Have you ever struggled with a task that stretched your limits? Jesus gave Christians a task that will stretch your faith. However, the task is also inspiring. This task is outlined in John 20:19-22. “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “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.” (John 20:19-22 NKJV) Focus on the words, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” You and I have been given the same task as Jesus Christ. We have been sent to represent God in this world. We have been selected to be God’s spokesman in this world. We sometimes use the phrase “big shoes to fill.” Our task gives us “big shoes to fill.” Let’s look at the instruction and dissect this text.
1. This text teaches us the calling of a disciple. Our calling is to be God’s eyes, arms, and legs in this world. We are to do as Jesus did. That can be a challenging task.
Joke: Did you hear about the college student who was taking a course in ornithology, which is a study of birds? This class had the reputation of being the most difficult class in the whole curriculum. The professor was extremely difficult. Everybody feared him. It was a required course and every student had to take it. As the course began, the professor announced there would be a test in 40 days and it would compose a large portion of the grade. So you had to do well on that test. Everybody studied. They took careful notes. They made sure they understood everything the professor said. On the 40th day the students filed into the lecture hall feeling nervous about the test that was to follow. On the stage was a table with 5 cages on it. Each cage had a cover and beneath the cover they could see the feet and spindly legs of a bird. At the sound of the bell, the professor addressed the students, “Here’s the test. You can see there are 5 birds and they’re all covered except for their feet and legs. You must tell me the identity of each of those 5 birds by looking only at their feet and legs.” Everyone had studied long and hard, but no one had anticipated such a test. They were all sweating, trying to remember anything that could help them pass the test. Finally, one student stood up and said, “This is ridiculous. This is the craziest test I have every seen, and you’re the worst professor in this whole school.” He said, “I quit. I‘m out of here. I’m not going to take this test.” He turned and walked toward the door. “Just a minute young man.” said the professor. “Who are you? I demand your name right now.” The young man stopped, took a long look at the professor, and then pulled up both of his pants legs and said, “You tell me." The student was frustrated by what seemed to be an impossible task.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by MELVIN NEWLAND)
What is the call of a disciple?
A. A disciple is someone who has chosen to follow Jesus Christ and submit to His teachings. When Jesus called His first disciples he instructed them to “follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”
B. A disciple is someone who is faithful. Disciples are not perfect. Disciples are not super saints. I like the bumper sticker that says “Christians are not perfect, just forgiven.”
C. A disciple is called to represent God in our world. Jesus said “as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” That is a humbling and challenging thought. All believers are called to represent God. Our church motto states that we are “spreading God’s love to His people through His people.”
Kristen Campbell, the religion editor for the Press Register, wrote about a lady named Ronda Rich in Saturday’s paper. Ronda said she believes everyone has a calling. But, she said: "God doesn’t’ call all of us to go to Kenya. He calls some of us to go to Wal-Mart."”
Kristen said figuring out which turn to take can seem tricky.
"Whatever we’re drawn toward, whatever we love to do, there is a very good chance that it is our calling,” Rich said. “Our God is too gracious to ever call us to do something that we wouldn’t love doing."”
Ronda said her calling is “to write and tell stories”.
(Southern Spirituality: Celebrating a ‘kitchen-table’ faith. By Kristen Campbell, Religion Editor, Mobile Press Register. Saturday, March 28, 2009)
2. This text teaches us that disciples struggle. A disciple of Christ does not live a struggle free life. In our text the disciples were struggling with fear and doubt. They had heard the rumors of Jesus resurrection but they had not processed that information. There had been numerous stories floating around concerning Jesus resurrection. Those first disciples were not sure they could believe the reports. They were living in a state of uncertainty. Let me make two simple statements as a result of this text.
First, you can serve Jesus even though you may not be perfect.
The Bible is full of imperfect people who served God. Noah was a drunk; Abraham was a liar; Sarah laughed at God; Isaac was a daydreamer; Jacob was a liar; Moses had a stuttering problem and a short fuse; Miriam was a gossip; Gideon was afraid; Samson was a womanizer; Jeremiah and Timothy were too young. Naomi was a widow; Job went bankrupt; David had an affair; Solomon had many wives. Elijah was burned-out and suicidal; Jeremiah was depressed; Jonah ran from God; Amos’ only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning; Hosea’s wife was a prostitute. John the Baptist ate bugs; Martha worried about everything; the Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once; Peter denied Christ; the disciples fell asleep while praying; Thomas doubted; Zaccheus was too small; Paul was a murderer, as were Moses and David. Jesus disciples still have struggles.
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Pat Cook)
Second, you either overcome your struggles or be defeated by them. Satan will use your struggles to defeat you.
Illustration: When you study the lives of Jesus’ disciples you will notice a distinct contrast in the way two of them handled their struggles. These struggles occurred during the latter days of Jesus life. Simon Peter struggled to find certainty in his relationship with Jesus. His uncertainty caused him to deny Jesus. However, he overcame his guilt and the struggle of uncertainty. He went on to become the leader of Jesus disciples. He wrote two books in our New Testament. Judas offers a stark contrast. He struggled with uncertainty. His uncertainty provoked him to betray Jesus for a small amount of money. He, like Peter, could have overcome his failure. However, Judas was consumed by his failure. He betrayed Jesus and his struggle with guilt drove him to commit suicide.
The history books are full of stories of gifted people who struggled to get started. “Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read”. Einstein became one of the greatest physicists who ever lived. “A newspaper fired Walt Disney because he had “no good ideas.” “When he started out in Kansas City, he couldn’t sell his cartoons. Disney had a dream, so he set out to realize it. He found a minister who paid him a small amount to draw advertising pictures for his church. Disney had no place to stay, so the church let him sleep in a mouse-infested garage. One of those mice which Disney nicknamed Mickey, became famous. How satisfying life must have been for Disney when he remembered the hard struggle from lean years spent in a church garage.” “Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college.” It was later on that he wrote the literature classic that we know as “War And Peace”. All of these people struggled to get started.
( SOURCE: Alan Loy McGinnis. Bringing Out The Best In People. Minneapolis: Ausburg Publishing House, 1985, p. 34. Ernest A. Fitzgerald. Keeping Pace: Inspirations In The Air. Greensboro: Pace Communications Inc. 1988, p. 18) (Contributed to Sermon Central by John Williams III)
3. This text displays the Lord’s confidence in His disciples. Jesus has such confidence in His disciples that he entrusted His entire plan to them and to us. There is a legend which recounts the return of Jesus to Heaven after His time on earth. Even in heaven He bore the marks of His earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death. The angel Gabriel approached Him and said, “Master, you must have suffered terribly for men down there.” “I did,” He said. “And,” continued Gabriel, “do they know all about how you loved them and what you did for them?” “Oh, no,” said Jesus, “not yet. Right now only a handful of people in Palestine know.” Gabriel was perplexed. “Then what have you done,” he asked, “to let everyone know about your love for them?” Jesus said, “I’ve asked Peter, James, John, and a few more friends to tell other people about me. Those who are told will in turn tell other people about me, and my story will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of mankind will have heard about my life and what I have done.” Gabriel frowned and looked rather skeptical. He knew well what poor stuff men were made of. “Yes,” he said, “but what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? What if way down through the centuries people just don’t tell others about you? Haven’t you made any other plans?” And Jesus answered, “I have no other plans. I’m counting on them.” Twenty-one centuries later He still has no other plan. He’s counting on you and me to continue His work of reconciling the world to Himself, to continue the work so many have faithfully carried out before us. Will we do so?
(Contributed to Sermon Central by Kevin Higgins)
A. Jesus believes in us. In our text Jesus displayed confidence in these disciples even though they were filled with fear and doubt.
B. Jesus wants to encourage us. Notice what he did for His disciples. They were filled with fear. He gave them peace. They were filled with doubt. He gave them assurance. He encouraged them to fulfill their task.
C. Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit to help us. He knows we cannot fulfill His task apart from the Holy Spirit’s indwelling. He knows our weaknesses will defeat us apart from the Holy Spirit’s enabling. He knows we are incapable of doing His work apart from the Holy Spirit’s anointing.
The shoes may be big which we are called to fill but our Lord is bigger. He has confidence in us!
