Missionary Renegade: The Daily Guide grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Thursday, 31 March 2016 "Peace—and a purpose

Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Daily Guide grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Thursday, 31 March 2016 "Peace—and a purpose—for frightened disciples"

Daily Scripture: John 20:19 In the evening that same day, the first day of the week, when the talmidim were gathered together behind locked doors out of fear of the Judeans, Yeshua came, stood in the middle and said, “Shalom aleikhem!” 20 Having greeted them, he showed them his hands and his side. The talmidim were overjoyed to see the Lord. 21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated. “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.” 22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh! 23 If you forgive someone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you hold them, they are held.”
Reflection Questions:
Everything the disciples thought they understood about Jesus seemed lost. He was dead, and now his body was missing. The disciples were hiding, afraid the Jewish authorities would come after them next. But no one had stolen Jesus' body. He was still their Messiah, in ways that surpassed their wildest dreams. “Jesus...stood among them" and gave them his peace, his purpose ("As the Father sent me, so I am sending you"), and his power ("Receive the Holy Spirit").

Pastor Hamilton wrote, “God’s work was only begun in Jesus' resurrection….This is why, on the night when the risen Christ finally appeared to his disciples, he breathed on them and said, ‘As the father sent me, so I am sending you’ (John 20:21). What Jesus began, we’re meant to complete.”1 How can you be part of Jesus' work of extending the message of God’s love and forgiveness to others, of restoring the world to what the creator intended?
John kept including clues to remind his readers of the creation stories in Genesis 1-3. After Jesus commissioned the disciples in verse 21, “he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’”—a clear echo of Genesis 2:7. How has Jesus breathed new hope and purpose—new life—into you? In what ways can you tangibly share that peace and wholeness with those around you today?

Today’s Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for defeating death through Jesus’ resurrection. Help me to embrace your peace and purpose, and to trust the Holy Spirit as my power source as I shine your light to those around me. Amen.
1 Adam Hamilton, John: The Gospel of Light and Life. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2015, p. 157.)Insight from Evan Palmer

Evan Palmer has been a member of Resurrection since 2002. Evan graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in International Relations and worships at Resurrection’s Downtown campus.
Do you ever feel like hiding behind locked doors out of fear of facing ‘the world’? Fear can alter the way we react to situations and, at times, paralyze us to no action at all. After Jesus’ crucifixion, I think the disciples were experiencing almost every negative emotion, but especially those highlighted in this passage: fear and lack of purpose or direction. I often feel this way when I do not have God at the forefront of my being. When we turn to our own abilities, we become self-centered, and are left with a desire to serve ourselves. I am thankful Jesus chose to offer His peace, purpose, and power to His disciples in a moment of fear, isolation, and despair. I am thankful these same gifts are offered to us—His disciples—on a daily, momentary basis.
This past week at Bible Study, one of our leaders told us a story that conveys Jesus’ pursuit of mankind in a colloquial, tangible way. She was babysitting a couple of her nephew’s kids, waiting for the other two to come home from school. The bus dropped them off up the hill from her nephew’s home. Once Kim saw the girls, she called their names and began running towards them. As soon as the girls saw her, they began doing the same; running faster and faster the closer they got. Tears filled Kim’s eyes as she began to tell us of the joy in the moment they embraced. “What a great picture,” she said, “of the Lord’s pursuit of us.” Are you pursuing God the way He pursues you? Is it a constant chase, or only when it’s convenient for you?
Jesus came back to the disciples after his crucifixion to offer peace and encourage them in their purpose. As human beings, we need to be constantly reminded of these truths in order to keep our direction. To remember our purpose, we seek after the One who defined it. We no longer have to be paralyzed by our fear or selfish ambitions. We are empowered to serve, offer hope, and breathe new life into others the way our Savior has and does for us each day.