BROADCASTS.com

Jesus came and stood among them and said, \u201cPeace be with you!\u201d He showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Jesus said, \u201cPeace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.\u201d And with that he breathed on them and said, \u201cReceive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone\u2019s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven\u201d (John 20:19-23).

Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God: Anointed and sent by the Spirit, the church is thrust into the world, ambassadors of God\u2019s peace, announcing forgiveness and reconciliation, proclaiming the good news of grace (30).

During the past decades, much has been made of congregational mission and vision statements. Before that, we were encouraged to develop, \u201cMaster Plans.\u201d

Many good things have come out of these conversations. Yet, I often wonder if such processes do not start at the wrong place. A Christian church is a group of people who are voluntarily gathered around Jesus Christ of Nazareth and are sent on his mission by the Holy Spirit. Only as much as the Holy Spirit convicts us of this reality are we united in our cause. No mission or vision statement can do what the Holy Spirit is not accomplishing.

If a congregation has a mission statement she hopes to accomplish, it must be rooted in Jesus\u2019 mission to his disciples. Peace is its core.

Twice, Jesus gives peace to his disciples. These are deserters and hiders. When the soldiers came for Jesus, these folks fled and now they hide, hoping they will be forgotten rather than remembered as his friends. They deserve a flogging, but they are given peace. Such is our mission. Such peace cannot be found, nor conjured; it is received as a gift from the resurrected Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

Peace is discovered in the joy of meeting the Risen Lord. These two, peace and joy, come from the certain knowledge that all is well. If death could not hold Jesus, then nothing can hinder him and his mission. Truly, all is well with my soul. He is the Blessed King who comes in name of the Lord (Luke 19:38). He is the Saviour of the World, bringing peace and giving joy.

Can we be sure? Look at his nail scarred hands and wounded side. He is the suffering Messiah. He has made peace between God and us. All that stands between has been removed by the blood of Jesus. Peace is never just a concept. It is an action. The one who has been injured extends the olive branch, saying, \u201cI forgive\u201d. The cross is God\u2019s olive branch.

Yet, here is the fascinating part of peace and forgiveness. It is never fully experienced until we pass it on. That is why Jesus keeps tying the Father\u2019s forgiveness to ours. Jesus holds out his nailed scarred hands, saying, \u201cI have done it! You are reconciled with God.\u201d Look at what it cost me. Now go. Reconcile with others. Forgive them. Bring them peace, as I have brought you peace. Be willing to pay the cost.

Is this why we like mission and vision statements? They are easier than this. They distract us from our real mission: to forgive. When you pray, \u201cCome, Holy Spirit, come\u201d, remember he comes in and with peace.