<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>John 20;19-21<div><br></div><div><b>19. &nbsp;On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”</b></div><div><b>20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. &nbsp;Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.</b></div><div><b>21. &nbsp;Jesus said to them again, “peace be with you. &nbsp;As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><i>“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who feats is not perfected in love.” </i>(1 John 1;18)</div><div><br></div><div>The doors were locked because fear was heavy upon the disciples. &nbsp;The witness of Mary, (that she had seen Jesus alive)&nbsp;meant absolutely&nbsp;nothing to the disciples. &nbsp;The threat of death hung over these men. &nbsp;Their Lord of love&nbsp;had just been falsely accused, tortured, and crucified, they feared that they would be next. The powerful reality of Christ’s resurrection had not found a place in their minds and hearts. &nbsp;It had certainly not become their own&nbsp;singular reality.</div><div><br></div><div>‘Turning the ship around’ is hard.&nbsp;Replacing fear with gladness &nbsp;only began to happen&nbsp;when they themselves heard the beloved voice of Jesus say, <i>“Peace be with you.” </i>and their own eyes beheld their Lord of Love and Life standing in the middle of the group of&nbsp;disciples. &nbsp;They themselves had to examine the wounds in his hands and side, then they were <i>“glad”,</i>&nbsp;just glad.</div><div><br></div><div>Why only <i>“glad”? &nbsp;</i>Glad means: happy, pleased, delighted. &nbsp;The word ‘glad’ seems so lukewarm. &nbsp;</div><div>Why not ‘ecstaticly rejoicing with exaltation’? &nbsp;Why not ‘dumbstruck&nbsp;with joyous&nbsp;amazement’ or ‘wild with celebratory relief’?</div><div><br></div><div>I believe their fears had not entirely left them. &nbsp;This world still hated Jesus and all who follows him.</div><div>We walk in danger every where. They were not <i>“perfected in love”, </i>Jesus’ work upon their minds and hearts was still in process, it was not finished.</div><div><br></div><div>Again, Jesus says, <i>“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, ever so I send you.” &nbsp;</i>According to our own sinful nature, this is <u>not good news!</u>&nbsp; Jesus was sent into the way of sacrificial self-denial and death!!! &nbsp;Yes, it <u>was</u>&nbsp;the Father’s will, but the Father’s will is terrifying to the old man, our flesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Yes, Jesus was sent as the very image of the love of God for this world, but it cost him a terrible death!</div><div><br></div><div>To be sent ourselves as the Father sent Jesus, is indeed a fearful, seemIngly<span>&nbsp;impossible way to go.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, we poor sinners can not walk fearlessly&nbsp;in perfected love through this world which hates us. &nbsp;We are not perfect, not by a long shot. &nbsp;Have mercy on us&nbsp;and open our minds and hearts to see that&nbsp;you have given us true perfected fearless&nbsp;love in our new life in Christ. &nbsp;Grant that the living Word appear and stand in the midst of&nbsp;our very&nbsp;souls. &nbsp;Grant that we behold the wounds, hear his voice and understand, death can not harm us. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,&nbsp;</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”</div><div><br></div><div><b><br></b><br><br><a href="https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>


John 20;19-21
19.  On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.  Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.21.  Jesus said to them again, “peace be with you.  As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who feats is not perfected in love.” (1 John 1;18)
The doors were locked because fear was heavy upon the disciples.  The witness of Mary, (that she had seen Jesus alive) meant absolutely nothing to the disciples.  The threat of death hung over these men.  Their Lord of love had just been falsely accused, tortured, and crucified, they feared that they would be next. The powerful reality of Christ’s resurrection had not found a place in their minds and hearts.  It had certainly not become their own singular reality.
‘Turning the ship around’ is hard. Replacing fear with gladness  only began to happen when they themselves heard the beloved voice of Jesus say, “Peace be with you.” and their own eyes beheld their Lord of Love and Life standing in the middle of the group of disciples.  They themselves had to examine the wounds in his hands and side, then they were “glad”, just glad.
Why only “glad”?  Glad means: happy, pleased, delighted.  The word ‘glad’ seems so lukewarm.  Why not ‘ecstaticly rejoicing with exaltation’?  Why not ‘dumbstruck with joyous amazement’ or ‘wild with celebratory relief’?
I believe their fears had not entirely left them.  This world still hated Jesus and all who follows him.We walk in danger every where. They were not “perfected in love”, Jesus’ work upon their minds and hearts was still in process, it was not finished.
Again, Jesus says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, ever so I send you.”  According to our own sinful nature, this is not good news!  Jesus was sent into the way of sacrificial self-denial and death!!!  Yes, it was the Father’s will, but the Father’s will is terrifying to the old man, our flesh.
Yes, Jesus was sent as the very image of the love of God for this world, but it cost him a terrible death!
To be sent ourselves as the Father sent Jesus, is indeed a fearful, seemIngly impossible way to go.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, we poor sinners can not walk fearlessly in perfected love through this world which hates us.  We are not perfect, not by a long shot.  Have mercy on us and open our minds and hearts to see that you have given us true perfected fearless love in our new life in Christ.  Grant that the living Word appear and stand in the midst of our very souls.  Grant that we behold the wounds, hear his voice and understand, death can not harm us.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love, Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.”



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