...and Bring Me Back My Change

Open your bibles to John 20:22. Before we get started, I want to give everyone the chance to get there, because you don’t want to miss this.

And when He had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit, and bring me back my change”.

-Look out into the audience and say “does your bible not say this?”-

Well, I’m glad it doesn’t. I included that last part just to see who was paying attention! Now that I have your attention…

A. Introduce Daddy Mac

1. I spent much of my youth with my maternal grandfather, whom we called Daddy Mac.

2. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I learned a lot of life lessons from him.

3. He and my grandmother had 3 daughters and no sons. I was the first grandchild.

4. So, in a sense, I was his first son. Some say he spoiled me rotten and others say I was his favorite. I, however, will never claim either.

5. One of his favorite things in life, was to go fishing. Any of you here call yourself a fisherman? Now I use the word “fisherman” as a non-gender specific term. My mom is an incredible fisherman. So ladies, if this is you, go ahead and raise your hand. To all you fisherman, if you don’t get out on the lake just after daylight, and come in off the lake just before dark, you just might not be a fisherman! Just sayin’

6. Oftentimes during those trips, he would send me into the store, with money, to get soft drinks and snacks. Most times he wouldn’t mention anything about the leftover money, but sometimes he would say “and bring me back my change”.

B. Change

1. Our world is going through changes at light speed, and it is easy to get overwhelmed with it all.

2. I’d thought we’d just step back and remind ourselves that “change” has been part of the human experience since God created the heavens and the earth.

3. Hopefully, you will find this refreshing, uplifting, and cause you to look at change in a little different light, But it might not be exactly what you are expecting!

C. Definitions of change

1. First, very quickly, let’s look at a few definitions of the word change.

• To become different, alter or modify

• To turn or convert something from one state, form, or substance, into another

• To make radically different

• To arrive @ a fresh phase, become new

• An exchange, as in a sum of money

• Money returned to someone as the balance of the amount paid for something

2. Hold on to those definitions as we will circle back from time to time.

D. Let’s revisit John 20:22.

1) I want everyone to know that I would never add or take away words from scripture, because to do so, I believe, would grieve the Holy Spirit.

2) My purpose here is to take scripture and apply it to everyday life situations. Sort of a life application commentary.

3. Let’s look at John 20:21-22 again:

So Jesus said to them “Peace to you! As the Father

has sent me, I also send you. And when He had said

this, He breathed on them and said to them “Receive

the Holy Spirit”. So, this is shortly after the

resurrection and Jesus appears to the apostles. It

seems to me that Jesus was telling the disciples that

they were to take full responsibility to carry out the

work that He had started.

4. If you recall one definition of the word change was to make someone or something different; to alter or modify. It is as though Jesus was saying “go out and make a change in the world and bring back to me, those that are mine”!

5. Bring me back my change. I pray you can receive that.

E. Scriptural Gymnastics

1. Is it okay if we look at a little bit of scripture today?

2. That’s good, because we are going to have some scriptural gymnastics this morning!

3. I hope you find scripture as fascinating, mysterious, spiritual, and inspiring as I do.

4. This week it dawned on me that I have one regret regarding scripture, and that regret is that I didn’t dig into scripture in my youth.

5. While most teenagers may not be ready to receive the blessings of scripture, I encourage you young people, to open and begin reading the most fascinating book in all of history!

F. John 2:3

1. While I was preparing this message, the story of Jesus at the wedding in Cana, came to mind, and this one verse stood out.

2. John 2:3 “and when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “they have no wine””. “and bring me back my change”.