I love how Jesus first comes to the disciples. He just appears in the room in which they were hiding, probably grieving, trying to figure it all out. So what does He say to their startled ears? Just, "Peace be with you."
This is how He often comes to us, when we're in hiding, with the doors of our hearts locked up. He just comes. It's up to recognize Him and welcome Him.
I want to be His prisoner of hope *maybe give a reference?*, not a prisoner of unbelief, fear, or distress. I want to be arrested by hope, living in the reality of Jesus' life and death, and then His life here and now with me and, in me. I'm so grateful for His Holy Spirit that comes alongside....right in the room of my heart where I'm hiding. Just like He did with His disciples so long ago.
In Hiding, Doors Locked: Jesus comes to the
hiding disciples
John 20:19-25, Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:33-49
So where were Jesus’ disciples those first few
days?
When
only Joseph and Nicodemus tended His body?
Where were they when Jesus arose early in the
day?
When
He met Mary Magdalene in the garden ... and spoke her name?
Were they listening when Mary told them the
news?
What did they
hear when Mary, the mother of James, told them the same?
When Joanna,
Saloma and other women told them the same?
ALL women, and
ALL the disciples
had not believed ANY of these women!
Why did Jesus come to these women first, and
not the men?
They weren’t in
hiding.
They were out
looking for Him,
Together.
Wanting to care for His body,
Wanting to be close to His body, and Him.
Seeking joy for their
grief.
So where were His disciples all this time?
Together,
in hiding,
Doors
locked,
For
fear of the Jews
What did it mean?
Oh,
how they missed Him,
Grieving His death, mourning the huge loss,
Their
whole world turned upside down.
Yet His Words kept winding into their
thoughts.
His
love winding around their heart.
Surely
this wasn’t the end.
He had brought them all together,
Even
in this very room where they were hiding.
They were there because of Him.
Somehow they knew there must be more,
Because
He was always the MORE.
The disciples must have been discussing all
they had heard.
How
did the stone get rolled away?
How
could the tomb be empty?
How
did the burial face cloth get so neatly folded?
Men waiting,
wondering, daring to hope.
Then, quietly, without knocking or entering through
any door,
Jesus Himself came into their midst.
How
did He get in? The doors were locked!
One thing is sure. It was really Him.
He was right
there with them, in front of ALL their eyes.
No
more wondering and waiting for Jesus,
Jesus was alive and here with them now!
Tenderly then, He spoke peace to their hearts.
And
they remembered His Words—
Peace
I leave with you; My peace I give to you
I
do not give to you as the world gives.
Do
not let your hearts be troubled.
Do
not be afraid. (John 14:27)
Then He also gently chided them
For their lack of
faith,
For
their stubborn refusal to believe
Those
who had already seen Him and told them.
He must have been
gentle with the disciples as He
Saw their flip-flop trembling hearts,
Heard their doubts and questions and still
Spoke peace deep
into their hearts,
Over and over, “Peace be with you.”
Remarkably, Jesus didn’t stop with quieting
their hearts.
He
had two more things to say at this time.
First, He gave them a commission that would
change their lives forever,
“As
the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Then He gave them a gift so amazing that their
hearts must have
Fallen
to the ground in worship and awe,
“Receive
the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are
forgiven.
If you do not forgive them, they are not
forgiven.”
This same Jesus that spoke peace into
their hearts,
Now speaks these
words to you, too,
“Peace be with you.
Receive
My Holy Spirit.”
Jesus comes when you are “hiding,” closed
doors,
With
the doors of your heart locked up.
He comes so we too can receive His
forgiveness,
And
then offer forgiveness to others:
It’s freely offered.
It
only cost one Life.
==================
“Only one life,
Twill soon be past.
Only
what’s done
For Christ will last.”
From Jim Elliot’s diary…before he was martyred by the Aucas of Ecuador
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