First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 28, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor

Revelation 21:1-5
This morning we come to our final lesson in our study of the Apostles’ Creed.  For the past two millennia, this Creed, this ancient confession and expression of Christian belief, has served as an instrument for instructing Christians in the basics of Biblical faith.  Today we will be looking at the final statement the Creed makes, “I believe in the life everlasting.”   
 
Today’s affirmation is very comforting because when we say, “I believe in the life everlasting,” we proclaim our belief in life after death – in an eternity that exists outside of our world and our time.  It’s so comforting to know that when our journey here on earth comes to an end, it continues in heaven; when this chapter is over, another beautiful chapter that has no end begins.
 
Life Everlasting in the Teaching of Jesus
Life everlasting, Zōēn Aiōnion (in Greek ζωὴν αἰώνιον), was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus Christ.  In John 10:10, Jesus summarizes and captures the heart of His mission when He said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
 
Jesus invited His audience to choose life over death when He said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
 
Addressing the Samaritan woman, whose life was so far from eternal life, Jesus said in John 4:14, “But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
 
Life everlasting was an integral part of the teaching of Jesus because, my friends, it will be miserable to miss it.  Jesus never watered down the truth that at the end of our journey here on earth, humans will have one of two final destinations: heaven or hell; the resurrection of life or the resurrection of condemnation as Jesus said in John 5:28-29.
 
The topic of life everlasting is a very broad one and it is very hard to cover it in one sermon, so for the sake of our time, I want to narrow it down to three questions: What, When, and How.  What is life eternal?  When does it begin? And, how do we receive it?
 
First: What is Life Eternal?
Many people wonder what heaven will be like.  Will the streets be paved with gold?  Will there be mountains and streams?  Will there be beaches and waterfalls?  Will there be trees and animals? 
 
We have to know that heaven is beyond our comprehension.  Our minds cannot comprehend the reality of life eternal, because it is beyond our experience and beyond our capacity to understand.  All we really know is that it will be a glorious life!
 
The one most important thing I want us to know today is when the Bible speaks about eternal life, its emphases neither the place nor the quality of life in heaven. Yes, heaven is a real place, but it is not the place that really matters.
 
Yes, in heaven we will experience life in its fulness because everything will be just perfect and complete.  Our joy will be complete.  Our peace will be complete.  Our existence will be complete.  Our faith will be complete.  Our love will be complete.  God’s presence will be complete.  Our fellowship with the Lord and with each other will be complete.  We will have an intimate relationship with God.  We will no longer have times when God seems far away.  We will lack nothing.  Our loved ones will be there, along with many others whom we will love and enjoy just as much! 
 
It’s true, as John says in Revelation chapter 21, that there will be no more sickness, suffering, or death. No more pain, no more getting old and frail, no losing our memory and abilities.  But there is something even greater about life everlasting.  It’s the fact that we will be living in the presence of the Most High.  Revelation 21:3 says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”
 
Second: When Does Life Eternal Begin?
We look at the wholeness of everlasting life and we wonder, can we begin to taste some of it now?  According to John 5: 24, life eternal is simply knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  In John 5:24, Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me HAS ETERNAL LIFE and will not be judged, but HAS CROSSED OVER from death to life.” 
 
Everlasting life begins the moment we welcome Jesus into our lives, surrender our lives to Him, and it reaches its completion when we fully dwell in God’s presence.  From that moment on, we will live a life with eternity in mind. 
 
Needless to say, if eternal life begins for us today, it will definitely bring changes to our lives.  Basically, the life of Jesus will take over, changing how we think, feel, and act.  We won’t have to do that entirely on our own; the Spirit of Jesus will transform us, as we turn our life over to Jesus.
 
Third: How Do We Receive Eternal Life?
Eternal life is a gift.  Romans 6:23 reminds us that “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  It is a gift available immediately to all who surrender their lives to Christ – it is a gift that is available to all, no matter how many laps we may be down, no matter of our past failures; it’s a gift that immediately puts us across the finish line.  “Whoever has the Son,” John 5:12 says “has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
 
Friends, as we wrap up this series of messages on the Apostles’ Creed, I want to invite you to examine your heart.  Do you know without a doubt that you are going to heaven?  Do you know without a doubt that you have personally asked Jesus to forgive your sins and to come into your life as Lord and Savior?  If not, then I want you to get that assurance before you leave today.  In 1873, Fanny Crosby wrote these great words:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine;
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
 
Friends, may this be your song today and every day until we see Jesus face to face.  Yes, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but there is a way out through the redemption of Christ.  “I believe in the life everlasting.”  Amen.
 

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 21st, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Ephesians 1:1-8
 
One great benefit of studying the Apostles’ Creed is connecting ourselves to what all Christians everywhere have always believed.  In so doing, we remind ourselves that despite our ever-changing social circumstances, Christian faith is not ours to redefine.  Being deeply rooted in “the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3) is essential to the live and ministry of God’s people.
 
We’re almost finished with our journey through the Apostle’s Creed, only a couple short phrases left, and along the way we have encountered some of the most profound, uplifting, and life-changing truth.
 
Today, we get to affirm our belief in the forgiveness of sins.  “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” the Apostles’ Creed affirms.  It seems to me at first glance that “the forgiveness of sins” seems to be in the wrong place.  Shouldn’t it be in one of the first two sections?  Doesn't it better describe the world of the Father Almighty or Jesus Christ?  Aren’t they the one who handle forgiveness?   
 
Instead the affirmation of the forgiveness of sins comes near the end in the section about the Holy Spirit’s work in the context of the Christian community.  And its placement here means two things.  First, it means that those of us who recite these words are part of the church because we are forgiven.  We are a forgiven community.  We are sinners saved by God’s grace.  We declare the forgiveness of sins because without such forgiveness, we would not be here, we would not be confessing this faith, we would not be part of this company. 
 
Second, it’s a reminder of the ongoing work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.  John 16:8 says, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.”  Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the church is the community of those who have experienced – and continue experiencing – the forgiveness of sins.  Forgiveness seems to be a trademark of the church.
 
Whenever Christians declare, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we testify – to ourselves and to the world – that our faith is in a God who is both willing and able to forgive us when we mess up.  We basically declare that our God is a God will never give up on His elect.  We testify that our God is the God of new beginnings.  The Prophet Isaiah says these great things in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
 
In order to understand the richness of this statement, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” we need to underscore two important concepts here; the concept of sin and the concept of forgiveness.  So, real quick, what is sin?  What is forgiveness?
 
First: What is Sin?
The word “sin” in the New Testament Greek is “ἁμάρτημα” “hamartia.”  The Greek word hamartia literally means “to miss the mark.”  In other words, sin is not doing things the way they ought to be done.  In His infallible Word, God tells us how things ought to be done.  And sin is when we decide, “I’ve got a better idea–my way.”  That’s the essence of sin; deciding that though God has said to do it this way, I’m going to do it my way which is better.  Sin is rejecting God’s way for our own way.
 
Sin is missing the mark.  It is missing the whole purpose of life, the whole reason for being here on earth.  In Romans 3:23, the Apostle Paul reminds us that, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”  No one is exempt.  “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us,” says 1 John 1:8.
 
Theologians often speak of two different kinds of sins: sins of commission and sins of omission.  Both kinds of sin are equally wicked in God’s eyes.  Sins of commission are sins that we commit by doing something we shouldn’t do.  This kind of sin is easily recognizable.  It is something like worshiping other God’s, cheating, killing, lying, manipulating, etc.  It’s something someone did that they shouldn’t have done.
 
As you might have guessed, sins of omission are sins we commit by not doing something we should do.  James 4:17 says, “Anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin.”  These are the opportunities God gives us to grow up in our faith, to be more like Christ, to take our discipleship seriously, and to impact the lives of those around us. When we waste these opportunities, we commit the sin of omission.
 
Second: What is Forgiveness?
“I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”  The word translated “forgiveness” in the New Testament writings means, “to let go, to release.”  Originally, it was a legal term used to describe the release of debtors from the debts. 
 
God’s forgiveness is a gift.  You don’t deserve it, you don’t earn it, you just receive it as a gift.  God in His mercy forgives our sins because of Jesus.  We are forgiven because Jesus took our sin upon Himself, bore our punishment, and paid the full price.  All of God’s wrath against our sin was poured out on Jesus, who absorbed it on our behalf.  He died to pay our moral debt and forgive us. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace,” says Paul in Ephesians 1:8.
 
A sinner in God’s eyes is bankrupt.  When we come to Christ, accept what he has done on our behalf, the righteousness of Christ, the victory of Christ over sin, is accredited to us.  Christ’s death “canceled out the certificate of debt.”
 
Friends, this is exciting news.  It’s glorious news.  In 1776, the British Anglican hymn writer Augustus Toplady wrote the great hymn, Rock of Ages Cleft for Me, and he captured the essence of our affirmation today.  In this third stanza he said:
 
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace:
Foul, I to the fountain fly,
Wash me, Savior, or I die. 
 
“I believe in the forgiveness of sins.”  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ June 7th, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 

Revelation 7:9-12
There is incredible power in believing.  Have you ever pondered what difference faith or believing can make in your life?  Have you every pondered what impact believing in a loving, caring, and personal God might have on your life? 
There is strength in believing.  Listen to these words from Romans 4:20 speaking of Father Abraham’s faith, “He did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but found strength in faith (He grew strong in his faith, his faith filled him with power) and gave glory to God.”  The Message puts it this way, “He didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions.  He plunged into the promise and came up strong.” 
The story of the Bible, from cover to cover, is the story of believing and finding strength, energy, vitality, comfort, and peace in believing.  No wonder that countless generations through the centuries have found assurance and encouragement in the words of the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe…”
Over the past few weeks, we have been looking at the Apostles’ Creed, the creed of all creeds, as someone said.  We very much covered the major Christian doctrines the creed affirms.  We talked about our faith in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Today is Trinity Sunday, and as you can tell, the Apostles’ Creed is a very Trinitarian creed.
This morning we get to that phrase of the creed where it states, “I believe in the holy catholic church.”  As you can tell, the focus of this line is the church, what we do right now.  What does the Apostles’ Creed teach us about the church?  I think this is a timely message.  More than any other institution, the church of Jesus Christ has always been attacked and misunderstood.
I assume since you are joining us for worship today or will be watching this service later on, you have some interest in what this church thing is all about.  So whether you grew up in Church or just exploring it now, I am inviting you this morning to seriously revisit your ecclesiology, your understanding of the church.  What does it mean to affirm and declare today, “I believe in the holy catholic church”?  To help us get the proper focus, let’s begin with the word “church.” 
What Is the Church?
Often times we hear people say, “I like Jesus, but I don’t care for the church”; or something like, “I believe in God, but I don’t believe in the church.” “I’m spiritual, but I’m not religious so I don’t go to church.  I can worship God on the golf course.  That’s my church.  I believe in my own way.  I don’t need to go to church and have someone tell me what to believe.”   “The church is just after my money.” “I hate the organized church.”  What is the church?
 
In the New Testament, the word translated “Church” is “Ekklesia”, which combine two Greek words, the prefix “ek”, meaning “out of” and the verb “Kaleo” meaning “to call.”  The word ekklesia is found 116 times in the New Testament writings.  Ekklesia, therefore, means those people who have been called out of the world by God to join together as followers of Jesus Christ.  So a church is a “called-out assembly of believers.”  The word “church” in the New Testament never refers to a building.  It always refers to people, to living stones. 
 
One profound thing to notice here is the church, the ekklesia, in God’s sight is ONE.  When Jesus said, “I will build my church,” he used the singular, not the plural—"churches.” Jesus promised to build one church and one church only. There is only one true ekklesia—the assembly of those who have been called out of the world to follow Christ.
 
As much as we love our own traditions, the church is not a denomination.  Sometimes we speak of the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Lutheran Church or the Catholic Church.  That’s a valid use of the English word “church,” but it’s not a meaning found in the New Testament.  Denominations are manmade organizations that allow groups of congregations to work together.  It’s not a bad concept, and it’s not wrong to be part of a denomination—but the New Testament doesn’t use the word church in this particular way.  In God’s sight, there is one ekklesia, one called out assembly of believers.
 
Jesus deliberately intended to form a continuing community of prayer, preaching, and mutual support.  The ekklesia, therefore, is neither a social club nor a political action committee.  It is by definition those called forth by the Son to be discipled by the Spirit for the purpose of living lives that bring glory and honor to the Father.  That is certainly the picture of the church painted in the New Testament.
 
The Church is Holy
“I believe in the holy catholic church.”  The adjective “holy” reinforces the truth that the church consists of those called out by God; to be holy is to be set apart by God for His service.  The church is holy not because of the individual merit of each of its members.  Rather, the church is holy in that it derives its life and substance from the Holy Spirit.
 
Jesus has called the ekklesia, His followers, to live a life worthy of the calling we received.  In other words, to experience every day what it means to be set apart by God for His service.  Sometimes we get it, other we don’t.  Sometimes we do it right, other times we stumble. 
 
The Church is Universal
“I believe in the holy catholic church.”  The Apostles’ Creed also confesses that the church is “catholic,” which simply means “universal.”  With all respect to our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Roman Catholic Church, the word “catholic” here doesn’t refer to a particular denomination.  Rather, it refers to the universal nature of the Church of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commanded us “to go and make disciples of all nations.”
 
Last week we celebrated Pentecost.  Acts chapter gives us a glimpse of the universal nature of the church where we find people literally from the four ends of the earth forming together a community, one body, the church of Jesus Christ.  In Revelation 7:9-10, the Apostle John spoke about the same idea when he wrote, “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.  And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
 
So as I conclude, this is what I want you to remember today, my friends.  Remember that in His grace, God has called you to be a part of His family.  You’re hand-picked by God.  Along with many others, from every nation, tribe, race, and language, you’re set aside by God to be His light where is darkness, to be His love where is hatred; to show compassion where rejection is found.  This is what the ekklesia has been doing for over 2,000 years.  I believe in the holy catholic church.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Pentecost Sunday ~ May 31st, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Acts 2:1-12 
Today is Pentecost Sunday.  Pentecost is not as well-known or as popular as Christmas and Easter, though it commemorates a watershed event in Christian history.  In many ways, Pentecost is the birthday of the church.  The English word “Pentecost” is a transliteration of the Greek word pentekostos, which means “fifty.”  Fifty days or seven weeks after the resurrection of Jesus, the Holy Spirit was descended or poured out upon Christ’s first followers, thus empowering them for their mission and gathering them together as a church.
 
Today we remember and celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Someone rightly said that the Holy Spirit is the “Forgotten God.”  The Holy Spirit is the God we hardly know.  As you may’ve already noticed, since the beginning of this pandemic, I have delivered numerous sermons from the Apostles’ Creed.  As I said several times, it is one of the most profound creeds and the ancient of all creeds. 
 
The Apostles’ Creed could be easily divided into three main sections.  Each section deals with one Person of the Trinity.  The first section addresses our faith in God the Father Almighty; the second deals with the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity; and the third section deals with the Holy Spirit, stating simply, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”
 
Two powerful lines in the Creed are devoted to God, and ten lines are devoted to Jesus Christ.  But as you can see, there is only one line, one phrase, devoted to the Holy Spirit, and that line is not very descriptive — “I believe in the Holy Spirit.”  Though short, this line is packed with truth you and I need today.
 
Any study of the Holy Spirit must begin with this fundamental question.  Who is the Holy Spirit?  So, let me say a few words about this, then I will very briefly share a single thought about the ministry of the Holy Spirit today and how it relates to our lives.
 
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Essential to a Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit is recognizing the Spirit as a Person.  The Holy Spirit is the 3rd Person of the Trinity.  You may have heard the Holy Spirit referred to as an impersonal power or influence, as an “it.”  This is not true because the Holy Spirit is a person.  He is fully God.  To borrow a phrase from a later creed, He is co-equal, co-eternal to God the Father and God the Son.  He is equal in every way and has always been.  He is as important, as eternal, as powerful and as much a part of the Trinity as the Father and the Son are.
 
The Holy Spirit is God’s active presence in the world.  The first mention of the Holy Spirit is in Genesis 1:2. He is God’s agent of creation.  He hovered over the waters in the beginning.  He is the breath of the Almighty (Hebrew ruach elohim), and as such He is an agent in creation, the breath of God.  He demonstrates power and energy.  The Holy Spirit spoke things into existence, the whole world, the stars, everything visible and invisible. 
 
Not only is the Holy Spirit the agent of creation, He is the agent of the new creation in Christ.  In John chapter 3:5-6, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.  What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”  Thus the Holy Spirit is the author of new birth.  The Holy Spirit is God’s active presence in the world.  It’s God showing up in a clear and tangible way, but also sometimes in a mysterious or even miraculous way.
 
“I believe in the Holy Spirit,” the Apostles’ Creed affirms.  What does this mean?  One profound way the work of the Holy Spirit is fundamental to our lives today.
 
First: The Holy Spirit is Our Helper
In John 16:7 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper “paracletos” will not come to you.  But if I go, I will send him to you.”  I know most of our English translations render “Paraclete” as Helper, Comforter, Advocate, or Counselor.  Yet, I feel this doesn’t really capture the depth and complexity of the Greek word.  The Greek word paracletos combines the verb “kaleo,” “to call,” with the proposition “para,” meaning “with, by, or beside.”  A Paraclete, therefore, is someone called alongside.
 
When I think of the Holy Spirit, this is how I primarily think of Him: my 911, and my 24/7 hotline.  The Holy Spirit is God with us, helping and empowering us to live a flourishing life that radiates the goodness of God.  I don’t know about you but I’m constantly aware of my need for divine help.  As my flesh fights for control, it’s the Spirit that steps in and helps me to be who God created me to be.
 
When you are feeling powerless or tired or like your failing at life, you can have confidence as a believer that you're not alone.  You can start each day knowing the Holy Spirit is there to help you.  He is the power that sustains, energizes, and keeps you on a holy path.
 
The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:26, “The Spirit helps us in our weakness.”  Reflecting on these words, American Theologian, Thomas Oden (1931-2016), wrote, “There is nothing too subtle or dense for the Spirit to penetrate or too sinful for the Spirit to cleanse or too weary for the Spirit to breathe life into again.  The Spirit strives with us, prays for us, groans with us.”[1]
 
Each time we confess and affirm, “I believe in the Holy Spirit”, we affirm our faith in the Paraclete, God’s personal and powerful presence in our lives today.  Friends, the ministry of the Holy Spirit today reminds us that our God is an active God.  He is still helping, comforting, counseling, guiding, empowering, and reminding us of the truth of God’s Word.  Friends, I don’t think our churches today need more attracting programs, or committees, or even better Ministers.  We may change all these, and still be just the same.  All we want is a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God.  Psalm 104:30 says, “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”  So, come, Holy Spirit, come.  Amen.


[1] Thomas C. Oden, Life in the Spirit: Systematic Theology: vol. 3.  San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1994.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ May 24, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Acts 1:1-14 
I love knowing where I’m going and what’s coming next.  It’s the way I’m wired.  And if it were left up to me, all of life would come with step-by-step instructions that lead directly through one season into another.  I like marked roads with signpost messages along the way.
 
Unfortunately, or may be fortunately, this is not the case in real life.  In real life, much of our life is spent in the “in-between” time.  Most of our time is spent in between the start and finish; in between one life event and the next; in between the accomplishment of goals and future dreams; in between our current reality and anticipated future; in between despair and hope; in between the now and the not yet.
 
No one likes being in the “in-between” time.  Yet, as God’s people, we are called to live a life of faith and faithfulness in the “in-between” times.  As followers of Christ today, we live in between Christ’s first coming and His Second coming in glory; between the wilderness and the Promised Land.
 
This week is a strange week in church liturgical calendar.  This past Thursday, May 21st, was Ascension Day.  Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday.  These ten days, between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost, are very interesting to say the least.  In these ten days, the disciples of Jesus lived between the ups and downs.  One could say that they were a bit disoriented. 
 
I think the most important and challenging question to ask today is how should we live in the in-between times?  How should we live the pace between those two momentous events, between Christ ascending to heaven and the Holy Spirit descending on us?  This is a space of holy waiting, explicitly commanded by Christ in His last earthly words before His ascension.
 
Waiting is difficult.  How can we wait when so many things seem to demand action or response right away?  How long must we wait when we’re promised something wonderful?  In Acts chapter 1, Christ puts the waiting before the receiving.  He tells the disciples to wait, then says that they’ll receive the Holy Spirit.  Christ could’ve been more expedient, breathing on them with a “Receive the Holy Spirit” before leaving them.  But instead… He told them to wait.
 
God brings us into the waiting for specific reasons.  He wants time to minister to us in the waiting.  He wants to prepare us.  He wants to give us safety, unity and wholeness when we wait for Him. When the fire fills our hearts, we will be ready for this new call and direction because of the formation experienced while waiting.
 
So what do we do in this waiting?  What do we do in the in-between times?  What do we do when we get caught between Ascension and Pentecost?   In Acts chapter 1, the disciples of Jesus had nothing to do but wait.  What do we do when the God we’ve pinned all our hopes and dreams upon suddenly ups and leaves?  What do we do when all we have left is a promise?  What do we do when there’s nothing left to do but wait?  Perhaps how the disciples waited will give us some direction for our own times of waiting today.  Two short observations that I noticed as I read Luke’s account of their waiting in Acts 1.
 
First: Find Space for Remembering
Acts 1:12-13 reads, “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.  When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying.”
 
This is the Upper Room where that fateful and revolutionary Passover Feast—the first communion—took place.  There are memories here, lingering glimpses of Christ’s presence, desperately needed now in His absence.
 
In one corner is the basin and towels Jesus used to wash His disciples’ feet.  In the middle of the room found the pillows and low table where Jesus sat and broke the bread, “This is my body, broken for you” and where He lifted up the cup, “This is my Blood, the New Covenant.”  Memories of food, fellowship, and God’s presence.  They remember the late night after that meal full of conversation in the vineyard.  They remember Christ speaking words of promise and comfort to them. So here they wait, remembering Him in a space that evokes His presence.  When waiting, find these places of remembrance and sanctuary in your own life.  Those memories of God’s faithfulness and His unfailing love can give us strength and hope to wait.
 
Second: Wait with Community
As you wait, find space for remembering.  But there is another great thought that we also see in Acts 1.  We read these words in Acts 1:13-14, “Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.  They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”
 
Waiting can be lonely.  One of the best ways to wait is to wait with someone else; to wait with community.  Time shared is time halved.  After coming to the Upper Room, the apostles gathered with the other believers—all 120 of them. Together, with unity, they prayed.  What did they pray for?  Did they share memories of time spent with Jesus?  What was the emotion in those prayers in that room?  Waiting in prayerful community is so important.
 
Community helps us remember.  Community sustains us when we’re too tired to wait anymore.  When we’re waiting for tongues of flame, we might need someone else to look at those signs of God’s presence in and around us.  We can more easily discern through the eyes of community what God is doing in our lives.
 
Friends, with today’s celebration of the Seventh Sunday of Easter, we find ourselves get caught between the Ascension and Pentecost.  What sustains us in that time of waiting, in the in-between times?  Acts chapter one invites to, first, find a space for remembering.  This is where God’s unfailing promises are nurtured and celebrated.  Second, wait with community.  That’s why I value this Church Family.
 
These two elements are extremely important for living a life of faith in the in-between times.  Let’s rest and wait on the Lord during life’s pauses.  Knowing that whether life is in motion or seemingly stalled, God is with us, is so comforting and assuring.  God is guiding our steps at the start and the finish and everywhere in between.  God is our hope and our song, even in the in-between times and places – maybe especially there.  To Him be the glory, now and forever more.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ May 17, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Luke 24:50-53
 
 
This coming Thursday, May 21st, is the fortieth day after Easter which means it is Ascension Day.  I don’t know how liturgical you are, but the Feast of Ascension commemorates the Ascension, the lifting up, of Christ into heaven.  As you know, after Jesus rose from the dead, He spent forty days on earth before returning to heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father in power and glory.
 
Generally speaking, in the Reformed theology, greater emphasize has been placed on “the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,” thus leaving the Ascension with lesser importance within our minds today.  Nevertheless, it is actually the Ascension that completes the plan of salvation; and therefore, for the Church, it is of equal importance.
 
The Doctrine of Ascension has always been so central to Biblical Christianity.  No wonder that the Ascension is mentioned serval times in the New Testament Books, and it is emphasized in the Apostles’ Creed as it clearly states, “He ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.”
 
The Ascension had a profound impact on the disciples. Up to the moment that Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples seemed to be puzzled, trying to figure it all out.  But after the ascension, Luke tells us, they worshiped Him.  They traveled back to Jerusalem with great joy.  They maintained a regular presence in the temple—worshiping God.
 
Needless to say, the Ascension of Christ was an affirmation that the work of salvation is now complete.  Hebrews 10:11-12 remind us that there were no seats, no chairs, in the Holy or the Holy of Holiness, in the Temple, because the priests were not allowed to sit down.  They stood to perform their work because their work was never done.   Hebrews 10 states, “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.”  Thank God, Jesus is seated in heaven.  The work of salvation is done.
 
While we can look at the Ascension from many different angels, and draw many implications for our lives today, this morning I would like to highlight two ways the Doctrine of Ascension is important to us today.  What does the Ascension of Christ mean to us today? 
 
First: We Have a Friend in Heaven
Hebrews 4:14-16 calls Christ a great high priest who has gone into heaven.  Because Jesus walked on this earth with us, He knows what we are going through and is able to sympathize with us in our struggles.  And because Christ is now in heaven, He can help in all our troubles.  When we go to the throne of grace, we don’t have to worry about being turned away because Christ Himself is there to meet us.  He has grace to help in the time of need. 
 
We’ve got a Friend in High Places—the Highest Place in the universe.  We’ve got a man on the inside who can help us out with all our problems.  Think of it this way.  When you’re in trouble, you need two things: 1) Someone who cares about your problems, and 2) Someone who can help you out.  If your friend cares but isn’t in a position to help you, you’ll get sympathy but no concrete help.  If your friend could help you but doesn’t care about your problem, well, that’s like not having a friend at all.  What you need is someone who cares and is in a position to make things happen for you.  That’s what Jesus is—a Friend in High Places who loves to come to the aid of His people. 
 
Christ, our Friend in heaven, also prays for us.  Romans 8:34 tells us that Christ is now at the right hand of God interceding for us. 1 John 2:2 adds another encouraging truth that Christ is our attorney in heaven.  He is our advocate who speaks to the Father in our defense.  When the devil comes and makes a claim against us, Jesus speaks up on our behalf and pleads His own blood in our defense.  The Father looks at the Son, sees His pierced hands, and says, “Case dismissed.”  Let me tell you the best part of this truth: Jesus has never lost a case.  Even the best lawyers lose now and then.  But because Jesus has been exalted to the right hand of God the Father, He has never lost a case.  This is a very comforting and glorious truth!
 
Second: The Tug of HeavenBut there is another uplifting implication of Christ’s Ascension that I want to bring to your attention.  The Ascension of Christ shows us how we should spend our life—looking up.  Paul writes to the Colossians in chapter 3:1-2 saying, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  When we set our hearts and minds on things above, we confess our faith in Jesus Christ, who ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.
 
The story is told of a little boy who went outside on a windy spring day to fly his new kite.  As the wind blew, the kite flew higher and higher until it finally disappeared from view in the clouds far above.  After a few minutes a bystander asked, “How do you know the kite is still attached to the string?”  “I can feel it tugging on the string,” the boy replied.  The same is true for us today.  Christ is pulling us toward heaven.  He is pulling us away from the earth toward our eternal home.  We may not see Him with our eyes, but we feel His tug in our hearts.  We know where He is and we know that where He is, we will someday be. 
 
Friends, every day Jesus tugs on our hearts, pulling us up toward heaven so that when we finally get there, we won’t feel like strangers.  One day soon the Lord will give us one final tug, one final pull, and we’ll end up in heaven forever.  Until then, let’s set our hearts and minds on things above.
 
Friends, the pace and pattern of our life today can be dizzying as the demands of our secular culture pull us in many different directions.  When we find ourselves being pulled away from God, one stabilizing resource is found in the Ascension of Christ.  Yes, the Doctrine of the Ascension is important.  It reminds us that we have a friend in heaven, an advocate who speaks in our defense.  It also invites us to set our hearts and minds on things above.  Amen.

​First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ May 10, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
“Looking Up When Feeling Down!”
Psalm 43
 
When you feel down, look up.  This short phrase captures the essence and the spirit of Psalm 43.  You and I know that challenges and difficulties are part of being human.  American Pastor and Bible scholar, Warren Wiersbe , wrote a little book many years ago entitled, Bumps Are What You Climb On: Encouragement for Difficult Days.  The title comes from a story of a young boy taking his little sister on a hike up a hill.  The little girl complains and says, “Why, this isn’t a path at all – it’s all rocky and bumpy.”  Her brother replied, “Sure, the bumps are what you climb on.”  Human existence is accompanied by the basic fact that there will be problems, there will be bumps in life.
 
Psalm 43 addresses this topic.  It’s a great Psalm.  Most Bible scholars suggest that King David is the author of this Psalm.  He wrote it when he was fleeing from the revolt of his son Absalom.  It would seem that the author of this Psalm is going through a time of stress, personal attack and inner turmoil.  His life has brought him face to face with circumstances that are out of his control and they have brought pain and confusion to his heart.
 
We have all faced times in our lives when we were embroiled in turmoil, pain and heartache.  In fact, our world is living this very disturbing reality right now.  My friends, let me tell you something very important.  Those are the times of life that define us as followers of Jesus and confirm or deny our testimony concerning our faith in and love for Jesus Christ.
 
As we look at Psalm 43, it becomes quickly evident that the Psalmist is a broken person; yet, he clings to his faith in God as a drowning person clings to a life preserver.  Yes, we can see the depth of the author’s pain, but we can also see the height of his faith in the Lord.
 
This morning, I want us to see both the depth of the Psalmist pain and the height of his faith in the Lord.  First, we will be looking at the Psalmist cry for help; and second, we will be looking at the believer’s confidence.
 
First: A Cry for Deliverance
From the outset of Psalm 43, we are introduced to a person who is in touch with the Lord of Heaven.  In verses 1 and 2, the Psalmist says, “Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; from those who are deceitful and unjust deliver me!  For you are the God in whom I take refuge.”
 
If there was ever a reason to rejoice in difficulty and tribulations, it lies in the fact that we have access to God.  And in Him, we find all the help we need to weather the storms of this life.  “Deliver me,” the Psalmist cried out.  The Psalmist feels trapped by his circumstances, he is oppressed by his enemies, and he cries out to God for deliverance.  Sometimes I feel we are trapped right now, but I am thankful that our God is the Great Liberator!
 
The Psalmist calls on God because his circumstances are beyond his control.  God alone has the power to fix that which we cannot fix.  Friends, the sooner we learn this lesson, the better off we will be.  The best thing we can do is learn to bring our needs to the Lord, stand in His strength and watch Him work it out for His purpose in our lives.
 
Second: The Believer’s Confidence
In the second half of the Psalm, verses 3-5, we see the believer’s confidence in God and that God will make a way where it seems no way.  “O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling,” the Psalmist says in verse 3.
 
As you notice here, the Psalmist desires to be led by God’s truth and light.  “O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me.”  In his troubles, in his dark hour, the Psalmist desires to hear the voice of God and to get direction from it.  Friends, it is in our darkest hour that God’s light shines around us.  It is the truth of God’s Word that will lead us in Christ’s triumphal procession.  Friends, God’s Word holds the solutions to all of life’s riddles and answers to life’s big questions.  “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light on my path,” says Psalm 119:89.
 
In verse 5, the Psalmist expresses his confidence in the Lord and shows a profound certainty.  Even though he is still in the dark valley, the Psalmist knows that he will soon come out of that valley in victory.  “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me?  Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.”  We rest in the confidence that the valleys will soon be behind us forever.  There is help at His feet.
 
Friends, no matter how “downcast” how “disturbed”, or how “discouraged” my soul ever gets – and it does, for all of us – I know there is more to the story, and that makes all the difference.
 
Horatio G. Spafford is a name with which you are probably not familiar.  Mr. Spafford was a successful Chicago lawyer who lost most of his wealth in the Great Chicago Fire of 1873.  He sent his wife and four daughters on a trip to France, but on their way, their ship was struck by another, and sank.  Of 225 passengers, only 87 of them survived.  Mrs. Spafford was among the survivors, but the four daughters perished.  As soon as she reached land, she telegraphed to her husband: “Saved alone. Children lost. What shall I do?”
 
With a heavy heart, Spafford boarded a boat that would take him to his grieving Anna.  As he sailed across the area were their ship went down and they drowned, he penned those now famous words:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrow like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot,
Thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well, it is well with my soul.”
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?”  Friends, let’s move beyond despair.  Put your hope in God.  To God alone is the glory now and forever more.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ May 3rd, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Mark 12:28-31
 
What do you do when you’re stressed out over things beyond your control?  What do you do when you feel trapped by your circumstances?  Unfortunately, our natural response is to worry.  Worry makes the situation a lot worse.  Someone said that worry is like a rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it will accomplish absolutely nothing. 
 
Well, in the light of what has been going on in our world today, I am drawn this morning to bring you a word of encouragement from the Book of Deuteronomy chapter six. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
 
You may remember that in the gospel of Mark chapter 12:29-30, Jesus pointed to our Scripture passage for this morning as “the most important” commandment.  A rabbi, a teacher of the Law, once asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  In Mark 12:29-30, Jesus answered, “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”
 
This prayer from Deuteronomy 6 is called “The Shema” and it serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services.  “Sh’ma Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Eḥad: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God, the LORD is One.”
 
Why I am preaching on the Shema prayer today?  Two reasons that have encouraged me to bring this amazing Scripture passage to your hearing today.  First: These are a couple Bible verses that are densely packed with theology and are absolutely foundational to our Christian life.  I truly believe it speaks to our fears today like no other.  Second:            Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself pointed to this Scripture passage as “The most important commandment.”
 
This morning I will consider very briefly the meaning and significance of this short Scripture passage. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Three short observations:
 
First: Hear, O Israel
“Sh’ma Yisrael …”  The Hebrew word behind the English “Listen!” or “Hear!” in Moses’ call is “Sh’ma.”   “Sh’ma”, as I said, means listen, do, and accept a certain truth.  Speaking to stubborn Israel, the Prophet Isaiah lamented the lack of obedience as he spoke those words in Isaiah 48:18, “If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea.”
Jesus echoed the same truth in Matthew 7:24-25 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.   The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”  With this invitation, “Hear, O, Israel” Moses urges the community of God to tune their senses toward a glorious, life transforming truth: “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
 
Second: The LORD our God
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God …”  Wherever you see “LORD” in all caps in your Bible, that is the Hebrew word “Yahweh” although Jews pronounce it “Adonai” to keep the LORD’s name sacred.  “Yahweh” is God’s primary name of God in the Old Testament.  This name is so significant.  Yahweh is the God who is, and who was, and who is to come.  He is unchanging God.  He is trustworthy.  He is reliable.  You can depend on Him.  You can rely on Him.  He is a very personal God.
 
The name “Yahweh” highlights another amazing truth about our God.  It reminds us of that our God is the God of the covenant and He is faithful to that covenant.  The covenant stated that “He will be our God and we are to be His people.” But we failed to keep the terms of the covenant and that’s why Christ came and established the New Covenant by the shed of His blood.  Christ’s obedience and righteousness have been credited and imparted to us.  Theologians call this “imputation of righteousness.”  So as we celebrate Communion today, let’s remember the New Covenant Christ made with God on our behalf.
 
Third: The LORD is One
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”  “The Lord is one.”  This tells us that the LORD is one of a kind.  He alone is God.  He is not just a god. He is the GOD.  He is not one of many.  He is the one only true God.  He stands alone.
 
In the Ancient World this belief in one God made the people and nation of Israel unique.  Israel's neighbors, the heathen nations, believed in multiple gods.  There was a sun god, a moon god, a god of fertility, a god of war, a god of thunder, a god of the river Nile, and so on.  
 
This belief in one God gave the Israelites a sense of security that was impossible for the pagans with their multiple gods.  You see, the pagan gods were jealous of each other and acted against each other.  They rarely acted in harmony with each other.  Each god was unpredictable and impulsive.  So a pagan worshiper never had a sense of security.  Loyalty to one god might make a pagan worshiper in trouble with another god.  The Israelites, however, did not have to worry about this because they had to deal with only one God who loved them and cared for them and saved them and was bringing them to the Promised Land.
 
Friends, we believe in an awesome God.  He is a covenantal God and He is indeed one of a kind.  He will never disown us.  He will never abandon us because He is filled with compassion and abounds in love and faithfulness.  He desires that YOU know Him and I want to invite you to this journey today.  Every day you will get to know Him and the more you know Him, the more you will be prone to love Him with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  Amen.

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ April 26, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor
 
Isaiah 43:1-6
 
The Heidelberg Catechism is a well-known and widely respected Protestant confessional document.  Composed originally in German by two young German theologians (Zacharias Ursinus 1534-1583 and Caspar Olevianus 1536-1584) and first published in 1563 in Heidelberg, Germany, over the years, the catechism has been translated into many languages and, as I said, is regarded as one of the most influential Reformed catechisms.  
 
The catechism summarizes and captures the basic elements and the major doctrines of the Reformed theology, taking the form of questions and answers.  I think the first question of the catechism speaks in such a profound way to our needs and challenges today.  In fact, the answer given to the very first question of the catechism is refreshing, assuring, and uplifting.
 
This morning I would like to spend a few minutes looking at the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism.  I will first look at why the topic at hand was important back then as much as it is important to us today; then I will highlight a couple short implications.  Before we do that, let me real quick state the question and answer.
 
Question 1. What is your only comfort, in life and in death?
Answer: That I belong--body and soul, in life and in death--not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation.  Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
 
First: Our Only Comfort
“What is your only comfort in life and in death?”  Remember that the catechism was originally written in German.  The word translated “comfort” here emphasizes a sense of security and safety.  A more accurate translation would be “fort” or “fortress.”  What is your only fortress in life and in death?  Where does your strength come from?  When you get to the point of quitting, what or who gives you the power to keep on going?  What or who do you rely on? 
 
You might wonder why does the Heidelberg Catechism begin with a question about humanity’s only comfort, only fortress and secure place?  Well, the authors of the Catechism were addressing the anxieties, fears, and uncertainties of the 16th century.  The 16th century was a very tough time in Europe.  Wars broke out everywhere.  War sent young men to battlefield where they faced death every day, invaders trampled crops, communities destroyed, and wives and daughters were raped. 
 
In addition to war, the 16th century was also an age of constant famine, disaster, and plague.  As a result, crops failed, the young and elderly alike faced starvation.  In the midst of this hurt and sorrow, agony and despair, where was comfort to be found?  Where did the 16th century believers find the strength to keep going?  What was their fortress?  So, questions about comfort, about strength, about security only made sense.  The circumstances of the 16th century Europe were very similar to ours right now.
 
Second: I Belong to Jesus
“What is your only comfort in life and in death?”  Here is the answer: “That I belong--body and soul, in life and in death--not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.”
 
Two profound observations here.  First, “I am not my own.”  The Prophet Isaiah says in 43:1, “Don’t fear for I’ve redeemed you!  I have summoned you by name.  You’re mine.”  In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul reminds us “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”  In other words, I don't have the final say about myself.  I am not a law to myself.  I am not answerable only to myself.  I am not self-sufficient, self-secure, self-reliant.  I am not in charge.  My God is.  I am precious in His eyes.  He loves me.  He cares for me and He is faithful.  The catechism reminds us that our comfort, our security, our strength does NOT lie in ourselves, but in our Almighty God.
 
So, if I am not my own, whose am I?  “I ... belong ... to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”  I belong to Christ.  He is in charge.  He is in control.  He is sovereign and He is faithful.  He is the One who ordains all things.  He is the One who looks after me.  This is my comfort, and this is my hiding place that I belong to Jesus, that I am His.
 
How completely am I, as a believer, in the hands of my faithful Savior?  The catechism states totally.  Completely.  “Body and soul, in life and in death – I belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”  All of me, all the time, I belong to Jesus, body, spirit, and soul, from the day we are born to the day we leave this earth.
 
 Friends, in a broken and an upside-down world, what is your only comfort?  What is your place of safety?  Your comfort, your strength, your security lies in Christ.  It is Christ – and Christ alone – who gives you the strength to keep on going, to endure, to persevere to the end.  In 1834, British Baptist Pastor, Edward Mote, wrote this beautiful hymn:
 
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
 
To God alone is the glory now and forever more.  Amen!

First Presbyterian Church of Blackwood
21 E. Church Street
Blackwood, NJ 08012
Sermon Notes (Sunday ~ April 19, 2020)
Rev. Dr. Mouris A. Yousef, Pastor


John 20:19:23
You probably don’t disagree with me when I say that Easter was different this year.  For many of us, it was less hectic; less travel; less cooking; and less commercial.  Yes, we did miss, for sure, our family gatherings, our big Church services, and our usual Easter activities.  Yet, nothing can take away the joy of the Risen Christ. 
A friend of mine sent me an email this week that made me laugh from the bottom of my heart.  In his email, he attached a drawing of the tomb of Jesus in the background, and Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John standing just outside of the tomb on Easter morning with the caption: “He’s not in there! Oh, wait – He has changed His status to “Risen!”
I believe the resurrection of Christ is indeed “a change of status.”  It’s a change in our own status too.  It’s a constant change; a never-ending change as we experience every single day the life of the Risen Lord.  No wonder that the good news of Christ’s resurrection had such a great impact on the lives of Christ’s early disciples, and it should have as much influence on our lives today.  The resurrection of Christ was and will always be a turning point for Christ’s followers.
I truly believe that Easter this year carried a special significance to the Church around the world.  It speaks to our circumstances today and address them like no other.  For one reason, our circumstances today are similar to those of the early followers of Jesus.  They were fearful back then as much as we are today.  They were locked in their homes as we are.  They desperately needed a message of hope as much as we do today.  And it happened.  On Easter Sunday, Jesus is raised from the dead and the scene shifts. 
So as we hit the second half of John chapter 20, we get to the evening of the First Easter Sunday.  That morning Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene as John tells us in John 20:1-18.  But now Jesus appears to all the disciples (the eleven apostles) at once.  
John 20:19 states, “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”  Notice three important things here: the doors are locked; the disciples are frightened; and Jesus comes to them and stands in their midst. 
Those three facts John gives us in chapter 20 tell us three things we can know about how the risen Christ deals with us today.
First: We Can Experience God’s Presence Amidst Uncertainty
John 20:19 states, “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them.”  Yes, we can experience Christ’s very presence in the midst of our uncertain times.  The disciples did and we can do today.
 
Second: We Can Experience God’s Truth Amidst Doubt
“After He said this,” John 20:20 says, “He ‘Jesus’ showed them His hands and side.  The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”  Too often we use our doubts as a barrier while God wants to use our doubts as a bridge.  Allow your doubt about God, to begin a discussion with God.
 
Third: We Can Experience God’s Peace Amidst Chaos
John 20:21-23 says, “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that, he breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”  We can experience God’s peace amidst chaos. 

The disciples are terrified.  They are hiding.  They are confused and exhausted.  It is into this context that the Risen Christ appears to the disciples.   

Did you notice the first thing Jesus say to the disciples?  Jesus didn’t say, “Where were you?’ or “Why did you abandon me?”  No.  He graciously says, “peace be with you.”  Then John gives us what I think one of the profound statements in scripture, he writes: “Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”  Of course there is absolute delight in seeing Jesus risen from the dead but I think the rejoicing happens partly because in saying “peace be with you” Jesus is saying “I forgive you, you thought you were no longer my friends but you are still my friends.  You’re forgiven.  Our fellowship is restored.”
 
Then Jesus does something else; something that is really astonishing.  John 20:22 tells us that “Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”  Jesus breathes on His disciples.  This is a scene that takes us back to Genesis chapter two when God created the first man, Adam.  Do you remember how does God bring Adam to life when He is created from clay?  He breathes on him.  We read these words in Genesis 2:7, “Then the Lord God formed a man[ from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
 
Only the Creator God can give life to something that is dead.  The disciples in that locked room are dead and lifeless, and they are being given a new Spirit.  Jesus breathes on them and says, “receive the Holy Spirit.”  Christ gave new life to His disciples. 
 
As I said earlier, Easter was different this year.  It was less commercial and less materialistic.  I feel that God is calling us back to the true meaning of Easter.  We may be still locked in our homes, but filled with joy because we have seen the Lord.  Yes, amidst our uncertain times, we can experience the presence of the Lord.  Amidst our doubts, we can experience the faithfulness of God’s promises.  Amidst chaos, the peace of Christ is offered to us.  Hallelujah.  Amen!