One peek into the Gospels and we can not only be inspired by the life of Jesus who was fully God, but we are entrusted with the resurrection power to live in the same way He lived as fully a man.
Jesus said, “I do nothing on My own, but only what the Father taught Me.” John 8:28
He also said, “He (the Son of Man) does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.” John 5:19
And so it becomes the same for me. “I shall do nothing of My own, but what Christ Jesus has taught me. Whatever I see Him do, I shall seek to do.”
John 20 tells us the story of Jesus appearing to His frightened disciples.
Jesus had been raised to life and His students were terrified for what this meant.
They were meeting behind locked doors due to their fear of the Jewish leaders when scripture tells us that, “suddenly Jesus was standing there among them.” (verse 19)
The Word tells us, “Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! ‘Peace be with you,’ He said. As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again He said, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.’ Then He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”
Wow.
And embedded within the text we see it. A commission. An order. “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”
Jesus set the standard… He sets the example for us to emulate.
We see Him doing several things:
1.) He stands with the people. (vs 19)
He enters the mess with those He loved… those He considered friends. He stands right with them in their pain and fear and no-doubt still, unbelief.
2.) He speaks peace. (vs 19)
He immediately addresses the felt need among them. Peace. He carries with Him on His very skin peace that quiets their troubled hearts.
3.) He shows them His wounds. (vs 20)
He is not afraid to reveal the marks of injustice on His hands. He shows them the scars from His mistreatment as if to say, “I understand what you’re going through far better than you will ever know.” He relates to their pain and agony.
4.) He opens the Word (vs 22)
Just as prophets in the Old Testament predicted (ex: Ezekiel 36:26-27), the Holy Spirit would come and replace stubborn hearts with responsive hearts, and place within all believers an ability to carefully and fully obey. Jesus was the vessel for such Spirit impartation.
And so becomes my responsibility:
1.) Stand with people.
2.) Speak peace to all storms.
3.) Show my personal wounds to others.
4.) Open up the Word and point to truth.
I must look for ways to do His work and follow His ways.
It’s a responsibility I cannot afford to overlook.
The world needs Jesus and I owe them the encounter I’ve been privileged to experience myself.
Just as He… so must we.
No comments:
Post a Comment