Sermon Recap+ Mar 23rd 2025

I want to take another opportunity to express my sincere thanks to our dear friend, Pastor Craig Sumey, who has so generously shared his time and wisdom with the Church while I was taking some time off for Continuing Education.

In his sermon from March 23rd, Pastor Craig drew from John 20:19-23, where we find the disciples locked away in a room, hiding from fear. On that first evening after the resurrection, Jesus appears to them, and the first thing He says is, “Peace be with you.”

You Can Watch Rev. Sumey's Sermon on Demand - Click Here

Pastor Craig used this powerful scripture to explore how fear impacts us, especially when we feel stuck, isolated, or frozen by circumstances. Fear has three common responses: fight, flight, and freeze. In the case of the disciples, we see them frozen. They are in a locked room, not fighting, not fleeing, but staying still, hoping the danger will pass. The world outside felt unsafe. They had just seen their Lord crucified, and now, with the threat of being rounded up and silenced, they were afraid. So, they locked the doors and stayed put.

However, Jesus does not tell them to remain frozen. He offers them three supernatural gifts.

The first gift is supernatural peace. Jesus tells them twice, “Peace be with you.” This peace isn’t just the absence of fear; it’s a supernatural peace that assures them they are safe in God's care, that they are part of God’s plan, and that they have nothing to fear. Jesus essentially tells them, "Unfreeze yourselves, come out of hiding, and take up my ministry." This peace is not like the world gives; it’s the peace of Christ, meant to settle their hearts and calm their fears.

The second gift is supernatural power. Jesus breathes on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” This act is deeply significant. Just as God breathed life into Adam in Genesis 2, Jesus breathes new life into His disciples, giving them the power of the Holy Spirit. This empowers them to continue the work He began, to proclaim the good news of His kingdom, and to carry the authority of Jesus Christ in the world.

The third gift is supernatural purpose. Jesus sends His disciples out with a mission. He tells them, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” This is not a passive call. It is an active mission to establish a new way of life, built on forgiveness, mercy, and grace. The world that Jesus is sending them to is broken, full of injustice, and in need of redemption. And yet, through the gifts of peace and power, they are invited into God’s mission to heal and transform the world.

Pastor Craig then draws attention to the painful and tragic realities we face, such as the story of a young boy who was tragically murdered in our community. In moments like this, it’s easy to feel frozen—unsure of how to respond, paralyzed by the depth of the brokenness around us. But as Christians, we have the tools we need: the peace of Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the purpose of a mission that brings healing to the world. We can rejoice in the knowledge that God's precious child is now in His care, and we can pray for the brokenness in the lives of those responsible for such pain.

As Christians, we are called to step out of the frozen places in our lives and engage with the world through the gifts Jesus gives us. The peace, power, and purpose we receive are not just for us to hold onto—they are to be shared with others. The good news of Christ’s resurrection is meant to thaw the frozen hearts of those around us, just as it has thawed ours.

Pastor Craig goes on to challenge us with this thought: While Jesus gave these gifts to the disciples in the locked room, they still needed to go back and recreate the experience for Thomas, who had not been present. This, Pastor Craig suggests, is a beautiful picture of the mission of the Church today. We are called to recreate the experience of being in the presence of Jesus so that others—like Thomas—can encounter Him too. Whether it's through worship, fellowship, or community service, every aspect of what we do as a church is meant to help others experience the risen Christ.

Isn’t that what we are doing when we gather for worship? Isn't that the purpose behind every event and ministry we offer? Whether it's hosting a chili cook-off, gathering for prayer, teaching our children, or supporting one another in grief, we are recreating the presence of Jesus for others to encounter. Just as Jesus sent His disciples, He sends us to be a part of God's mission to bring the world into His light.

As we consider what Jesus has given us—peace, power, and purpose—let’s ask ourselves: Are these gifts visible in our church? Are they measurable in the work that we do together as a community? And how can we, as a church, continue to unfreeze ourselves and others so that we can fully live out the mission God has entrusted to us?

Pastor Craig has reminded us that the gifts of Jesus are not just for the disciples of long ago—they are for us today. And just as He empowered them to go out into the world, He empowers us to bring His peace, power, and purpose to everyone we meet. Let’s continue to step into the light of Christ and allow His gifts to transform us and the world around us.