Title (tree) Resurrection Jesus, our hope!
Contents
Hymn: 151 “The Risen Savior”
Meditation: Why is the living Lord our hope?
Confession of Faith: Apostles' Creed
Text: When Jesus came and stood in the middle, he said, "Peace to you!" When he had said this, he showed his hands and his side, and the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord (John 20:19-23).
Word: Christianity is the religion of recycling. It means that the risen Jesus is still alive and is with us. Why is the living Lord our hope? Because of the special grace that the risen Lord gives us.
First, it is the grace of peace. On the evening of the first day after the Sabbath, the disciples were locking the door for fear of getting angry. Then Jesus came among them. And he said to them, “Peace be with you” (verse 19). Jesus gave peace to his disciples who were afraid and felt their lives were threatened.
Second, it is the power of the Holy Spirit. He proclaimed peace to his disciples, who were trembling with fear and despair, and then said, “He breathed out and said, Receive the Holy Spirit” (verse 22). The word ‘breath out’ here means ‘breath in’. The living Lord breathes into us today the breath of creation, the breath of life, and the breath of power.
Third, it is the assurance of faith. Among the disciples of Jesus, Thomas did not believe in the risen Lord. The Lord reappears to Thomas eight days later and shows the marks of nails and spears (verse 27). Thomas then confesses that Jesus is “my Lord and my God”. The living Lord gives us the assurance of faith.
Fourth, it is a necessity of life. Jesus appeared to the disciples while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee. The Lord told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat, and as a result they caught so many fish that the nets could not be lifted. The word ‘meat’ (Prosfavgion) here means absolute necessity. Only the living Lord can meet our absolute needs. This is why the Lord of the Resurrection is our hope.
Do you have a hard life? Are you feeling the absolute necessity of life amidst fear and despair? Let's live in hope of the risen Lord who is still alive and is with us.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, who wants us to live in the assurance of faith with peace and power, we believe that you come with an absolute need in our lives. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.