Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." - John 20:21

When Jesus spoke these words, his disciples were behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews" (20:19). They were huddled together seeking safety from those who had murdered their leader. That was the situation when Jesus entered the room. When his disciples saw him, they were "glad" (20:20). What could be better than a room full of friends locked away from the dangers of the world with the risen Christ in your midst?! However, Jesus did not give them the option of staying, but he sent them on mission.
It can be tempting for us to only surround ourselves with others who think like us, look like us and act like us. This feels safe and comfortable. There are even some in the Church who promote this kind of thinking under the guise of seeking holiness. They argue that the safest place for Christians, is as a huddled group that keeps the "sinners of the world" at arm's length. There may be some truth in saying that this is the safest way to live, but Jesus never called us to live safe lives locked away from the world. Instead, Jesus calls us to live sent lives; he sends us into the world as his missionaries.
Every Sunday, we gather together at 581 E Canal and invite Jesus to be in our midst. This is a wonderful time that we have every reason to anticipate and be glad about, but Jesus doesn't want us to remain there. We gather together to be equipped to scatter with the message of peace with God in Christ. We do this in the power of the Holy Spirit. May we live as people sent into every nook and cranny of our world, for the fame of Jesus' name.
Sent,

Pastor Andrew

Jn. 17.3