Leave the Room

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, church. I want to invite you to open your copy of God’s Word and join me in John chapter 20.

John 20:19–23 “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. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.””

It is possible to believe the tomb is empty and still live as though Jesus were dead. That is where we find the disciples on resurrection evening—doors locked, hearts shaken, hope collapsed. The Man who promised the kingdom has been crucified, and they fear that they will be next. Easter morning has dawned, but the reality and the power of Easter has not yet dawned in their souls.

Many Christians live there: forgiven, but fearful; saved, but silent; redeemed, but stuck. They know the truth of the resurrection but not the power of it. They believe in Jesus, but they do not follow Him into the world. They stay behind locked doors—locked by shame, guilt, fear, busyness, apathy, and the quiet suffocation of spiritual hesitation.

Into that room the risen Jesus comes—not to scold, but to send; not to shame, but to empower. He speaks peace into fear, He shows scars into shame, He breathes power into weakness, and He sends sinners into the world with the only word that can save a soul: the forgiveness of sins.

The power of the resurrection of Jesus enables us to LIVE SENT.

So, what does it mean to “live sent”? Does it mean that you go to work tomorrow and beat everybody over the head with the Bible? Does it mean that you need to go on the street corner and preach? Does it mean you’ve got to sign up for every mission trip we offer?

Simply put, “living sent” means this:

I belong to Jesus, I’ve been changed by Jesus, and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, I bear witness about Jesus…all because Jesus is alive.

I want you to say that with me (because I want us to commit this to memory and really embrace this).

Living Sent means…I belong to Jesus, I’ve been changed by Jesus, and, empowered by the Holy Spirit, I bear witness about Jesus.

This is what we see as the pattern in the New Testament. The disciples—they meet Jesus, they’re changed by Jesus, they’re empowered by the Spirit, and they bear witness to Jesus.

This is the life God wants you for. This is what you have been saved for. You have been saved for MORE. This is the abundant life!

Breakdown:

I belong to Jesus. When you got saved…But, listen to me…salvation isn’t just about not getting out of hell and going to heaven when you die. We cannot divorce salvation from Lordship. You BELONG to Jesus. He has purchased you, by His blood, for His glory.

Changed by Jesus. When Jesus saves you, He changes you. This doesn’t mean that you’re going to live a perfect and sin-free life. Everything changes…ONGOING change (sanctification).

Empowered by the Spirit…you cannot live the Christian life apart from the power of the Holy Spirit.

I bear witness about Jesus. Everything in my life…because of the change…because of the power of the Holy Spirit…my life declares the gospel—my marriage…etc.

And, all of this is because of the resurrection of Jesus.

Now, let’s go back to the disciples. We know their story. They’re on this wild ride with Jesus for 3.5 years. They’re walking and living alongside Jesus—GOD IN HUMAN FLESH. They’re seeing Jesus raise the dead. They’re seeing him restore sight to the blind and give hearing to the deaf. They’re hearing him teach and speak the words of God—they’re watching him display His power in not just the miraculous healings but in the forgiving of sins! They’re even sent out by Jesus to do ministry in His power!

And then, we see them in the book of Acts. We see the Holy Spirit come upon them in Acts 2 and giving them the gift of tongues. We see Peter preaching to 3,000 at the temple and everyone getting saved. We see them doing miracles and signs and wonders in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now, I’m not saying that we have the same gifts as the apostles. I’m not saying that…

I AM saying, however, that if you’re saved…you belong to Jesus JUST AS MUCH as the apostles. I AM saying that if you’re saved, Jesus has worked the power of new birth/new life in you just as much as he did in them…you have the SAME Holy Spirit (same amount) dwelling in you and empowering you and you have the SAME purpose of bearing witness to Jesus.

You may be like…“I hear that, but that’s not where I am. That’s just not me.” Good news...welcome to the party. I want us to see where the disciples found themselves between their heyday with Jesus and Pentecost (???)…

We were saved to live sent. Satan wants us to live stuck.

We were saved to live belonging to Jesus—under His Lordship and authority, in a growing relationship with Him…to live changed by Jesus…empowered by the Holy Spirit and bearing witness about Jesus…

You’ve probably heard someone say—God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That’s so true. But, here’s what’s also true—Satan hates you and wants to destroy your life.

Here, in our text, we see a group of men who belonged to Jesus, had been changed by Jesus, had been part of the ministry of Jesus but, now, they were stuck. They were hiding. We were saved to live sent. Satan wants us to live stuck

Too many Christians live stuck behind a locked door. And, that door…that room…is fear.

Look again…verse 19—”the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews.” Why are they afraid of the Jews? Well…just a couple of days ago, they killed Jesus. So…they kill the leader, now they’re going to go round up his followers. This is taking place on Sunday night…think back to Thursday night. We see this fear already present…Peter—he’s so fearful that he denies Jesus three times!

What do I do if I find myself “in the room”? Behind the locked door of fear?

Whatever door you’ve locked cannot keep Jesus out. His work, His peace, His power…nothing you try to do to keep yourself locked in the room can keep the resurrected Jesus out.

I want you to see what Jesus does…

Receive, by faith...

1. The resurrection peace of Christ. - Again…they’re locked behind the doors because of the fear of the Jews.

- Fear paralyzes us. Fear keeps us locked up.

Fear of defeat

Fear of shame—all of them except John had fled. What if everyone finds out who I really am?

Fear of guilt—sin

Fear of fear/disappointment—I’ve tried and failed over and over again…I’m so inconsistent in my faith/obedience.

FEAR OF STEPPING OUT—some of you…you know that God is calling you to step out in obedience but fear has you locked in the room.

- This is so important—the first thing Jesus does…and he does it TWICE—“Peace be with you.” He gives them his peace. Peace that dispels their fear.

Peace isn’t elusive. It isn’t something that we’ve got to go find…In their darkest/most fearful moment, PEACE—the Prince of Peace—broke into the room and filled the room with HIS presence.

Not only did Jesus give them PEACE, He gave them PROOF.

2. The resurrection work of Christ. - The scars…proof of His victory over your sin…taking your guilt and condemnation. His scars are proof that he has won the victory for you.

Do you think Satan wants that for you? No! He came to steal, to kill, and to destroy. He doesn’t want you living in obedience to the authority of King Jesus. He wants you to go back to your old way of life. He wants you to look like the world—to love the world and the things of the world.

He wants to keep you stuck in your past. In your shame and in your guilt. Jesus bears the scars for your freedom.

Jesus gives them PEACE, he gives them PROOF, and He gives them POWER.

3. The resurrection power of Christ.  - Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on them.

- Clarify—this isn’t Pentecost. Acts 2 // Pentecost is the corporate pouring out of the Holy Spirit on the larger gathering of believers. EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING of the apostles for the work they would do in the birth and growth of the Church. What Jesus does here in John 20 in breathing the Holy Spirit on them is a personal impartation of the Spirit, often interpreted as an initial indwelling for regeneration, peace, or preparatory empowerment in their role as apostles.

Here’s the point—the impartation of the H.S. is the impartation of resurrection power that now dwells in the believer.

- The power that raised Jesus from the dead—the HOLY SPIRIT—now dwells in believers. You have the resurrection power of Jesus dwelling in you as a born again new creation in Christ!

Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

Do you think Satan wants you to live the Spirit empowered life? He wants you to live defeated and not filled with the Holy Spirit and to be apathetic and not have any impact for the kingdom of God. He doesn’t want you in a growing relationship with Jesus…becoming more and more like him…loving him more and more every day. He doesn’t want you in the word of God. He doesn’t want you praying. For many of you—the greatest weapon of the enemy in your life is busyness—I don’t have “time.”

Help others “leave the room…”

Bigelow Life Group

Langley

INVITATION

Do you belong to Jesus?

Are you locked in the room of fear? Are you living “stuck” or are you living “sent”?

God’s pathway to freedom—confess, believe, receive.

You may need to come to the altar this morning.