Peace and Power

John 20: 19-22

Visualize with me that scene in the Upper Room.
Christ had been killed by His enemies.
Loving hands had tenderly laid His precious body in the tomb.
A Roman seal had been set up on that tomb.
It appeared that the Roman power had done their work and was satisfied.
The anger of the Jews had not diminished.
They had destroyed the leader of this new sect and now they would exterminate His followers.

The disciples were afraid.
The Shepherd of their little flock was gone, and now their enemies would scatter the sheep.
That little band gathered for fellowship, for strength, and to consult with each other.

It takes affliction to bring God's children together, and It takes the terrible storms to gather the flock.
So often, the hours of testing in a church bind our hearts in new and stronger ties of love and fellowship.
A common danger brings a common love.
Adversity is a mighty force that can bind and bless.

It was the evening of the first day of the week.
The first day of the week -- blessed day!
On that first day the most stupendous event of history took place.
This occurrence should cause all of us to rejoice.

Christ will come to you through the barriers of your life, through the locked doors of doubt
and through the veil of your tears.
Today, He will come into the upper room of your heart and show you the scars
of the nails in His hands.
Today, you will hear Him say so clearly and comforting, "Peace I leave with you,
my peace I give unto you."

Christ will speak a word of peace to you.
"Peace, perfect peace; with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.
Peace, perfect peace! Our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.
It is enough: earth's struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus' call to heaven's perfect peace."

Jesus said, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." (John 20: 21)
Christ was sent by the Father on a tremendous mission.
Christ sends us on the same mission.
We must have a new vision of the mission to which we have been called.
What a tremendous privilege for us and as a church to participate with Christ
in such a mighty undertaking!
We are laborers together with our Lord.

Christ was sent by the Father on a mission of redemption with the message of mercy.
Jesus said, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus came to seek and save those that were lost.
We are to participate with Christ in that wonderful work.

Our main mission as individuals and as a church is to seek the lost.
This is our task and our duty every day.
Christ completed His part of the task.
He could say, "It is finished."

Shall you and I fail in our part of the mission?
"Seeking the lost, yes, kindly entreating
Wanderers on the mountain astray;
'Come unto me,' His message repeating,
Words of the Master speaking today.

Thus would we go on missions of mercy,
Following Christ from day to day;
Cheering the faint, and raising the fallen,
Pointing the lost to Jesus, the way."

He spoke a word of power.
He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." (Verse 22)
We cannot participate with Christ in this urgent mission unless we have received
the power of the Holy Ghost.
It is not in our strength that God's work is done.
Divine work is done by Divine power.

"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."
The power of the Holy Spirit is a purging power.
God will not use unclean vessels.
I pray that God will open all our hearts afresh for the purifying power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the first requisite for service.

God will withhold His presence in power from His children until sin is put out of their lives.
Let the Holy Spirit search and probe our hearts.
"Our blessed Redeemer, ere He breathed
His tender last farewell,
A guide, a comforter, bequeathed;
With us to dwell.

And every virtue we possess,
And every victory won,
And every thought of holiness,
Are His alone."

The Holy Ghost came upon the disciples at Pentecost,
and they went out witnessing for Christ full of heavenly power.
A study of the Book of the Acts shows that those who were filled with the Holy Spirit
were full of power.