Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Boldly Forward!
John 20:19-23

v21 - Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 
 I once heard that a young man came to John Wesley and told him that he was tremendously burdened with fear and anxiety.  As they were walking and talking, Wesley told him to look at the cow in the field.  It was looking over a stone wall.  Wesley asked the young man, “Why do you think the cow is looking over the stone wall?”  The young man said, “I’m not sure”.  Then Wesley replied, “Because he can not look through the stone fence”.  In the midst of our current pandemic it can be very easy to look at the stone walls of fear, anxiety and stress that surround us.  However, the Risen Jesus Christ invites us “look beyond the wall”.  That is, we must look beyond our sufferings and pain and that is only possible in the experience of faith.  In Christ, we are more than conquerors and it is in Him that we can know true victory in the face of adversity.

As we consider this passage, we may note that these are the first words of the Risen Christ to His disciples.  It contains the proclamation of peace and commission for the disciples and therein the church.  First, we may recognize the presence of the Risen Christ in the fellowship of the believers.  Christ enters into the fellowship without invitation and acts beyond expectation.  In the same way, Christ enters into the fellowship of believers and responds to us in respect to us in our need.  At the sight of Jesus, their fear was transformed into joy and Christ comes near enough so they can see His hands and side.  In moments of crisis, He is Christ and makes Himself visible.  Secondly, in commissioning His disciples he empowers them with the Holy Spirit.  The very authority of the disciples to go out into the world is from above and accordingly their lives must reflect Christ and the cross.  In obedience to the commission, the disciples entered into the mandate of apostleship.  See, Christ calls the church to move from discipleship to apostleship.  However, we sometimes get lost and hear only “Follow me” and the command to “Go out!”.  Evangelism is integral to the life of a Christian and it gives meaning to the Pentecost event. May the Lord Almighty bless and lead us boldly forward!
 
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Loving Lord, open our eyes to you, our hearts to receive you and our minds to know.  Guide us in Your vision and strengthen us along Your mission.  In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. 

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another”.  Thomas Merton

Rev. Jaisen A. Thomas, New Jersey Redeemer Congregation
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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