1. The Risen Christ- His Peace, Power, and Purpose
John 20:19-23

2. John 20:19-23
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

3. How did the risen Jesus act? What did the risen Jesus say?

4. Three Facts and How Jesus Deals with Us
The doors were locked.
V.20: “He showed them his hands and his side.”
Luke 24:39: “Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have”
They were afraid
V.19: “The doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews..”

5. I come to my own when they are afraid
I come to my own when they are afraid. I don’t wait for them to get their act together. I don’t wait for them to have enough faith to overcome fear. I come to help them have enough faith to overcome fear.
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not I am with, be not dismayed, I am your God, I will help you”
3. Jesus comes to them and stands in their midst.
V.19:…”the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them.”

6. Three Gifts in What Jesus Says
Peace be with you
Before Jesus says anything about power or purpose he wants to establish peace.
Ephesians 2:14-18 “He himself is our peace, who has made us both one…and reconciled us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.”

7. A Peace Accomplished
V.20 “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.”
Isaiah 53:5 “I am the one who died, I am the one you abandoned. And I am the one who was “pierced for your transgressions”.

8. Where Peace Comes in Your Life
Peace between us and him
Peace between us and God
Peace between us and others who are in Christ
Galatians 3:28
Peace between us and our own souls
Hebrews 9:14
Peace with the world.
Colossians 1:19-20
Isaiah 9:7

9. Peace with Jesus. Peace with God the Father
Peace with Jesus. Peace with God the Father. Peace with others in Christ. Peace with ourselves. And peace with the world. It was an amazing and awesome achievement.

10. How Do You Receive This Peace?
John 1:12 “To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”
Romans 5:1 “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”

11. The Gift of Peace is Foundational
If we do not have peace with God we will take all his other gifts and use them to try to make peace. And it never works. Peace is first. And it is free. Everything else is the effect of peace, not the cause. It is fruit. Peace is the root.

12. His Power and Purpose
Verses “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 on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

13. Power by the Spirit
Jesus was going to pour out the Holy Spirit when he ascended into heaven- (Acts 2:33)
Acts 1:8 “But you will received power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”
John 20:22 “He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
John 14:18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”

14. Hope
This person-this power- is our only hope for accomplishing the purpose he has for us. And he gives that purpose in verse 21:” As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” I want you to live in the world as my representatives. My ambassadors. I want you to take my peace and take my power, and glorify my Father the way I have (John 12:27-28)

15. Our Central Purpose for Existence
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
I am sending you to extend my peace and my light and my truth and my life in the world. I am going to my Father. But I give you my Spirit. I am the power in you. So go and glorify me in this world.

16. What about John 20:23?
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
When you tell people about what I have done, speaking my word, about my work, in the power of my Spirit, I am the one speaking through you, so that if anyone believes your word, I forgive their sins. And if any does not believe your words, I don’t forgive them. And since you are my voice and my truth, I speak of you forgiving them, and you withholding forgiveness.