Let's start by reading last week's passage, John 20:1-18:
(1) Now, on the first day of the week, Mary the Magdalene comes early in the morning,
dark still being, to the tomb,
and she sees the stone having been taken away from the tomb.
(2) Then, she runs and she comes to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus was loving,
and she says to them,
"They have taken away the Lord from the tomb,
and we don't know where they put him."
(3) Then, Peter and the other disciple go out,
and they were coming to the tomb.
(4) Now, the two were running together,
and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter,
and he came first to the tomb,
(5) and, bending over to peek in, he sees lying there the strips of linen cloth,
but he didn't enter in.
(6) Then, also Simon Peter comes,
following him,
and he entered the tomb,
and he sees the strips of linen cloth lying there,
and the facecloth that was upon his head,
not with the strips of linen cloth lying,
but separately wrapped up in one place.
(8) Then, the other disciple also entered-- the one coming first to the tomb--
and he saw,
and he "believed."
(9) For they hadn't yet known the Scripture
that it was necessary for him, from the dead, to rise.
(10) Then, they departed again to their own things/homes-- the disciples.
(11) Now, Mary stood at the tomb outside weeping.
Then, while she was weeping, she bent over to peek in to the tomb,
(12) and she sees two angels in white being seated,
one at the head, and one at the feet, where Jesus' body was lying,
(13) and those ones say to her,
"Woman, why are you weeping?"
She says to them (that),
"They have taken away my Lord,
and I don't know where they put him."
(14) These things saying, she turned around,
and she sees Jesus standing there,
and she didn't know that Jesus, it is.
(15) Jesus says to her,
"Who are you seeking?"
That one, thinking that the gardener he is, says to him,
"Lord/sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you put him,
and I, him, will take away."
(16) Jesus says to her,
"Mariam."
That one being turned around says to him in Aramaic,
"Rabbouni,"
which means "Teacher."
(17) Jesus says to her,
"Don't, me, cling to.
For I haven't yet ascended toward the Father.
Now, go to my brothers,
and say to them,
"I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God."
(18) Mary the Magdalene comes,
announcing to the disciples that "I have seen the Lord,"
and these things, he said to her.
This brings us to John 20:19. Here, we find ourselves still in the same day. We've seen Peter, the question mark. We've seen the beloved disciple come to full faith. And we've seen Mary, given the Little Commission, instructed to tell the disciples that Jesus is alive, and that he is going toward his Father.
This, is what she does. She is obedient to Jesus' sending her. How do the disciples respond? Verse 19:
(19) Then, when it was evening on that day-- the first day of the week, and the doors having been barred/locked where the disciples were because of fear of the Judeans-- Jesus came,
and he stood in their midst,
and he says to them,
"Peace to you,"
(20) and this saying, he showed his hands
and his side to them.
Let's focus first on the disciples here. They've heard the good news from Mary that Jesus is risen. But this news does nothing for them, as far as courage goes. They are scared of the Judeans. They've closed themselves off from the world, and they just hope that nothing bad happens to them. The world is a threat, and a danger.
It's into this room filled with fear, that Jesus enters. Suddenly, he's in the middle of the room, standing in their midst.
How did he get there?
Maybe, you want to say that he walked through the door, or a wall. But AJ (Author of John) doesn't actually tell us that. Jesus simply "appears where he desires to appear, and his visible presence disappears when he desires to have it so" (Lenski, John, 1366). He's just there.
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Maybe: We understand that there is an unseen realm, and a visible realm (2 Kings 6:17-20). Normally, all we have access to is the visible realm. But Jesus at this point can apparently alternate back and forth between the seen and unseen.
Lenski:
“He came and stood in their midst” is all that human thought and language can say. He did not walk through anything. The disciples did not see him take so many steps from the door or the wall to their midst. He was there, and that was all.
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And once Jesus appears, he does two things:
First, Jesus greets them with a standard Middle Eastern greeting of peace. Second, he shows them his hands and side.
Why? What's going on here?
Let's read one more line, still verse 20:
Then, the disciples rejoiced,
seeing the Lord.
What Jesus wants for his disciples, is for them to be filled with joy. And that's what they should be filled with, right? Mary, just that day, has told them the best news in the history of the world. The fact that Jesus rose from the dead, should change everything.
But for the disciples in this room, it changed nothing. The evidence of Jesus' resurrection-- the empty tomb, the linen cloths, Mary's testimony-- weren't enough. They needed to see Jesus. And Jesus, knowing this, gives them what they need. He shows them his hands, and his side. Jesus did this as a kindness to them. He loves them; he is committed to them. He is a Good Shepherd, and he will lead them, spiritually, to where they need to be.
Verse 21:
(21) Then, Jesus said to them again,
"Peace to you.
Just as the Father sent me, also I send you,"
The first time Jesus said, "Peace to you," we maybe heard this as a greeting of sorts. It's like Jesus is saying "hi" to them.
But when Jesus repeats himself here, we find ourselves hearing Jesus differently. What Jesus is offering his disciples here, is peace (H/T Moloney). Let's turn back to John 14:27:
"Peace I leave you.
My peace I give you.
Not as the world gives, I give you to you.
Your hearts must not be troubled,
and don't let them be afraid/cowardly."
Now, let's flip ahead to John 16:33:
"These things I have said to you,
in order that in me, peace, you would have.
In the world, affliction/trouble you have,
but have courage.
I Have conquered the world."
When we turn back to John 20, with Jesus saying a second time, "Peace to you," what should we be hearing?
Jesus isn't simply greeting his disciples. He's not simply wishing "peace" on them.
Jesus had promised that he would give his disciples peace. It's a gift, that once you have it, does three things for you:
(1) It frees you from fear. There are lots of things in this world that could scare you. Jesus promises that there will be troubles, afflictions, and hardships for you, at least at times. And there may be people who persecute you, just like the Judeans persecuted Jesus. But the peace Jesus gives, allows you to conquer fear.
(2) It frees you from sorrow at Jesus' absence (John 14:27).
(3) It moves you to a place where you can have courage. Jesus' peace lets you unlock your doors, and leave your house, and openly testify about Jesus.
Jesus' peace is a very good thing. It's an incredible gift. My question is, have we received it?
I don't think that Jesus' gift of peace is automatic, even for Christians. Some of you, maybe, are paralyzed by fear, and sorrow. This fear may have very little to do with Jesus. You're worried about money, or your kids, or your parents. You're worried about the latest covid variant, or the direction the country is moving.
Or maybe, your fears have more to do with your relationship with Jesus. You're scared Jesus can't give you the life he promises. You're scared of what will happen to you, if you openly point people to Jesus.
Whatever it is that scares you, and keeps you up at night, understand that you will never have courage, as long as you are ruled by fear. You read about the disciples hiding together in a locked room, and you think, "That's me. That sounds far more like me, than I'd care to admit. The world is a scary, dangerous place. I don't want anything bad to happen to me, or my family."
If that's you, how can you receive Jesus' peace? There's maybe two ways. Let's flip back to John 16:33:
"These things I have said to you,
in order that in me, peace, you would have.
The first path to peace, is to take Jesus' words to heart. Hear Jesus; listen to his words. Understand what Jesus says about who he is, what he came to do, and who you are in him. If you focus on Jesus, and "believe in" him, you will find peace "in Jesus."
The second path to peace, I think, is simply to ask. Peace is something Jesus gives, right? So if you find yourselves living as a slave to fear, and cowardice, ask Jesus for his peace, and see what happens next.
So Jesus gives these disciples peace, and then what he does, is give them the Great Commission. Still verse 21:
(21) Then, Jesus said to them again,
"Peace to you.
Just as the Father sent me, also I send you,"
Once you have Jesus' peace, you are freed to do the job Jesus has for you. You can stop being a coward, and unlock your doors, and go out into the world.
And how do you go out? What does it look like, when Jesus commissions you for service, and sends you?
Jesus says, verse 21, "Just as the Father sent me, also I send you."
Your relationship to Jesus, mirrors the relationship Jesus has to his Father. How did the Father send Jesus?
What did it look like?
When we hear Jesus' words, we are supposed to find ourselves thinking about everything we've read in the gospel of John about the relationship between Jesus, and his Father in heaven. Jesus and the Father were one. Jesus said, and did, exactly what the Father told him to. He perfectly obeyed him. And because Jesus was a faithful son, the Father always said "yes" to Jesus (John 11:22). The Father worked through Jesus, doing his works, because Jesus was faithful (John 14:10).
So when you study Jesus' life, understand that Jesus was sent by his Father, and our Father. And everything Jesus did, he did with the Father, and as the Father worked through him.
Jesus sends us into the world with the same type of relationship, and the same type of mission:
Just as Jesus perfectly obeyed our Father, so too, we perfectly obey Jesus in everything. We do what Jesus tells us to do, and say what he wants us to say. And whatever we ask for in Jesus' name, Jesus will do (John 14:12ff).
And just as the Father worked in and through Jesus, so too, the Father and the Son work in and through us.
And, actually, it's not just that our mission mirrors Jesus' mission, or echoes it. Our mission serves as an extension of Jesus' ministry. We are continuing God's work, picking up the baton where Jesus left off.
If you believe this, and commit yourselves to this, it will change everything. You aren't simply going through life, from one day to the next, doing whatever you want. You go through life, as someone sent into the world by Jesus.
You have a mission, a calling.
The question is, will we obey Jesus in this? Will we receive his peace, and allow him to send us?
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Barclay:
"The sending out of the Church by Jesus is parallel to the sending out of Jesus by God. But no one can read the story of the Fourth Gospel without seeing that the relationship between Jesus and God was continually dependent on Jesus’ perfect obedience and perfect love. Jesus could be God’s messenger only because he rendered to God that perfect obedience and love. It follows that the Church is fit to be the messenger and the instrument of Christ only when it perfectly loves him and perfectly obeys him. The Church must never be out to propagate its own message; it must be out to propagate the message of Christ. It must never be out to follow policies of human devising; it must be out to follow the will of Christ. The Church fails whenever it tries to solve some problem in its own wisdom and strength, and leaves out of account the will and guidance of Jesus Christ."
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Let's read verse 21 one more time, and then push ahead (trying to catch the force of the "ands," that encourage us to read these together. Runge calls "and" a + for continuity):
(21) Then, Jesus said to them again,
"Peace to you.
Just as the Father sent me, also I send you,"
(22) and this saying, he breathed [on them],
and he says to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
If the sins of any, you forgive, they are forgiven them.
If [the sins] of any, you hold/retain, they have been held/retained."
Jesus gives the disciples peace, commissions them, and then, he gives them the Holy Spirit, just as he had promised. And this, is an incredible gift (put this in the outline):
(1) The Spirit is our Helper/Advocate (John 14:16-17).
(2) The Spirit is how the Father and the Son abide in and with us (John 14:18-23).
(3) The Spirit works with us in evangelism, testifying to the truth about Jesus (John 15:26-27), convicting/exposing the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:7-8).
(4) The Spirit guides you into every truth that Jesus wants you to know (John 16:13).
(5) The Spirit proclaims the future to you (John 16:13).
(6) The Spirit takes from what belongs to Jesus, and gives/proclaims that to you (John 16:14-15).
So when we go into the world, as a church sent by God, we are not sent empty-handed. The Spirit works with us, and through us, to do great things.
Jesus then continues by saying something (else) that bothers us, maybe. Still verse 22:
If the sins of any, you forgive, they are forgiven them.
If [the sins] of any, you hold/retain, they have been held/retained."
Everything Jesus has been saying up to this point, primarily relates to evangelism. Jesus gives you his peace, to move to a place of courage for evangelism. He sends you into the world, to point people to Jesus. And he sends you with the Holy Spirit, who works with you, and through you, in this mission.
So I think that we are supposed to understand these words about forgiveness, and unforgiveness, first of all, in light of this mission. When you point people toward Jesus, and they are open-minded enough to come toward Jesus, and abide with him, and give their allegiance to him, and get baptized, those people are forgiven, and they join us. Their sins are forgiven.
If people reject our testimony, and reject Jesus, their sins are retained. They are still guilty of the one main sin-- not giving allegiance to Jesus (John 9:41). This doesn't mean that those people are hopeless, or that we should write them off. But it means that those people, at that moment, still have sin.
Now, I've explained this in a way that's probably comfortable to you. But where we struggle with Jesus' words, probably, is in the idea that we have a greater role in this than I've made it sound like. If a coworker comes to Jesus, and commits to Jesus, I can tell him, "Your sins are forgiven." And they are forgiven, because I forgave them. And if a coworker refuses to come to Jesus, I can tell him, "God still sees your sin," and He does.
Or imagine that you're a hospital chaplain, and on a regular basis, you find yourself spending people who are dying, and wrestling with who Jesus is, and where they stand with him. If you point people on their deathbed to Jesus, and they give their allegiance to him, Jesus has given you the authority to tell those people, "Your sins are forgiven." You don't have to have this nagging worry about whether or not their profession of faith was genuine, or whether or not they were forgiven. Their sins were forgiven, because you forgave them.
That's the extent to which God works in us, and through us. That's the extent to which God has empowered us for ministry. God has entrusted us with a far bigger, and more important role, than we realize.
The question I have, is whether or not forgiveness and unforgiveness is also something we can give out to each other. If a Christian opens up to me, confessing sin, can I forgive their sins? Announce to them, that their sins are forgiven? I think I can. I can forgive the sins of "any."
If a Christian falls away, and then comes back, can the church as a whole make the decision about whether or not that person is forgiven, and restored? I think it can. The church can forgive the sins of "any" (2 Corinthians 2:5-11).
The one last thing I want to say about this, is that forgiveness, and unforgiveness, is something we, as a church, give out. It's not restricted to the pastor, or a Catholic priest. If we forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven.
I'm still wrestling with this. But I don't think Jesus' words are really that complicated here. Our struggle isn't to understand Jesus here; it's to believe him.
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When we step back, and look at John 20:19-23 as a whole, the main focus is on mission. In the Gospel of John, this is the Great Commission. You are supposed to hear these words to Jesus' disciples, and claim them, and obey them.
Jesus sends you into the world.
That part, you probably already know. But some of you, maybe, don't really go. You are more like the disciples before Jesus showed up-- hiding in a locked room, scared of the world, doing your best to be secret disciples.
You have a bunker mentality-- you hang on to what you have, you do your best to protect your life (John 12:25), and you have no hope that God will do a new thing through you.
What has to happen, for us to stop living like this? How can we change?
This is question that every pastor, and every church, should wrestle with. Not so much, how can we grow, or how can we get our numbers up. But, how can we, as a church, get out of the bunker mentality? How can we obey Jesus, and go, and be fruitful in our going?
When most churches grow, it's because unhappy and dissatisfied Christians are moving from one church to another. The growing church usually celebrates the growth as evidence that it's doing something right. They think it's proof that they are faithfully serving God. The shrinking church wonders what it's doing wrong. And maybe it is doing something wrong, and maybe it's not. But in all of this, churches are mostly just passing unhappy sheep back and forth. And we should have no interest in celebrating that. That's not what Jesus sent us to do.
How can we actually go out into this community, and intentionally, successfully, testify to the truth about Jesus?
The fields are white, ready for harvest. What will make us prosperous farmers?
When babies enter the world, they have nothing. They enter the world naked, and helpless, and vulnerable.
Maybe, this is how you view yourselves. Maybe, this is how you think Jesus sends you out into the world.
But Jesus' plan, was that you go into the world having received four incredible gifts: (1) Joy, (2) Peace, (3) The Holy Spirit, and (4) the authority to forgive sins.
Receive these gifts this morning. Be freed from fear. Become full partners with the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14).
And let's go into the world, as a church sent by Jesus, empowered to do great things.
Translation:
(19) Then, when it was evening on that day-- the first day of the week, and the doors having been shut where the disciples were because of fear of the Judeans-- Jesus came,
and he stood in their midst,
and he says to them,
"Peace to you,"
(20) and this saying, he showed his hands
and his side to them.
Then, the disciples rejoiced,
seeing the Lord.
(21) Then, Jesus said to them again,
"Peace to you.
Just as the Father sent me, also I send you,"
(22) and this saying, he breathed on them,
and he says to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
(23) If the sins of any, you forgive, they are forgiven them.
If [the sins] of any, you hold/retain, they have been held/retained.
