Sunday 11th April 2021

Sunday 11th April 2021

Acts 5: 27-32

John 20 19-31

Introduction

5-year-old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a tin of tomato soup, but he didn't want to go in alone. "It's dark in there and I'm scared." She asked again, and he persisted. Finally, she said, "It's OK—Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it.

He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: "Jesus, if you're in there, would you hand me that tin of tomato soup?" (Charles Allen, Victory in the Valleys.)

Whether it is a 5-year-old child who is scared of the dark or an adult who possesses some other type of fear …fear can be paralyzing. Fear hinders progress and rob us of joy, enthusiasm, and potential. The Christian life is not always easy. We face many battles; we walk through dark valleys and often we have to climb high mountains. Because of the circumstances that we face, we experience a wide range of emotions. We experience discouragement, confusion, uncertainty, fear, doubt and even anger.

But in the midst of all the turmoil, we can still have joy because of Jesus! It has been said that the sweetest fellowship with the Saviour can occur in the most difficult times of life.

If you will look to Him, Jesus will prove the Biblical truth that says, "He will never leave you or forsake you"!

Main Talk After Jesus died and had been placed in that borrowed tomb, His disciples were gathered together behind closed doors and facing several different emotions. These men, had lived through the betrayal of Jesus. They had seen Him seized and arrested. They had first-hand knowledge of the false trial, mocking the scourging of Jesus.

John was there when they nailed Jesus to the Cross, He heard Him cry out "IT IS FINSHED". John watched Him die!

These Disciples lived through what we read in the Gospels. We know how the story ends… at this point they did not. For the past few days they had been grieving the loss of their master. It is likely that some of them were dealing with regret because of their decision to abandon Him. – Not only was this a time of discouragement: it was a time of confusion too. These men had heard from the women that the tomb was empty. Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw the grave clothes and the cloth that was wrapped around His head. After they saw this “the disciples went away again unto their own home”.

Mary remained at the tomb weeping and had an amazing encounter with Jesus.

She then returns and tells the disciples what had happened – “Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her.” Obviously, there was some confusion in the minds of the disciples as to what was going on.

It is also clear that: THIS WAS A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY FOR THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST – These men did not know what the future would hold for them. There were so many variables in their lives at this point they couldn’t grasp what would come next. I am sure they were thinking "what if He really is alive, what will He have to say about us abandoning Him?"


 

There is no telling what was running through the mind of these men as they were gathered in that room. The disciples were rendered useless. They had shut themselves off from the world and could not be used! In recent days, Jesus had been arrested, falsely tried, convicted scourged and crucified. Now the disciples were asking themselves the question… “are we next”?? Would the Jews seek the death of Jesus’ disciples?

The Disciples had some legitimate concerns. They feared for their very lives. Though they were terrified, Jesus brought peace. When He entered the room, He "stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.”

Understand this, no one else could have helped these men at this point and time. That may be where you are today. There are times when no one but Jesus can help us. When we are terrified and hiding in fear, it is Jesus who brings peace!

Jesus knew the Disciples were confused. He knew that they were fearful, grieving and filled with sorrow. When He appeared, He showed them that there was no need to weep for Him because He was ALIVE! He also showed them that there was no need to fear what man could do to them! The enemies had crucified Him but there He stood in victory over death and the grave! He showed them that His promises had been and would be fulfilled.

When they saw Him it finally clicked in their minds what Jesus had said way back in – John 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. But he spoke of the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this to them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

When they saw the wounds in His hands and His feet, this spoke peace and power to their fearful hearts! We have all the evidence we need; we may not see the scars, but we feel His power. We abide in Him and He abides in us. We can feel His presence and we know that He is risen.

There is no excuse for the Church to live as if the Saviour is still in the grave! He is alive and He is in the midst!!

Why did Jesus bother to appear to his disciples?

When He arrived, He brought revival into the lives of His disciples. The things that Jesus did for those first disciples, He can and will do, in our lives today. HE CAME TO BRING PEACE – “Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be upon you.”

Jesus knew their location and their situation; He knew that they were terrified and hiding for fear of the Jews. He loved these men, and wanted to bring them peace. Jesus said unto them, “Peace be unto you.”

Don't miss the fact that Jesus knew exactly where to find these men. They may have been hiding away from the rest of the world, but they couldn't hide from Jesus! No matter what you are facing today, He knows where you are and what you are facing. He loves you and wants you to possess peace as well. If He can speak peace be still and calm a raging storm, He can bring peace to your troubled soul! – Verse 20 shows us that: He came to bring proof. “He showed unto them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad, when they saw the Lord.

Jesus told His followers that He would be resurrected but they could not grasp His truth at the time it was spoken.

Now Jesus has appears bearing the marks of the crucifixion and the Disciples could clearly see that their Master lived! And that JESUS LIVES TODAY for us too!! – Jesus came to bring peace, He came to bring proof and purpose – v21 then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so I send you. Jesus didn’t come to these men to say, “I told you so!” He came because He had a plan for them; He had a purpose for their life! Jesus has a purpose for us! He knows what is best for us and He has equipped us to serve in that capacity.

- Not only does He have a plan for our lives, He will give you the power to accomplish that plan.


 

Notice that: HE CAME TO BRING POWER – v22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit.

He gave these men the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave them all they needed to fulfil His plan for their lives. The book of Acts records how Jesus used this small group of followers to reach the world for His glory.

Those of us who know and have faith in Him, possess this same power. In the beginning, there was not a vast multitude of people following Jesus. The Church began with a small number of people who had met with Jesus. Jesus possesses the same power today that He had back then. Just imagine what He could do if each and every one of us would fully surrender to Him.

Revival starts with meeting with Jesus. He is in our midst today, and He can bring peace, proof, purpose and power into your life! He can also bring peace and fulfilment to men and women who are lost to Him. It is vitally important that each person here realizes that: Every human is a sinner. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; God's penalty for sin is death. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…

In His great love, God has made provision for the salvation of sinners. Romans 5:8 But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Each person must put his trust in God's Son, Jesus Christ. We can’t expect folk to come to Jesus if we don’t fully know Him.

Whether you are saved or lost…. whatever your need may be today, remember that "Jesus Is among us".

Amen.







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