For those not familiar with an Anglican service; four Scriptures are read before the Message: The Scriptures for this day were: Acts 2:22-32; Psalm 16; 1 Peter 1:3-9 and John 20:19-31
In our Gospel Text .... The disciples are gathered in a house... behind locked doors ... for fear ...of the Jews.
Jesus came ...stood among them....and said ... "Peace be with you." (John 20:19)
Jesus came ....and was in their midst. (John 20:19)
Beloved ...This is the essence of our Christian life: ... "Jesus in the midst."
It has been told that Mensa, ....an organization whose members have an IQ of 140 or higher, .... gathered for a Mensa convention ... in San Francisco.
While several members ... lunched at a local cafe, ....it was discovered ... that their saltshaker which had a S on the lid contained pepper ....and their pepper-shaker .... Which had a P on the lid ...was full of salt.
A debate ensued .... as to how they could exchange the contents of each shaker .... without spilling the contents, .... while ... using only the implements at hand.
Following a lively problem-solving conversation, ...... discerning all the facts, .... the group landed on what they believed was a brilliant solution .... that would utilize a saucer, .... a napkin ....and a straw.
Now they called the waitress over ... to impress her .... with their solution.
"Ma'am," they said, .... "We couldn't help but notice that the pepper-shaker contains salt and the saltshaker..."
"Oh," the waitress interrupted. "Sorry about that!"
And she proceeded to unscrew the caps of both bottles ... and switched ... the caps. (Pause)
Beloved ... it is not that complicated ... the essence of the Christian Life ... is Jesus in the Midst.
It is allowing him to have Lordship ... in every aspect ... of our life.
And Jesus has been in the midst ... since the dawn of creation.
Hear God's Word ... BIBLE "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made..." END (John 1:3)
Jesus ... is in the midst of all creation.
And ... the Lord is in the Midst ... of His People.
Daniel saw the Lord ... with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego... in the midst ...of the fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:25)
At Calvary, ... Jesus was in the midst of sinners one on the left ... and one on the right. (John 19:18)
As the Lamb in Revelation, ... Jesus is in the midst ...of the throne of Heaven.
As our resurrected Lord, ...Jesus is in the midst ...of his Church.
And our Gospel lesson informs us ... that on the evening ... of that first Easter Sunday, ...Jesus "stood in the midst" ... of His disciples. (John 20:26)
Why is this theme repeated ....so often ....in the Scriptures?
Why? ... For it is the key ....to the Christian life!
As followers of the Christ ...We are called to let Jesus be ...not only our Savior ... but our Lord.
To be ...In the midst ...of every aspect ...of our life.
To be in the Midst ......of all ... we are ... and all we do. (Pause)
Now this Greek word translated "midst" ...comes from the root word...... meaning ... "middle".
Jesus should be in the midst ......in the middle ... of our life.
Jesus should be at the hub... at the center.... of all that we do ... and all that we are.
Each of us ... have different "compartments" ...that make up our lives.... work, school, hobbies, family, church.
Many ... mistakenly make Jesus ... just another compartment ... another spoke ... in the wheel of life.
Jesus should be .... Jesus must be... at the Midst of our lives, ...... Not only Savior ... but Lord of all.
No Christian ... No follower of the Christ ... can be spiritual, ... powerful, ... and maturing in the Faith ......unless ... Jesus is in their midst.
Beloved ... When Jesus is in the midst of your life.... He promises you that...... A great Peace.
Hear God's Promises: BIBLE "Therefore ... being justified by faith, we have peace with God ... through our Lord Jesus Christ:" (Romans 5:1)
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts ...and minds ... through Christ Jesus." END (Philippians 4:7)
Peace ... A Peace that Passeth ...all understanding.
Now ... "Passeth" does not mean ... "giveth".
Rather, it is short for ... "sur-pass-eth".
In other words, ...God's peace goes far beyond ... what we can ...fully comprehend.
For God's peace .... Surpasseth ... all understanding.
Beloved... Is your life filled with that promised peace?
It should be......It can Be.
Yet so many ...do not accept this Peace.
If we are honest ... even those of us ... who call ourselves followers of the Christ ... find ourselves in a life of worry.
Worrying about things ... that we cannot even control.
Yet ... Truth be told ... if we could control them ... we probably would not worry about them.
And worry if not checked ... will continue to build ... and overwhelm us.
We become much like the fellow who was talking to a friend ... about the hectic nature of his life.
The conversation went something like this: "John, you look worried."
"Man," ... "I've got so many troubles... that if anything else bad happens today,
It will be at least two weeks ...before I can get around...... to worrying about it." (Pause)
Ever feel like that ... one trouble after another ... one worry after another?
Take Heart Beloved. "My Yoke is easy and my burden is light" saith the Lord. Matthew 11:30
If your yoke is heavy, ...if your burdens are weighing you down ...then you have the wrong yoke ...around your neck.
Release these burdens... cast them to the Lord.
Beloved ... Only when you entrust your worries and burdens to God, ... can you experience ......True Peace, ...Spiritual Peace, ... His peace.
Hear his words of comfort:
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, and do not let them be afraid." END (John 14:27)
When Jesus is in your midst ... (1 Finger) You will receive spiritual Peace.
(2 Fingers) And when Jesus is in your midst .... You are also promised Joy.
Jesus promises us .... A life permeated ... with joy.
True Joy ... lasting joy ... only comes ... Only comes ... when Jesus ... is in the Midst.
If you do not have lasting joy ... you need to reach out to the Lord ....and ... receive it.
It is a gift ...accept it... open it .... receive it ...embrace it.
Then Beloved... let that joy permeate .... your very being.
Allow that joy ...to bubble up.... within you.
Allow the DNA of the Holy Spirit ... to flow through you ... and from you.
We must get the wrinkles out of our brows, ... let your life beam, ... how can we not?
For we are a redeemed people ... a people filled with the Holy Spirit.
"Rejoice in the Lord always ... again I say" ...... (hands out to congregation) ... rejoice. (Philippians 4:4)
Rejoicing ...is allowing that spiritual joy within in you... to flow ... to be released ... to flow out.
The joy of the Lord .... is our strength. (Psalm 28:7)
And it is that joy ... that produces on the face of the believer... a wondrous ... and glorious smile!
So.... how do we get... this joy?
Where does it come from?
True joy .... Spiritual joy... Eternal joy .... (Slow) is a gift ... it is an attribute ... of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
And this same Joy from the Holy Spirit ... filled our Lord to overflowing.
Hear God's Word: BIBLE "At that time Jesus, .... full of joy ... through the Holy Spirit, said, .... "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, ... because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned" END (Luke 10:21)
It is a joy ... that is available ... only to the Spiritually Wise ... to those who abide to the vine ... and allow the DNA of the Holy Spirit ... to flow through them.
Jesus was full of joy ... (SLOW) through ... the Holy Spirit.
And it is through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us ... that we receive ...this eternal joy ... and this eternal peace.
Beloved ... it gets even better.
When Jesus is in our midst .... Not only do we receive (1 Finger) Peace.
(2 Fingers) Not only do we receive Joy ... (3 Fingers) But we also receive Strength. (Long Pause)
What kind of strength are you talking about?
Well thank-you for asking.
It is Illustration time!
(Pick up a glove -- move page over) ... If said to this glove, ..."Glove, pick up that Bible," ... could the glove do it?
The glove has the shape of a hand, ... with a thumb ... and 4 fingers.
But could the glove ... pick up that Bible? Of course not.
So, I say again to the glove, ... "I apologize, Mr. Glove, ...I have not told you ... how to pick up that Bible.
Put your thumb on top of the Bible, ... the fingers underneath, ... squeeze tight, and lift.
Now ... Mr. Glove...pick it up."
Will anything happen? ... No!
Why? ...Because the glove has no strength ... it is powerless.
The glove is empty .... of life.
The glove cannot do anything ...It can do no thing ...until ... (hands on heart) I put my hand inside it.
The moment my hand is in it, ... the glove becomes ......as strong ... as my hand.
Everything that is possible for my hand .... becomes possible ... for the ... glove.
If the glove could speak, ... it might say: ... "I can do all things ...through the hand ...which strengthens me." REPEAT (Long Pause)
Beloved ... In a way ...You and I are like a glove; ... and Christ is like the hand.
And the Scriptures promise: "I can do all things through Christ ......who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)
We are called to have Jesus in the midst ...to have Jesus at the core ... at the hub of our very being.
When Jesus is in the midst ...we have a peace.
A peace that passes all understanding.
When Jesus is in the midst we have joy.
When Jesus is in the midst we receive strength...... "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)
John states in our Gospel text ... that after Jesus was in their midst He did something.
He breathed on them and said ...... "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:22)
When John wrote this account, ...his mind must have gone back ....to the story ... of creation itself.
Remember the Creation Story: BIBLE "Then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils ... the breath of life; ....and the man became a living being." END Genesis 2:7
And Beloved......It was the breath-like wind of the Holy Spirit ......that Jesus blew ... on the disciples.
And it was this same mightily wind of the Holy Spirit.... that blew again ...on the day of Pentecost.
And it is that same powerful breath of God ... that will fill our sails.
I can do all things ... through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
Beloved... There is nothing of eternal importance ... that we cannot do ...if Jesus is in the midst.
There is nowhere that we cannot go, ... if Jesus is in the midst.
There is no limit to what God can do in your life in my life ... or in the life ... of His church, ...if Jesus is in the midst.
I can do all things ... through Christ ...who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
We can do all things who strengthens us.
Jesus said BIBLE "I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. END (John 15:5)
Abide to the vine ... and the DNA of the Lord ... will flow through you ... and from you.
O' Beloved... You are children of the King.
You are Blessed ... to be a Blessing.
(Lift your hands) May you Receive his peace... may you receive his joy ... may you receive his strength.
Allow Jesus to be Lord .... (Slow) To be in the midst ...of your life.
And if you do Beloved ... your life will be filled with eternal peace ... filled with eternal joy.
And in His strength ... we will be taken ... from Glory ... to Glory.
Amen and Amen!
I received much insight and used illustrations from a Message by Jerry Shirley titled "Jesus In The Midst" and I commend it to you.
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