Read It, Learn It,
Live It, Share It
“When therefore 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 the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” – John
20:19
They
sat in the upper room, fear still filled their minds.Lost in their knowledge and the experience they had just lived through.
The gates were barred, the doors shut tight in the small 12 x 15 room.
I imagine the disciples listening to John and Peter tell of the events from earlier that morning.
Candles and torches begin to flicker as the as the breeze flows through the room.
Suddenly, the men gathered there are overcome by the bright light and radiance of the Son of God who now stands amongst them, as His words echo through their mind, “Peace be with you.”
The first church service begins with Jesus Christ baptizing them in the Holy Spirit. He calls each of them to their rightful place of serving the Lord. Messengers, evangelists, teachers and prophets will come from this group of men. The start of the Christian church in a small upper room in Jerusalem. From that day forward these men will carry the message to the people of the world, because He called them to go forth and they listened.
Over the last 2000 years (or so) billions upon billions of people have carried this same message. Perhaps not as strong, nor as intimate in detail; but the message of our Savior and Lord has not diminished. Many have taken this faith, this trust and love for Jesus Christ without question to their death over the centuries and millennia. Unwilling to give up the hope, the trust and the belief in a God they didn’t see, but by faith believed anyway; these men and women have refused to deny His deity and Lordship despite the cost. Many others over that time have taken this message to the lost in the most remote parts of the world at the calling of God on their lives.
You and I may not have had a face to face encounter with the risen Savior, but our faith holds true to the truth of His life on this earth. We are 28 generations (or so) removed from the ones who walked with Him personally. Peter, John, Luke, Matthew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Simon, Judas (son of James) and Judas Iscariot walked with him for 3 years, ate together and slept under the same stars and night. They laughed, cried and prayed together with the Son of God. After His death, He appeared to them and give them hope, courage and confidence that it was all going to be alright. They all chose to walk in His path from that point and tell the world about Him, and in doing so you and I have more information and ability to understand Him than they were ever given.
They followed Him because they trusted Him and were looking for a King. We follow Him because we trust that their testimonies and letters captured in the Holy Bible are inspired by God for the salvation of mankind. We can point to their scriptures and use it as a tool for our own knowledge, and to inspire others. They had their memories, their first hand experience and eye witness testimony to keep them going and to inspire others. What we do with the gifts and tools the Lord has provided is completely up to us. We are all called to spread His word and share His love with others. The real question is are we willing to dedicate our lives to this purpose as did the early church, or are we so caught up in our own desires and dreams to put aside His purpose for our lives. Does it really take Jesus Christ, himself, to stand amongst you in order for you to step outside of your door and tell someone about Him?
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