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 Pastor's Notes
Greetings and grace to you in the
wonderful name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hard to believe this is the September newsletter. Where has 2019 gone. The Lord continues to bless in many
ways! With school being back in session and ERBC’s participation in First
Priority, I am anticipating souls to be saved and you to be used for the glory
of God.
Dr. Ted Rendall will be leading an Abundant Life Bible Conference Sept.
8-11. Please mark these dates and
do everything you can to attend each service. Dr. Rendall is one of God’s choice
servants, and his teaching on the life of Elisha is outstanding. Please be in prayer for Bro. Ted as he
finishes preparations to be with us and for Ms. Hester while he is away. She is now on dialysis and cannot travel
as freely.
This
month I am varying slightly from our theme verse for the year, “That I may know Him…”
(Philp. 3:10a). Though when we know
him what is below should be true of our living. “Then said Jesus to
them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I
you.” (John20:21) Jesus has
appeared in the midst of the disciples that have assembled behind shut doors
for fear of the Jews at evening of the day of His resurrection. Immediately upon appearing Jesus said, “Peace
be unto you” in verse nineteen.
Now in Jesus’ appearing to His disciples, He condescends to them
to lift them up to where He desires them to be. They were behind shut doors assembled in
fear. Jesus did not reprove them,
but simply spoke peace to them. How
they needed that word of peace. How
you and I, and everyone in the world needs that word of peace. Jesus had told the disciples that after
His crucifixion and resurrection that He would see them in Galilee. Where are they at this evening of the
third day? They are in the upper
room in Jerusalem assembled behind shut doors in fear. He speaks this first word of peace to
reveal Position – Peace with God (Rom. 5:1). The presence of the risen Lord Jesus
Christ had transformed their sorrow to joy just as Jesus had said (John
16:20-22), and now His proclamation will transform their fear to faith. Jesus does not deal in substitution, but
in transformation! The second
utterance of “Peace be unto you” is not a mere
repetition, but a revelation. It
reveals Purpose – Peace of God (Philp. 4:7). Having entered into Peace with God, God
now purposes for the disciple of Christ to be managed by peace which is a
preparation to be a messenger of peace!
Being prepared by the revelation of peace, the disciples are now commissioned
to serve! This commission was first
prayed by Jesus in John 17:18 and is now proclaimed, “as
my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” The Scriptural truth is found in the
Greek words translated “sent”
in this commission. Jesus uses apostello for the first “sent”, which has the meaning of being sent forth or
away as the sender remains behind.
Then He uses pempo
for the “sent” commissioning
the disciples. Pempo also means to send forth
but especially with an escort and accompanied by the sender. We are sent out escorted and empowered
by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) and never alone, being accompanied by
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself! (Matt. 28:20) Christ was sent to show the
Father with a message of grace to sinners; you and I are sent to show the Son
with a message of grace to sinners!
We cannot fulfill our mission if we spend more time behind shut doors
assembled in fear than out among people living by faith! May it be when we reassemble it is in
faith after having gone out into the utter most part of the earth managed by
peace as a messenger of peace, showing sinners the Son of God through the
message of grace!
By His grace,
Toney
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