Weekly
message: The pattern of resurrection: Peace be with you 4/21/2019
By
Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts &
Gospel Music
The pattern of resurrection: Peace be
with you
The pattern of resurrection, “Peace be with you” is same yesterday, today, and forever
more. The pattern of resurrection unveils in four gospel narratives. “Peace
be with you” Jesus said to
His disciples after his resurrection. And Jesus affirmed them who He is, was,
and in to come. He said, “Why are you
troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet;
it is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you
see I have… (Luke24:38-39). This is what I told you while I was still with you;
everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the
Prophets and the Psalms. This is
what is written: The Christ will suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sin
will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning of Jerusalem. You are
witnesses of these things.” (Luke24:38-39, 44,46)
Apostle Peter testified Jesus’
crucifixion and preached to fellow Jews
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection had vindicated by
Father that He is Son of Men and fulfilled Father’s eternal redemption plan for
all mankind. Jesus is Christ Messiah, disciple Peter testified and preached to
fellow Jews after he denied the Lordship three times before Jesus died on the
cross. Jesus raised from dead, appeared in physical being, have breakfast with
him, and asked Peter three times, “ Simon
son of John , do you truly love me more than these? Simon son of John, do you
truly love me? Simon son of John, do you love me?” three times Jesus convicted
Simon Peter and affirmed Peter’s heart “Feed
my lambs”, “Take care of my sheep”, “and Feed my sheep”. Jesus commanded
Simon Peter and all disciples before He ascended to the heaven. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing then
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you and surely I am with you always to the very end of the
age.(Matthew28:18-20).
Therefore, Simon Peter took the leadership with great
fulfillment of Jesus’ commands, not only personal conviction, the sense of
quilt that he had denied Jesus three times, yet, received Jesus’ forgiveness, mercy and love, even appeared
to him in person, encouraged him, comforted him to feed His sheep. Simon
Peter’s faith was strengthened by Jesus Himself, the great testimony of Jesus
was preaching to Jews through disciple Peter after His resurrection. In Book of
Acts Peter quoted the scriptures that prophet Joel has spoken,
“In the last days, God says, I
will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old
men will dream dreams. Even my
servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show
wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will
be turned to darkness and the moon
to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And
everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.” (Act2.2:17-21).
Apostle
Peter convinced many Jews, he said,
“Men of Israel, listen to this Jesus
of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,
which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was
handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge, and you, with the
help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God
raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was
impossible for death to keep its hold on him. David said about him: “I saw the
Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue
rejoices; my body also will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grace, nor will you
let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you
will fill me with joy in your presence.” (Acts.2:22-28)
During Peter’s preaching, and testimony, he urged, “Repent
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your Children
and for all who are far off –for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
(Acts2:38). There were three thousand people who accepted his message and
baptized, and added to their number in that day.
Moreover, Apostle Peter healed the crippled beggar at the
temple gate called Beautiful by the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the crippled man jumped to his feet and began
to walk. Many people were astonished the miraculous healing. Apostle Peter
boldly testified about Jesus and said, “The
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his
servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before
Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and
Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the
author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By
faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong.
It is Jesus’ name and the faith that
comes through him that has given this complete healing to him as you can all
see.” (Acts3:13-16) Apostle Peter again urged them to repent, and turn to
God, so that their sins may be wiped out. The number of men grew to about five
thousand. Apostle Peter and John with
all the disciples after prayed, “They
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” (Acts.5:31)
Another Counselor to be with you
forever-The Spirit of truth
Jesus’ resurrection pattern unveils to His disciples by
said, “Peace be with you”. Many disciples in this generation may not
see Jesus in physical being, yet, by the Holy Spirit, our inner man will hear the
same pattern “Peace be with you” For Jesus said, “I will ask my Father and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-The Spirit of truth. …I
will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.” …but the Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my
name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything. I have said
to you.” (John14:16, 18, 26). In Chinese literary says, “Bao Hei Shi” in Greek says, “παράκλητος” is “a verbal adjective
with a basic meaning one called alongside to help; as a legal technical term,
as one who appears in another’s behalf advocate, defender, intercessor.(1John
2:1) It interprets also as one who gives
protection, help, and security helper, comforter, counselor.(John14:16).” [1] In
another words, Jesus asked Father gave
us another “comforter”, “helper”, “counselor”, “advocate”, “defender”, “intercessor”
be with us forever, which is the
Spirit of truth. By the Holy Spirit, the disciples will be reminded all things
that Jesus had taught. Apostle Peter and John with all the disciples were
witnesses of this.
Implication/Application
My friends, do you receive the Holy Spirit- “the παράκλητος”,
“the Counselor”, “Bao Hei Shi”, which is the Spirit of truth? Each Easter, Jesus appears in front of you and
in your inner being by the Holy Spirit, acts in comforting, strengthening,
exalting, interceding, defending and help you. Have you ever taken notice? The
pattern of resurrection, “Peace be with you” is same
yesterday, today, and forever more. Jesus loves you. He still waits for you to
repent of sin so you will receive the Holy Spirit and the gift of forgiveness. For
Jesus affirmed those who believe in Him, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that
believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die.”(John11:25). This indicates that whoever believes in Jesus, even if he dies
physically shall live spiritually and eternally. Whoever lives physically and
believes in Jesus will never die spiritually and eternally.
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[1] Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F.
Miller et al., eds. Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament.1st
ed. (Victoria BC: Trafford Publishing, 2005), 296
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