Easter: "Peace Be With You"

 "So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So, Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you."…Jhn:20:19-21 

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the Disciples were gathered together uncertain as to the events which had transpired involving their friend and teacher Jesus, not really knowing what to do or where to go. They find themselves gathered together in fear and doubt.

 It had been reported that Jesus' body was gone from the tomb in which he had been laid and some of the woman in their group had reported seeing Jesus alive.

 Peace

It is then, when the Disciples are behind locked doors amidst all their fear and bewilderment, that Jesus himself appears among them. Jesus' first words to the frighten Disciples are these "peace be with you". Then to calm the fears and amazement of the Disciples , Jesus shows them that it is he himself and no apparition. They can be at peace.

 "On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord." Jhn: 20:19-20

Through the evidence of his wounds Jesus is identified to his Disciples and their fears are dispelled. Each of them knew that Jesus was dead. They had witnessed his death upon the cross. They saw his lifeless body placed in the Tomb, they saw the stone  rolled across the entrance, and now, here Jesus stands before them alive declaring to them "Peace be with you”.

He is Our Peace

Those Disciples who were the first witness of the Resurrected Jesus on that first Easter evening could be at peace, because Jesus is Resurrected. This is not only true for those Disciples there in the upper room, but for all believers down through the ages and for any and all who will but freely receive it.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace," Eph:2:13-15

Through the sacrifice of Jesus, his death upon the cross, and now his Resurrection, Jesus has accomplished our atonement, redemption and salvation, making peace for us in his own self, that is, in Jesus, we each and all who will freely receive it can be at peace.

Our sins have been dealt with. There is nothing to prevent any of us from experiencing eternal life, but our own unwillingness to receive it when we hear the Gospel message preached.

What Ceremonies Could Not Do

Jesus has done what no law or body of sacrificial ceremonies could do, he has brought about our forgiveness and long with-it salvation. That is what the cross has done, it has moved the eternal decree of God that we can experience his forgiveness into our lives. The cross is the eternal decree of God being worked out of the eternal into the temporal so that we might take hold of what God has decreed for us.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wrote, regarding Jesus' work of being our High Priest and the finished work of salvation.

"The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." Heb: 10:1-4

Under the Old Covenant the Priest would offer sacrifices daily in the Temple of God at Jerusalem for the people, but these works could never take away the sin. These ceremonies served as an ongoing reminder of our need for a Savior.

Standing High Priest

The author of Hebrews tells us that the Priest would "stand daily" and minister at the Temple offering sacrifices for the people of Israel.

 "Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins" Heb:10:11

 But these sacrifices could never "take away" sin, they left the issue of sin unresolved in the lives of the people. The people could never be at peace, at best, these offerings kept in the forefront of the people’s minds their sins and the need for a Savior. The daily scarifies did not bring transformation to the human heart and mind.

"For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."Heb:10:1-4

This is why the Levitical High Priest is said to "stand daily", that is, the work of the Priesthood could not resolve the sin issue and bring peace to the people. The Priest's work was never done.

A Sitting Priest

This was never God's desire for humanity. God did not want humanity to be encumbered by a system of religion and the Covenant which enjoined those sacrifices which never resolved the sin issue which left the people always at unrest, without peace.

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased."Heb:10:5b-6

The Great God, the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit wants us to be at peace and not under a "religion" of "works" that could not resolve our issues of sin leaving humanity in a state of unrest without real peace.

Jesus however, did what all those sacrifices could never have done, Jesus alone dealt with all human sin in his own person resolving once and for all the issue of sin , which has from the very beginning kept humanity without peace. This was, and is, the will of God that we might be at peace.

"Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."(9-10)

This complete putting an end to works based religion, that is "sacrifices and offering" through Jesus, is so that we might enter into peace through Jesus, it is depicted by the sitting down of our Lord Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father.

"But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." (12-14)

Jesus is sitting down for us, this means that the work of our salvation is complete in and through him. We are by and through Jesus made "perfect forever" . The issue of sin is resolved , there is no regression of us in the eyes of God in relation to sin. That is how complete the work of Jesus is on our behalf.

Jesus is sitting, it is accomplished, we can be at peace, with God and with ourselves and with one another.

Speaks Peace

When Jesus appeared among the frighten Disciples on that first Easter evening, the very first words he speaks to them, and to us, is "peace be with you". Jesus wanted them, and we, to know that he has made peace for us.

Jesus is not just attempting to calm their fears which they had at that moment , Jesus is declaring what he has done for them and all of us.

Jesus shows them his wounds, not just to be identified by, but as evidence and reason that we all can be at peace. Jesus is saying through his actions, "I have made peace for you", therefore you can be at peace".

Even as Jesus spoke peace to those Disciples two thousand years ago, he still speaks the same peace to believers down through the ages and to us even today. Jesus manifested his presence among the Disciples when they were gathered together and   Jesus still manifest himself among us when Christians gather together for worship, prayer and fellowship.

 Jesus is there among us, and through the proclamation of the word of God he speaks peace to us. God, the Holy Trinity, Father. Son and Holy Spirit speaks to us through the Son the second person of the Trinity so that we might hear that we have peace.

" I will hear what the Lord God will speak; For he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints:"Ps:85:8a

Through the word of God peace is declared upon each and all who will but freely receive it through Jesus Christ. This is the peace which Jesus promised his Disciples throughout the age. It is the peace of knowing that sin has been dealt with. It is Jesus' very own peace which he has as the Son of God lives and shares it with us.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."Jhn:14:27 

This is the same peace Jesus spoke of to the Disciples and continues to speak to each and all of us. This peace defies circumstance and conditions it is Jesus' own peace. 

"Peace be With You"

Jesus is there even now, showing us his wounds; telling each and all of us that we can be at peace. Sin has been dealt with. We need not be in a state of un-rest or fear.

This is a message of Easter, peace has been made for you with God through our High Priest Jesus Christ he lives and has sat down at the right hand of the Father, therefore Jesus declares to each and to all of us "Peace be with you"...

Benediction: May we each and all be at peace all because of our Lord Jesus Christ lives, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

Easter: Called by Name

 "The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. 

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out." John: 10:3

 There may be seasons in our Christian lives when we wonder if the Great Creator God even knows who we are. We may look at conditions and circumstance which we face in life and we and ask " does He even know that I exist?"

We may feel alone and even abandoned by our God. We can be like Mary who stood outside of the tomb of our Lord weeping. Jhn20:11-18 

Our lives, like Mary’s, can be turned upside down. Things that we put our trust in and vested out hope in have come undone. Nothing seems to be right everything has gone amiss.

We can be like Mary in our Christian live. We believe, and have confidences as long as things are going well and then, the unaccounted for occurs, and things come crashing down around us.

We may feel that Jesus is not with us, we may even feel pressured by friends and associates who speculate on the cause of difficulties, some , going as far as asserting that our hardships are the result of and evidence of divine displeasure towards us.

 Seeing Only an Empty Tomb

All this abounds, and we ask "have we misunderstood Him?" do we truly know Jesus, or just know about him? We may feel that our faith is misplaced.

We may peer into the empty tomb and know that Jesus is not there, but miss the most important thing of all.

We may even be able to quote Scripture regarding Jesus' resurrection, we may know that Jesus is resurrection, yet miss the point again. We may see only an empty tomb and that is all that we see.

But the resurrection is more than just a vacant burial place that was once occupied by the dead body of our Lord. The resurrection is, that our Lord lives and stand with us even if he goes unrecognized by us; as Jesus was with Mary.

Jesus Calls Our Name 

Even as in the garden as Mary weeps in perplexity; Jesus is there. She sees Jesus now only as a Gardener, not who he is , yet he is still there with her unrecognized. 

Even as Jesus engages Mary, she does not yet see him for who he is. Mary, at that moment, still sees Jesus as dead, having only been carried off to another location.

"Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jhn: 20:11-15

It is only after our Lord Jesus address Mary, calls her by name, does the realization come. Mary's eyes are then opened to see that it is Jesus who is with her, she sees that Jesus lives, that the bounds of death could not contain him.

We too can be like Mary, we stand outside the empty tomb of Jesus we see that it is empty, but maybe he is just removed, still dead, that Jesus is powerless to help us , our lives have fallen into disarray or our hopes have not come to pass, we feel alone.

It is in such moments that we can fail to see the truth, that Jesus is not removed, dead and powerless to help us, but rather, that Jesus is there even if we mistake him only for the gardener.

It is when Jesus calls us by name, that our eyes are opened we see him and we recognize Jesus as "Rabboni”, we see that Jesus lives, that.

The resurrection speaks not just of a vacant place among the dead but rather proclaims that Jesus lives and is with us. The resurrection is more then an event it is who Jesus is.

“I am the resurrection and the life." Jhn: 11:25

But this opening of our eyes comes only when Jesus calls our name.

"Jesus said to her, “Mary.”She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”)”. (16-17)

the Apostle St. Paul prayed that all of our eyes could be open to see all that He has called us to.

"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people" Eph:1:18

 Jesus Knows Us

This calling us by name should not surprise us, he knows us all, and will not forget us even in our difficulties. It is as we read in the Prophet Isaiah 

"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me" Isa:49:16 

 Jesus has inscribed your name, and all our names, even upon the palm of his hands, this reflects the eternal commitment that he has made to each and to all of us all. 

"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand" Jhn:10:28

Our Lord has called each of us to by name so that we too see that Jesus lives and is with us. Jesus has spoken your name and called you that you might believe and see that Jesus lives and is with you.

Benediction: May we each and all here the voice of our Lord calling our names that our eyes may be open and see that our Lord is here with us , outside the tomb in which he has laid, that Jesus is here to help us and comfort us, and to give us life, today, tomorrow and forevermore .Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

Easter: Why Are You Weeping?

 "But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb."Jhn:20:11

On that Easter morning, Mary stood weeping at the empty tomb of Jesus. She had arrived to find her Lord gone and no longer where she knew that he had been laid to rest.

As Mary peered into the vacant burial place, she was unaware that her Lord Jesus was near at hand even in her grief, loss, fear and uncertainty.

The tomb was empty, the bed of death on which Jesus had been placed was now vacant and left empty. Only the grave shroud in-which he had been wrapped remained there in the tomb upon it's cold stone slab.

Why Are You Weeping?

As Mary looked within, she then saw two angelic messengers, who sat at opposite ends of the cold slab. The angels asked her a simple question.

"Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”Jhn:20:11-13

Mary answers, and tells the pair of strangers  that her tears are the result of the loss of her Lord, whom she believed has been now been lost to her though unyielding grip of death.

Even as Mary weeps at her apparent loss and filled with the grief of death she turns only to face her living Lord whom she mistakenly believes to the gardener. Jesus asked her again the simple question first posed by the two angels asking who it was that she sought.

"At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who is it you are looking for?”(14-15)

Amidst her tears Mary replies to her yet unrecognized Lord.

"Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

At the speaking of her name by Jesus, Mary now recognizes who it is that is addressing her. She realizes that it is Jesus himself who stands before her.

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (15-16)

Mary, now realizes that it is her Lord Jesus who stands before her. Jesus is alive. Mary's tears, which were in grief and loss now are transformed into those of joy.

Death Defeated 

Mary now witnesses the actual manifestation of the very truth which Jesus spoke of himself as he approached the tomb of his friend Lazarus.

"I am the Resurrection" Jhn: 11:25

Jesus' bodily resurrection only shows us what has and is eternally true, that he is the Resurrection. The resurrection is not just an event but is who Jesus is.

Mary now is witness to the greatest victory in all eternity. Jesus' victory over even death. Jesus had not just escaped the grasp of death; Jesus has,  by his own entry into death defeated it from within death and has plundered death of its prey , emptying death of its prey forevermore.

"But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him."Acts:2:24

The Tomb of Jesus is empty forever and through his entranced into the darkness of death and his coming forth again is alive forevermore. The tomb of Jesus is not just his alone,  but encompasses the tombs of all humanity so that our tombs may be empty as well all though his resurrection. Jesus has grasped hold of all who were bound and held in death's grip and brought them all forth into life.

Through , and in, and with Jesus all humanity has died to death, so that none need be confined with death's dark grasp. Through Jesus' shared humanity which he has assumed for and with us , he has tasted death for all. 

"But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."Heb:2:9

In tasting death for us all, Jesus has entered into his, and our deaths, and we into his, so that we might also be untied with Jesus in life all through his resurrection if we will but freely receive through grace and faith.

St. Paul articulates this in his Epistles to the Church at Corinth Greece.

"For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."2Cor:5:14

This means, when we, like Mary, look into the empty tomb of our Lord Jesus we see that not only is Jesus' tomb empty, but our own tomb is empty as well, and not only our 's but all of our loved ones. This grants us assurances that we will be reunited with all whom have proceeded before us into death, beyond the confines of this life in the eternity to come.

Jesus has extended his victory over death to each and all of us if we will but receive it.. Death as the one great enemy is now vanquished by Jesus' own death and resurrection, and this he so willingly and graciously shares with each and all who will be freely receive it.

St. Paul again speaks to us of this victory over death which Jesus has wrought on our behalf leaving death empty of its spoils, through the resurrection of Jesus.

"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”“Where, O death, is your victory?Where, O death, is your sting?”iThe sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."1Cor:15:50:57

No More Tears

When we look into the grave, we will see that it has been emptied of all who were held in its hopeless grip. We can peer in to the empty tomb with joy knowing that Jesus has set the prisoners of death free to live forevermore. We can look beyond the confines of this world into the glory of eternity of which St, John gives us glimpse.

'Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe  every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev: 21:1-5

All because of our Lord Jesus we will never again hear the question "why are weeping?"

Benediction: May we each all rejoice in our Lord Jesus who has defeated death and the grave, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”