Seeing Jesus Alive: The Disciples

What is the one thing you fear the most? Ever been so afraid you could not move? Frozen in fear!

Zip line — Frozen

Fear can either prevent us from doing something...going forward...or it can motivate us to something...

The “freeze” response occurs when our brains decide we cannot take on the threat nor are we able to escape. Often when this happens our bodies might remain still, unable to move, numb or “freeze”.

The disciples — Frozen in fear — Behind locked doors — Jesus alive

SERIES — (Acts 1:3) Jesus Appeared to many people over a 40 day period

— Women/Men — 500 believers (1 Cor. 15:6) — Disciples — one on one/Groups/Crowds

No doubt that Jesus risen, yet some still needed assurance. Jesus came to each as they had need

— Mary Magdalene:SORROW/Good shepherd — Emmaus: DISAPPOINTMENT/Prophets — Peter: WEAKNESS: Assurance/Strength — Thomas: DOUBT/See — Saul: LIFE/Transforming grace

(S) — Behind locked doors — The disciples — In their FEAR needed PEACE —

John 20:19 (NIV)

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Jesus alive was good news! Yet, his appearance was more then just to calm their fears. What this peace was for the disciples, and for us still today. A peace that was meant for salvation!

PRAY

(S) — CONTEXT

John 20:19 (NIV)

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders...

First day (20:1, 26) — Mary/Thomas

Jewish Calendar — Saturday Safe — Sunday/Fear

The first day? God created...

Genesis 1:3-5

Disciples — Ten — Judas/Thomas

Matthew 28:10 “Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.””

Behind Locked Doors for Fear religious leaders — Safe? Temporary/life — RESTRAINED, unable to move...

Dad/brothers/caught

What can keep us frozen in fear? Keep us from moving forward? Grief/sorrow — Disappointment/Doubt — Weakness/self confidence

Jesus brings them peace — From behind locked doors

(S) —

John 20:19–20 (NIV)

Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

Surprise? Jesus had told them — Tomb/stone — Easier for us — We know the story

Acts 2:24 “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Jesus alive stood Among them — in the actual presence of — Not a ghost — More than a Vision

Theophany — “Two Greek words God/Appearance”

Mt Sinai — Abraham — Issac — Jacob — John (Rev 4-5)

Jesus alive was the real thing — His Greeting was proof

Peace be with you (Shalom) — Wish for well being — “Be well”

The importance of greeting or salutations in this culture.

France(air kisses) — Asia(bowing)— Touching noses/foreheads — Tibet, Buddhist monks(sticking their tongue out)

(S) — Jesus greets them as he had before his death.

Jesus ALIVE — In your fear you can know PEACE!

The peace of God in the presence of God — Peace we can know today

The presence of God can be frightening! Their greater fear: Seeing Jesus alive...

What did they expect him to say? Rebuke them sharply for hiding? Peter/John/empty tomb — Not believing Mary

Seeing Jesus alive — meant they were vulnerable — Jesus knew them in all their flaws...

Jesus KNOWS me ALL TO WELL…But he LOVES me ALL TO WELL to LET ME GO!

(S) —Jesus could have rebuked them, instead — he greets them with His peace!

Jesus ALIVE — In your WEAKNESS you can find Peace

Romans 8:1-2 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus...

Paul had much to fear —

2 Corinthians 12:10 “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

What would you expect Jesus to say to you...

“If your view of God is that at the moment of your biggest failure, he looks at you and says, “I am so disappointing in you.” YOU HAVE THE WRONG GOD!.

(S) — In your weakness you can find peace...

John 20:20 (NIV)

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.

Jesus in the flesh — Remnants of his human suffering! Reminder of the brokenness in the world, why people need Jesus. Who showed us how he lived in a world filled with things that leave scars

Scars heal, but they always leave a mark so we don’t forget

That disciples had scars of regrets, fear, disappointment, shame, loss...

(S) — The world still leaves scars today — What are your scars? Hurt — Trauma — Abuse — neglect...

Jesus ALIVE — In your SCARS you can have peace!

Coming to peace with your loss— See Jesus for who he is as God is — Loving, forgiving, merciful, compassionate...

Scar on my Knee from a fall — My Mothers compassion

Scars kept the disciples in locked rooms, until they saw Jesus alive — How can Jesus’ peace unlock the hurts in your life?

(S) — Jesus alive you can find peace in your scars

John 20:21 (NIV)

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

The O.T. God was always calling and sending“

Jeremiah 1:7 “The Lord said me, ’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you.”

It wasn’t always easy, in fact it rarely ever was...

Ezekiel 2:4 “The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn.

Over 30 times in John that Jesus was sent by God.” — The one who is sent also sends...

John 17:18 “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”

(S) — God sent…Jesus was sent…the disciples were sent…followers of Jesus are sent...

Jesus ALIVE — In your life, peace gives you PURPOSE!

I am sending you — The peace is more than Shalom — It’s an INVITATION or CALLING to a greater calling — God’s story is your story

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

A peace that was never meant just for the disciples. Kept behind locked doors. A peace meant for those who would receive it.

If you know the peace of Christ, then you can find purpose in your peace!

(S) —

John 20:22–23 (NIV)

And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

First day of the week — Creation — God spoke (breath) — Life

Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

This peace is Jesus Alive IN YOU — Going there — Pentecost

(S) — More than Shalom — Peace in our FEARS— Peace in our WEAKNESS — Peace in our SCARS — Peace with PURPOSE

A greater peace that was meant for the salvation of the world...Fear can either prevent us from doing something...going forward...or it can motivate us to something...

Seeing Jesus alive — would unlock doors that would bring peace to the world through salvation found only in Christ alive!

Seeing Jesus alive — Afraid? yes! but they came to know peace — Still sinners? Yes! In their weakness they found peace — Did their scars remain? Yes. But they came to have peace — In Jesus’ very own breath they found peace that gave them purpose.

There fear — From circumstantial to missonal

Acts 26:15-18 ““Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’”

Because they saw jesus alive…20 the disciples were overjoyed! From unlocked doors...

What you you expect Jesus to say to you today? Shalom....

In your fears you can know peace — In your weakness you can find peace — In your scars you can have peace — In your life peace gives you purpose...so others can know the peace of the risen and living Jesus!

Jesus comes to you right where you have need...

To live as a follower of Jesus is to accept the invitation and claim God’s call on your life.

What will you do with the peace that Jesus alive brings?