Sunday Worship 19 April 2020
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Our readings for today are:
John 20 verses 19 - 31
Jesus appears to his disciples
Peter 1 verses 3 - 9
Praise to God for a living hope
The Disciples were in lock down through fear of what might happen to them! For fear of what the Romans or for that matter the Jewish Authorities too might do to them – all bar Thomas that is, we don’t know where he was or what he was doing!
We too are in lock down, all bar those shopping or working etc. and there is the fear of what Covid-19 might do to us. Or for that matter, what the Police might do too, now that stronger measures have been put in place and people are being fined for being places that they shouldn’t be!
Then for the disciples, all of a sudden and despite the locked door, Jesus materialised in the room beside them and told them to be at peace – 429 times this is said in the Bible so it is of great importance. Fear is meant to help us identify dangers and allow us to avoid them. Yet Jesus told them to Fear not and to be at peace. It is only when we are able to find a place of peace where we can reliably hear the quiet whisper of Jesus speak to our very Souls.
Perhaps it was only after they had calmed down again, as Jesus was speaking to them, he breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit and commissioned them to go spread the good news, that the Kingdom of God has come near, and gave them the authority to forgive sins.
If we are afraid to go to the shops or out for a walk, how can we as modern-day disciples of Jesus, work in the power of the Holy Spirit and forgive sins? But then there is a question of the first order, the question that has to be answered first “How can we forgive others if we can’t forgive ourselves”?
Easter is all about knowing we are forgiven and yet for so many of us the sins of our past or our present are so deep rooted that we “can’t forgive our self”!
Somehow most Christians get it that by Jesus’ flogging we are healed and by his blood we are forgiven – for everyone else that is, but not for us, or so we think! Oh, what a glorious day when the penny drops and we can see we are forgiven too! The cross was for you, just as much as it was for anyone else!
And so it was as the disciples considered what they were being asked to do, still gathered in the same room a week later and this time Thomas was there too when Jesus appeared again and told Thomas to see his hands and to place his fingers in the wound to his side! Instantly he believed that this person before him was Jesus!
Jesus’ words at this point are so important to us today; - Blessed are those who have not seen but believe! These words need to speak directly into our hearts! We who have not seen the risen Lord Jesus and yet choose to believe! That is Faith! Believing “as truth” that which can’t be proven. We like Thomas need to have Faith!
So, in closing, in our second reading Peter reflects on us being blessed, He tells us our faith is worth more than gold. It is through our faith by which we receive the salvation of our souls!
That is why I say to you, Please, allow yourself to strengthen your faith by action. Have a look at Matthew 25 Jesus tells of people helping others and says these words “Whatever you did for the least of these you did for me.” (Matthew 25:34-45). WE never know when we, in serving others may be acting as angels or equally we may be serving angels.
We too are in lock down, all bar those shopping or working etc. and there is the fear of what Covid-19 might do to us. Or for that matter, what the Police might do too, now that stronger measures have been put in place and people are being fined for being places that they shouldn’t be!
Then for the disciples, all of a sudden and despite the locked door, Jesus materialised in the room beside them and told them to be at peace – 429 times this is said in the Bible so it is of great importance. Fear is meant to help us identify dangers and allow us to avoid them. Yet Jesus told them to Fear not and to be at peace. It is only when we are able to find a place of peace where we can reliably hear the quiet whisper of Jesus speak to our very Souls.
Perhaps it was only after they had calmed down again, as Jesus was speaking to them, he breathed on them and gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit and commissioned them to go spread the good news, that the Kingdom of God has come near, and gave them the authority to forgive sins.
If we are afraid to go to the shops or out for a walk, how can we as modern-day disciples of Jesus, work in the power of the Holy Spirit and forgive sins? But then there is a question of the first order, the question that has to be answered first “How can we forgive others if we can’t forgive ourselves”?
Easter is all about knowing we are forgiven and yet for so many of us the sins of our past or our present are so deep rooted that we “can’t forgive our self”!
Somehow most Christians get it that by Jesus’ flogging we are healed and by his blood we are forgiven – for everyone else that is, but not for us, or so we think! Oh, what a glorious day when the penny drops and we can see we are forgiven too! The cross was for you, just as much as it was for anyone else!
And so it was as the disciples considered what they were being asked to do, still gathered in the same room a week later and this time Thomas was there too when Jesus appeared again and told Thomas to see his hands and to place his fingers in the wound to his side! Instantly he believed that this person before him was Jesus!
Jesus’ words at this point are so important to us today; - Blessed are those who have not seen but believe! These words need to speak directly into our hearts! We who have not seen the risen Lord Jesus and yet choose to believe! That is Faith! Believing “as truth” that which can’t be proven. We like Thomas need to have Faith!
So, in closing, in our second reading Peter reflects on us being blessed, He tells us our faith is worth more than gold. It is through our faith by which we receive the salvation of our souls!
That is why I say to you, Please, allow yourself to strengthen your faith by action. Have a look at Matthew 25 Jesus tells of people helping others and says these words “Whatever you did for the least of these you did for me.” (Matthew 25:34-45). WE never know when we, in serving others may be acting as angels or equally we may be serving angels.
Please pray with us |
Father God please fill us with your peace, that special peace that can’t be explained that we may be able to trust you enough to answer your call on us “to help others”, whether in prayer or in deed as you see fit. May you use us to be their angels. To your glory alone. Amen
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