UNPRECEDENTED!

 

                Ordinarily the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary elect one word to characterize the previous year, but in the case of 2020, they had trouble doing that. In an article titled, “Words of an Unprecedented Year,” they said that they couldn’t settle on one word but instead chose several, with words related to the Pandemic in the lead. Words like, locked down, shelter in place, covid-19, bubble, and others. As they said, it was an unprecedented year and perhaps the best choice for a single word to describe the year is simply “unprecedented.” 

                The disciples of Jesus could say that they had an unprecedented experience also. It happened when they were in a lockdown. They were “sheltering in place.” There was a deadly enemy out there and they were afraid to venture out. They had seen Jesus crucified. There was nothing unprecedented about that; there were lots of crucifixions. What happened next, however, was unprecedented. Here is how John describes it in chapter 20:

 “When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit”).

                 Knowing how shocked and troubled they were, Jesus said, twice, “Peace be with you.” Then he showed them his hands and his side, as if to say, “look, I am the one they crucified, but I’m alive.” Then they realized that he had defeated death and they rejoiced. His living presence gave them hope and joy.

                 Then he said to them, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” His words gave them purpose. They were not a bunch of individuals, devastated and at loose ends. They had a reason for existence, a mission to accomplish.

                 Next he breathed upon them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Not only were they given a purpose, they were also given the power to carry it out, the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God in their lives.

               It was indeed an unprecedented experience. They went from a devastated, frightened people, destined to be scattered and forgotten to a joyful, powerful group that would change the world. All because the living Christ was in their midst, giving them peace, joy, purpose and power. 

                We are fortunate to share in this unprecedented experience as we meet with our Lord in communion this morning, and because of his presence, we too can experience peace, joy, purpose and power.