“Peace Enters As Christ Enters! (P.E.A.C.E)”

By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

April 18, 2009

SCRIPTURE:
"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." (John 20:19-23, NIV)

BACKGROUND:
Earlier in John 20, the disciples learn that Jesus came back to life and was not in the tomb anymore. They realize He had RISEN!

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what do we learn about the disciples?
1. On the evening of Sunday night, the disciples were together.
2. On the evening of Sunday night, they had all the doors locked for fear of the Jews.

INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself why the disciples feared the Jews?
The disciples knew that Jesus had risen as head knowledge but they had not experienced it personally in their lives so the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, did not transform them yet. They had not experienced the power of the RISEN CHRIST and were as cowardly as they were when the soldiers came to take Jesus away for His crucifixion on Friday. But something happened on Sunday night that began the transformation in their lives.

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what did the disciples experience on Sunday night later?
1. Amidst the locked doors, Jesus came and stood among them.
2. Jesus said, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU'
3. Jesus showed them His hands and side.
4. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
5. Jesus again said, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU'
6. Jesus said, 'As the Father has sent me, I am sending you'
7. Jesus breathed on them and said, 'RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT'

I decided to look at POINT 5 today:

POINT 5: 'Jesus again said, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU'

INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself what is significant about 'Jesus again said, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU'?'
No matter what the disciples were going through, Jesus came there to instill PEACE in them. Jesus wanted them to have PEACE. That's why Jesus emphasized it the second time and said the words, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU' again. Those are powerful words. This time Jesus said it after showing them His hands and side. This time Jesus said it after they were overjoyed.

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. No matter what is happening around me or what I am afraid of, Jesus wants me to rest in Him. I can find my PEACE in the Lord. Just as Jesus said, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU' again to the disciples, Jesus is there to give me PEACE time after time. Jesus is there to give you PEACE too!

I ask you now dear friend, what will give you P.E.A.C.E. in life?
Dear friend, it has to be more than things going your way. It is exciting to know that we can have the PEACE, the Lord offers always whether things are going our way or not. This is what Jesus came to give the disciples and this is what Jesus offers those that belong to Him. You and I belong to Him when we turn our lives over to Him and let Him be the Lord and Savior of our lives.

I think about the things that have gone wrong and if I dwell on those things there is no peace. If you dwell on things that have gone wrong, you cannot find peace too.

Only true peace and contentment in our lives can come when our lives are so focused on our Lord and Savior. It can come when we realize the dept of Christ's love for us and how wide, deep, and long His love is for us.

When we claim the promises of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will have PEACE because His promises are there to give you and me peace.

Friend, right now you maybe having trouble with your job, with finals, with academics and what to do in life, relationships, etc but through it all it is awesome to know that you and I can rest in the One who gave His life for us.

Instead of focusing on the problems itself look for the solution in Christ and in His timing. Turn your fears and worries into prayers through the Word of God. I take Psalms and turn them into prayers and so can you! Praise the Lord!

Jesus who spoke to the disciples and said again, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU', Jesus is speaking to you right now with these words no matter what you are going through and says, 'PEACE BE WITH YOU'

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.?" (John 14:27, NIV)

Peace will be with you when you depend on Christ for He is the Prince of Peace. Praise the Lord! Peace enters as Christ enters!

"Peace Enters As Christ Enters! (P.E.A.C.E)/"What will give you P.E.A.C.E in life?"

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you so much and I know you love me more than words can say. Oh Lord, you know the things in our lives that crowd out the peace that comes from knowing you and depending on you. We thank you that amidst whatever we are facing, you are here to give us your peace. Thank you so much Jesus, we can rest in your peace. It is your peace I want to rest in Lord. Help us to always depend on you waiting on you Lord. Take our fears and worries. Thank you we know that you have plans for us and they are plans for good and not for evil to give us a future and a hope. Help Oh Lord. Thanks so much Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

May you experience the POWER OF CHRIST'S RESURRECTION this day, and give Him the LOCKED areas of your life too so you can experience His PEACE as you become an ACTOR in the film called LIFE being directed by your DIRECTOR, JESUS CHRIST who comes to give JOY and PEACE.

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to live out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo shared this example this past Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is alive and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and live with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and restore us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (Colossians 5:17-21, NIV)

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

May you come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior becoming His offspring so you can spend Eternity with Him. He is waiting for you. Come as you are. Please do not reject the gift of God.

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart and finding your new identity in Christ Jesus.

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for foreshadowing once again about SAVING US when you spoke to the disciples about the KERNEL OF WHEAT. Thanks for dying for our sin so we can have Eternal Life and be saved when we turn to you. The previous day, you allowed Mary to wash your dirty/stinking feet. Anything you do has a reason and you foreshadowed what you would do for us one day on the cross. You washed away all our sins with your precious cleansing blood on the cross. Thank you so much Jesus.  No matter what we have done or where we have been, we can know that you love us and paid the ransom to deliver us from the stench of sin. Thank you Jesus. I accept the antidote you offer and want you to wash me clean with your precious cleansing blood so I can have new life. My sin I give it all to you so you can cover me with your righteousness. Help me Jesus. I don't want to live like I have been living. I don't want my life to smell because of the stinky/dirty sins of my life. I know you offer cleansing and washing so I come to you now and receive it. Thank you for forgiving me of all my sin when you paid the price on the cross for me which I accept now. Please give me new life Jesus. Come into my heart and make my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and help me to serve you the rest of the days of my life so I can say, "Lord Jesus, ANYTHING, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, I am ready" as you strengthen me and walk with me and talk to me. I love you Jesus. I accept you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Please be my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for helping me learn about what Mary did for you and the implications for our own lives. Thank you that you have heard my prayer and answered me giving me new life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D this HOLY WEEK?" (April 08, 09, 11:28 a.m.)

"How do you know judgment will P.A.S.S.O.V.E.R you this HOLY WEEK?" (April 09, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you on and after GOOD FRIDAY this HOLY WEEK?" (April 10, 09, 8:41 a.m.)

"How do you match J.E.S.U.S attitude this HOLY WEEK?" (April 11, 09, 10:03 a.m.)

RESURRECTION SUNDAY:

"Why have you L.O.C.K.E.D youself away?" (April 13, 09, 1:41 a.m.)

"Why are you not at P.E.A.C.E in your life?" (April 14, 09, 11:43 a.m.)

"Will you be in Jesus' A.C.T.I.O.N film called life?" (April 15, 09, 11:55 a.m.)

"Why can you have J.O.Y in life?" (April 16, 09, 2:05 p.m.)