Friday, December 20, 2013

Daily Gospel Devotional 2013: The evidence of peace

Mark 16:14 / Luke 24:36-43 / John 20:19-23…

Amidst all of these reports of a stolen body, and the sightings of a risen Jesus, the disciples were meeting behind closed doors because they were still afraid of the Jewish leaders. Now it comes clear as to what has happened as Jesus suddenly appears to all those gathered. He speaks words of peace, but their response was fear (cf. Matthew 14:26). So Jesus proves that He isn’t some ghost by allowing them to examine His wounds and eating a meal with them.

Jesus then symbolically bestows the Holy Spirit upon them, pointing to Pentecost, when they would receive the Spirit and be empowered to fulfill the Great Commission (Acts 1:8). He had risen, and in returning to them He had spoken peace, which is associated with His presence. But He was going to ascend to the Father shortly. He wanted to remind them of what He had said earlier, about not leaving them alone. He would be physically gone, but the Spirit would abide with them and in them (John 14:16-19). He would leave them with a supernatural peace (John 14:27-28 / Philippians 4:7).

We need to know this today. The physical Jesus is not with us on earth, but the presence and power of the Holy Spirit is with all believers (1 Corinthians 6:17, 12:13). That is the evidence of peace (John 16:33 / Romans 5:1-5, 14:17, 15:13 / Galatians 5:22 / 2 Thessalonians 3:16). 

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

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