Today’s WORD (Text) John 20:19-23
19/ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20/ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21/ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22/ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23/ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Today’s Witness
John’s memory of the mood within Jesus’ innermost circle following the resurrection, and just prior to Jesus’ appearance in their midst, reflects a somber huddling together in fear of what awaited them in the world outside. The celebration and rejoicing that characterizes our Easter Sunday worship is somewhat at odds with the actual mood of the gathered community on Resurrection Sunday evening. They were afraid up until the moment when Jesus entered declaring words of peace to their troubled minds. He showed them his pierced body as evidence of his crucifixion. The rejoicing came only after their verification of his revivification. Celebration at the sight of the risen Lord did not automatically lead them outward to the world. Jesus felt it necessary to declare peace to them once again before anointing them with the Holy Spirit by way of his breath, and then sending them forth into the precarious world outside, just as God had sent him to the world. It is important for the church to remember that after the celebration Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Today’s Invitation
Given the commission that Jesus uttered to the disciples at his appearing, how might the church be faithful to the Resurrection Sunday commission?
Today’s Prayer
God of grace and glory we pray for courage and holy boldness to confront a troubled world once again with the good news of the risen Lord. Although we feel secure within the confines of our houses of worship, we confess that you also send us forward to share our good news with a world that is in crisis. Grant us the courage, clarity, and conviction we need to speak words of life and hope to our world at a time when fear, despair, violence, and uncertainty are rampant. May the Good News of your resurrection continue to inspire us to spread your message of redeeming and reconciling love to the whole world, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
The Passionary Intention
Today, I choose to live my life with passion. Today, I intend to follow Christ more nearly, love more dearly and incarnate God’s grace more clearly by asking myself three questions:
- Where will I follow Christ today?
- To whom shall I demonstrate Jesus’ love and justice today?
- How can I play my part in practicing the presence of Christ, right here, right now?
The Passionary Movement Word and Witness devotion is published weekdays (Monday – Friday). Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies is the author of today’s devotion.
Photo by Pontus Wellgraf on Unsplash
Today’s WORD (Text) John 20:19-23
19/ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 20/ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21/ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” 22/ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23/ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Today’s Witness
John’s memory of the mood within Jesus’ innermost circle following the resurrection, and just prior to Jesus’ appearance in their midst, reflects a somber huddling together in fear of what awaited them in the world outside. The celebration and rejoicing that characterizes our Easter Sunday worship is somewhat at odds with the actual mood of the gathered community on Resurrection Sunday evening. They were afraid up until the moment when Jesus entered declaring words of peace to their troubled minds. He showed them his pierced body as evidence of his crucifixion. The rejoicing came only after their verification of his revivification. Celebration at the sight of the risen Lord did not automatically lead them outward to the world. Jesus felt it necessary to declare peace to them once again before anointing them with the Holy Spirit by way of his breath, and then sending them forth into the precarious world outside, just as God had sent him to the world. It is important for the church to remember that after the celebration Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
Today’s Invitation
Given the commission that Jesus uttered to the disciples at his appearing, how might the church be faithful to the Resurrection Sunday commission?
Today’s Prayer
God of grace and glory we pray for courage and holy boldness to confront a troubled world once again with the good news of the risen Lord. Although we feel secure within the confines of our houses of worship, we confess that you also send us forward to share our good news with a world that is in crisis. Grant us the courage, clarity, and conviction we need to speak words of life and hope to our world at a time when fear, despair, violence, and uncertainty are rampant. May the Good News of your resurrection continue to inspire us to spread your message of redeeming and reconciling love to the whole world, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
The Passionary Intention
Today, I choose to live my life with passion. Today, I intend to follow Christ more nearly, love more dearly and incarnate God’s grace more clearly by asking myself three questions:
The Passionary Movement Word and Witness devotion is published weekdays (Monday – Friday). Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Societies is the author of today’s devotion.
Photo by Pontus Wellgraf on Unsplash