Here in John 20, Jesus has already been crucified. His awful trial and subsequent torture and death have already happened.

In our passage it’s Resurrection Sunday and it has been an eventful day for everyone involved. The Romans had crucified Jesus, they were in a panic because they couldn’t find his body and the disciples were in hiding. Here in our passage the disciples and others were huddled together in a room meeting behind locked doors because they were fearful of the Roman and Jewish leaders who had just crucified their Lord. 

Fear is a powerful emotion that Satan often uses to make Christians feel inadequate and useless. In this passage we see Jesus offering his peace to his frightened followers, by "putting together that which is broken". Do you have peace with God? Do you know of the peace of God which passes all understanding? If you have been accepted by God, you have also been equipped and commissioned to proclaim this peace, to those still lost in darkness. 

In our text, the resurrected Jesus appears to his followers here, behind the closed doors and offers them his peace and commissions them once again. The mission is summed up in John 20:21, where Jesus says, “… as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Here our Lord gives us four ways that enable us to fulfill this great commission:

1. He Accepts Us (v.19-20)
2. He Commissions Us (v.21)
3. He Equips Us (v.22)
4. He Motivates Us (v.23)

Our mission is to proclaim forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name to all who will believe. That mission is possible because the risen Savior has accepted us by giving us great peace, commissioned us despite our feelings of inadequecy, equipped us with the power of the Holy Spirit and motivated us to share this message of forgiveness of sins.

Getting Started

1. What insight, principle, or observation from Sunday’s sermon did you find to be the most helpful, eye-opening, or troubling?

    2. What is peace?

3. Jesus secured for the Christian eternal peace with God. What are some temporary substitutions for peace that this world tempts us with?

Digging Deeper

Read John 20:19-23

4. Why do you think Jesus first words to his disciples after his resurrection were "Peace be with you."? v.19

5. Why did Jesus repeat this greeting; “Peace be with you” in verse 21?

6. What did the Father send Jesus to do? (v.21)

The Heart of the Matter

7. At times we are fearful of the command to “go and make disciples”. Perhaps this is an issue of not seeing Christ for who He is…and we doubt. What do you see as your greatest struggle in obeying this command?

8. God’s purpose for us is to make disciples of Jesus Christ as we go out into the world each week. How can people who are busy with their jobs, their families, and all the other responsibilities in life stay focused on keeping Christ’s purpose as their purpose?

9. True service flows out of an attitude of worship. When God is not truly worshiped, he cannot be truly served, no matter how talented or gifted his disciples may be. How should this truth effect our behaviour? How can you be more intentional about making disciples?