Got Peace?

That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” [John 20.19-23]

It would serve Bible readers well to consider something about this passage. Jesus repeated these words: “Peace be with you,”

Why, do you suppose, Jesus repeated this sentence?

If we answer the question above accurately, we will have begun to understand everything Jesus came to earth to do. And, isn't that the goal? In today's OYCB reading, as Jesus walked and talked with the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24.13-24) He discussed how He was the subject of all the writings of Moses and the prophets (pretty much "all the Bible" as the world knew it at that time). In so doing, Jesus 'connected the dots' between Himself and all Scripture effectively saying, "Everything has gone as planned!"

So, how do we feel when everything has gone as planned? We feel peace. And, peace is the very thing Jesus spoke over them twice when He appeared to them in the account above. From the beginning of time, God had a plan, and, at this point in time, all had gone as planned. Therefore, Jesus conveyed peace.

Here is how I see the passage above: Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” twice for two different reasons. The first time Jesus said “Peace be with you,” He was speaking over His completed work - the plan of God up to this point in time. However, the second time Jesus said “Peace be with you,” He specifically assigned His followers the exact same ministry He had just fulfilled, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

But, how in the world could the disciples ever accomplish the plan of God from this point in time forward as did Jesus? Oh, that we would ask ourselves this question every day! How indeed do we accomplish the plan of God for our time? In Jesus' own words in John 20.19-23, we find the critical answer, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Every single thing Jesus did to fulfill God's plan was by the working of the Holy Spirit. More specifically, Jesus defined the work of the Holy Spirit as forgiveness. I can only speak for myself right here, but when I forgive, I have peace. Everything Jesus spoke and everything Jesus did (miracles included) were the product of His forgiveness. He did that ministry well and the end result was peace. 

We will know we are in the ministry of Jesus (as the Father sent Him and He sent us) when we operate from the position of forgiveness and there is peace!

It is worth stating here that to look upon the world today through any other lens than the lens of forgiveness is to be a ship adrift on the ocean of life with no sail. It is pointless, it will have no meaning, no fulfillment, and therefore, it will have no peace.

There is peace in doing God's will. God's will is no mystery to us because Jesus showed us exactly what to do - all accomplished from the position of forgiveness:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” [Luke 4.18-19]

How do I know this is all done from the position of forgiveness? Because forgiveness is God's favor. God's favor has come in Jesus and therefore, God's favor has come in us (because we are sent by Jesus as He was sent by God)! We know this plan is at work when there is peace.

Wow, John 20.19-23 reveals a LOT!

Father, help me today and every day, when I have lost the way of peace, to re-center my life on forgiveness - to re-focus on bringing Good News to the poor, proclaiming that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of Your favor has come!