WIN 100Jesus’ resurrection remains the heart of the church’s message from the Day of Pentecost to the present. On the evening of the Sunday that He rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to all the disciples (the eleven apostles) at once. In this first appearance, Jesus said three things, which were three gifts to meet the church’s needs: Peace, mission, and power.
The opposite of Peace is conflict. The opposite of mission is omission (directionless); The opposite of power is weakness. In the middle of difficult circumstances and global challenges, the Risen Jesus brings us Peace, a mission, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus gives us Peace against conflict. Jesus first word to his disciples is “Peace be with you” (Jn 20: 19, 21, 26). Every act of Jesus to his disciples begins by giving Peace. Jesus’ Peace is different from the Peace the world gives. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (Jn 14:27). The word Peace is shalom, the all-embracing relational term “used to denote the unqualified well-being that would characterize the people of God.”
John Piper explained many dimensions of Peace: Peace between us and Jesus; Peace between us and God; Peace between us and others who are in Christ; Peace in our own souls—the fact that we no longer have to live with guilty consciences; and the hope of Peace in the whole world—that one day his Peace will rule the whole world.
The natural state of humanity is full of tension, disconnection, and conflict ‘because we are born wanting to run our lives our way rather than God’s way. Our natural condition is one of thinking we know better than God. At its most basic level, that’s what you call sin. And it destroyed our relationship with God.’ Risen Jesus shows up with a declaration of Peace to a divided and anxious church and world. John Stott says: “We learn then that the Church’s very first need before it can begin to engage in evangelism is an experience and an assurance of Christ’s peace — peace of conscience through his death that banishes sin, peace of mind through his resurrection that banishes doubt … Once we are glad that we have seen the Lord, and once we have clearly recognized him as our crucified and risen Savior, then nothing and no one will be able to silence us.”
Jesus came to this world with a mission as sent by God, the Father, the very first missionary to set the world right, free from the slavery of sin (Jn 8:34-36). After accomplishing His mission, Jesus turns to his disciples and says,”…, Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Jesus sends us as His disciples to continue the same mission, thereby representing Jesus in this world, proclaiming the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ resurrection gives us His Peace and mission as a purpose of our lives personally and corporately as a church.
Jesus did not only give us His Peace and send us on a mission; He gave and empowered us through the Holy Spirit. Jesus finished His earthly task that God had sent Him to Calvary. After rising from death, He passed the missional baton to us, “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'” The Holy Spirit is the Gospel changer and enabler, exemplified at Pentecost. We are not only empty without the Holy Spirit; we are blind. Hence, the church lacks the vision and power to witness and is directionless.
