shiny costume - complete with a pointed hood topped with a pipe cleaner curly cue that only a mother could love.  

My reluctant transformation into a little martian skater all began with my mom applying that pattern to a bolt of fabric.  As Jesus followers, we must move from reluctance to substance in our spiritual life and embrace the truth that Jesus wants me to live - just. like. He. did.  The apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:6 that, “If anyone would call himself a Christian, he must live like Jesus did.” (NIV)

Living like Jesus did begins with trusting Jesus by faith as Savior and Lord.  Through prayer and reliance on the presence of the Holy Spirit we can overcome fear and take steps to reject patterns of living that chain us to Savior substitutes such as; pursuit of the American dream, materialism, individualism, and consumerism.  

Instead, let’s engage our friends, family, and neighbors with acts of love and service and show them a peaceful yet supernatural life that is patterned after Jesus.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Jesus, thank you for living so intentionally that I can now study your life and make it a pattern for mine.  Help me to follow you as Savior and Lord.  Replace my fears with the security and hope of your love and daily presence.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.