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John 20.19-23 (ESV)
19 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.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Have you ever seen the movie Storks? It’s a great movie and one which I can easily recommend to you. In the movie, storks have changed their profession. They used to deliver babies, but now they deliver packages for global internet giant Cornerstore.com. A stork named Junior is the company’s top delivery stork and he is in line to be promoted to become the boss.
Junior is about to be given the reigns of the company; he is about to become the boss and it’s something that he has always dreamed of even though he has no idea what it means or what to do if he becomes the boss.
“Being given the reigns,” that’s the phrase that popped into my mind as I read this passage. In our passage, Jesus is giving the reigns to the disciples, but he doesn’t simply hand things over and then leave the disciples to come up with their own plans. Instead, Jesus gives the disciples some amazing gifts.
First, Jesus gives them the gift of presence. So much happens on this day of the resurrection. There were all the events that unfolded that morning with Mary becoming the first Christian and the first missional disciple, and now in the evening, Jesus suddenly appears standing in the midst of the disciples despite the locked doors. Jesus is alive and He is real, not a ghost or some sort of apparition. The disciples see the physical evidence of Jesus' resurrection: His wounded hands and side. Jesus is real and is a present presence with the disciples and the disciples rejoice in His presence.
Second, the gift of peace. Before the disciples were filled with fear, doubt, and confusion. As far as they could tell the whole movement was over and they were wondering if the next knock on the door was from the authorities who had come to take them away as well.
But now, Jesus tells them, “Peace be with you.”
When Jesus talks about peace it’s something entirely different than the world’s definition of peace. Peace for the world is often something that is circumstantial.
However, the biblical meaning of “peace” is much wider, much richer and deeper.
Biblically, “peace” carries the understanding of completeness or wholeness. It’s a condition and a state of being that exists for a person despite their circumstances. This peace is a condition of a persons’ life as they live in relationship with Jesus.
Third, the gift of purpose and mission. It’s actually mind-blowing when you think about what Jesus has just said. A more literal translation would be, “Just as the Father has sent me, so now I am sending you.”
“Just as…”. The disciples of Jesus are sent outward just as Jesus was sent.
All throughout John’s Gospel we have the clear understanding that Jesus is sent by God beginning with that famous verse from John 3:16. Now Jesus sends His disciples out into the world just as the Father sent Him. They, and we, have an incredible mission to proclaim the Gospel message of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, and new life found in and through a relationship with His Son Jesus and all that He has accomplished.
You are His ambassador, sent out to live for Jesus and tell others about the life that is found in relationship with Him.
But we don’t do this on our own. There is one more gift that Jesus gives, the gift of the Holy Spirit. I love what Dale Bruner said about the giving of this gift in his commentary on the passage. He noted that the only way the disciples could have missed receiving the Holy Spirit would have been by ducking when Jesus breathed on them.
The Spirit is given to everyone who entrusts their life to Jesus and the Spirit will do amazing things in and through you: reminding you of all that Jesus said and did, drawing you into the presence of Jesus, and empowering you to be Jesus’ missional disciple right where you’re planted as His witness in the world.
Are you ready? Time to get going.
God bless you and know that you are constantly in my prayers.
Scott
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