We'll do three things, Lord willing. Spend about five minutes getting to know some verses of the Bible a bit better.
Maybe five to ten minutes of general scene setting. And then probably about 15 or 20 minutes.
Seeing how it is that in verses 19 to 23 we might meet the Lord Jesus. And how meeting him in those verses might shed light upon the blessing that Reuben's installation as elder pastor here is could be, should be, will be.
So verses 19 to 23. Just a few minutes getting to know them. Are they up there? Good. I'm glad they're not.
On the evening I'm going to read to you a line and then ask you a question which you can answer quietly inside your own head.
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week. What time of day?
What day of the week? On the evening of that day, the first day of the week.
The doors being locked. What were locked? The doors being locked.
What was done to the doors? Where the disciples were. Which doors?
For fear of the Jews. Why did they lock those doors?
Was it morning or evening? What day of the week was it?
What was locked? Where were they locked? Why were they locked?
Someone, Jesus, came and stood among them.
Who came and stood among them?
What did Jesus come and do?
It's the evening of the first day of the week.
And the doors are locked where the disciples are for fear of the Jews.
And Jesus came and stood among them.
And he said to them, peace be with you.
Who said to them, peace be with you?
What did Jesus say to them?
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and side.
When did he show them his hands and side?
When he had said this, peace be with you, what did he show them?
Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
How did the disciples feel?
When they saw the Lord, how did the disciples feel?
What made the disciples feel glad?
When they saw the Lord.
And Jesus said to them again, peace be with you.
Someone said to them again, peace be with you.
Who was that?
Jesus said something to them again.
What did he say to them again?
Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, even so I'm sending you.
Who sent Jesus?
The Father.
And like the Father sent Jesus, then what?
Jesus sends the disciples.
How does Jesus send the disciples?
As the Father sent him.
And when he had said this, he breathed on them.
When did he breathe on them?
After he'd said, as the Father sent me, even so I send you.
What did he do when he'd said that?
He breathed on them.
And he said to them, receive the Holy Spirit.
Receive who?
What?
The Holy Spirit?
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.
If you forgive the sins of whom?
If you what the sins?
If you do forgive the sins of any, then what?
They are forgiven them.
If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.
When is forgiveness withheld?
When they withhold it.
If they withhold it, then what?
It's withheld.
Is the Father in those verses?
As the Father sent me, even so I send you.
Is the Son in those verses?
All over them.
Is the Spirit in those verses?
He breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit.
What verbs go with Jesus in those verses?
He came, he stood, he said, he showed, he said, he breathed, he said.
How did the disciples feel?
Afraid and glad.
Oh, and Jesus offers them peace as well.
Do you feel like you know those verses a little bit better?
The Lord Jesus, oh look, what day of the week is it?
It's the first day of the week.
What time of day is it?
I mean, now, healing.
It's the evening of the first day of the week.
Doors aren't locked.
Is the Lord Jesus here?
He is here by his Spirit.
He's here to speak to us through his word.
Brilliant.
Then let's talk to him using this word.
Let's speak to the Lord Jesus.
Lord Jesus, on the evening of that day,
your resurrection day, the first day of the week,
the doors were locked where the disciples were
because they were afraid of the Jews.
And Lord Jesus, you came and stood among them.
And Lord Jesus, you said to them,
peace be with you.
And when you'd said this,
you showed them your hands and your side.
They were glad when they saw you.
And you said to them again,
peace be with you.
You said to them,
as the Father has sent me,
even so I'm sending you.
And when you'd said this,
you breathed on them
and said to them,
receive the Holy Spirit.
You told them,
if you forgive the sins of any,
they are forgiven them.
If you withhold forgiveness from any,
it is withheld.
And Lord Jesus,
you are here by your Spirit.
You are here to speak to us through your word.
And we thank you.
If the Lord Jesus said to you now,
if he struck me down,
so that was the end of the sermon,
all the lights went out
and it was the end of the sermon,
or he said to you now,
that's it.
You've had chapter 20,
verses 19 to 23.
You are meant to go into the week
nourished by something from those verses.
What are you going to take?
Let me give you 30 seconds.
What are you going to take
from those verses into this week?
Amen.
So you've got yourself another pastor.
What difference is that actually going to make
to the price of potatoes
or your life?
How is having Ruben
as one of the pastors here
really going to change things for you?
And can't you think of other things
that would actually change your life a bit more?
Like if you discovered a million pounds
in your bank account,
if you actually met her
or met him,
if things changed at work,
if things changed with health,
you can think a lot of things
that would make more difference
to your life than,
bless you,
having Ruben
as another pastor here.
All sorts of things.
Now that would change my life,
you might be thinking.
I've got nothing against Ruben,
but is it really going to make
much difference actually to me?
And even if it were going to make a difference,
how?
Now we're getting closer to John 20.
Because having Ruben here as an elder,
as a pastor,
would mean you get a little bit more of Jesus.
Every believer is a Christ-bearer.
Every believer carries the Lord Jesus with them
wherever they go by the Spirit.
So we meet Jesus every time we meet another believer.
But what if we could meet believers
who had a lot of Jesus about them?
That's what we want
when we appoint an elder.
Somebody who's got higher than average
like Jesus-ness to them.
Somebody who carries a bit more of the Lord Jesus
with them than average.
Jesus appointed 12 apostles
so that they might be with him.
Now they saw the boldness of Peter and John
and they recognised that they had been with Jesus.
Paul says we're always carrying in our body
the death of Jesus
so that the life of Jesus
may also be manifested in our bodies.
Paul said we think like Jesus.
We've got the mind of Christ.
Paul said we feel like Jesus.
I yearn for you with the bowels,
the heart, the guts of Jesus.
He said we smell like Jesus.
We are the aroma of Christ.
Every believer carries around with them
the presence, the smell of the Lord Jesus.
But elders, pastors are meant to be unusually smelly people.
Smelly with the Lord Jesus
so that when they come into the room,
when they come into your life,
when they minister to you,
you meet something of the wisdom
and the compassion of the Lord Jesus.
Last three Sunday mornings,
you've been looking at John's Gospel.
I didn't hear this morning's.
I have listened to the previous two,
loved them.
It's all about the Lord Jesus.
He is life.
And last week, John the Baptist,
not me, him.
Ditto.
Not Reuben, the Lord Jesus.
We want to carry Jesus,
channel Jesus,
communicate Jesus,
be close to him and filled by him,
bring his wisdom and love
and holiness and grace to people.
Be ambassadors, representatives, embodiments.
And elders and pastors
are meant to be particularly intense versions of that.
So not being a scholar or academic,
Jesus didn't read many books, did he?
Not being charming or smooth,
Jesus wasn't particularly charming or smooth.
Not being an activist and charging around
and having plans for everything,
Jesus didn't.
Not being an organizer of movements
or a builder of institutions,
Jesus wasn't.
Not cleverness or competence
or charm or busyness,
not those things.
What you're getting is Reuben Hunter.
You're meant to be getting
more of the Lord Jesus
in the particular form
of Reuben Hunter.
The words Reuben Hunter,
to me,
mean
my friend of many years,
a dear,
dear brother
whom I deeply love,
profoundly respect,
I'm immensely grateful to
and immensely grateful for.
Reuben Hunter.
That's what you're getting.
But actually,
Reuben means,
see,
a son.
So you're not getting an expert,
you're not getting an executive,
that sort of thing.
You're getting a son
of our Heavenly Father.
That's to say,
a brother.
You're getting a brother.
Hopefully,
a more mature than most,
brother.
A kinder than most,
brother.
But see,
a son,
Reuben.
And you're getting a hunter.
One of my favorite stories
from the Desert Fathers
is about Macedonius.
A certain captain of soldiers
who took a great delight
in hunting
once came in search
of wild animals
to the desolate mountain
where Macedonius,
the hermit,
dwelt.
He was prepared for the chase,
having brought with him
men and dogs.
As he went over the mountain,
he saw far off a man.
Being surprised
that anyone should be
in a place so desolate,
he asked who it might be.
One told him
that it was the hermit Macedonius.
The captain,
who was a pious man,
leapt from his horse
and ran to meet the hermit.
When he came to him,
he asked,
what are you doing
in such a barren place as this?
The hermit in his turn asked,
and you,
what have you come here to do?
The captain answered him,
I have come to hunt.
Then said Macedonius,
I also am a hunter.
I am hunting for my God.
I yearn to capture him.
My desire is to enjoy him.
I shall not cease from this my hunting.
Reuben Hunter,
see,
a son
in pursuit
of God,
who is particularly,
intensely
carrying the Lord Jesus.
That's what you're getting.
But carrying the Lord Jesus,
what would that look like?
When Jesus arrives
in John chapter 20,
verses 19 to 23,
then you get
his presence
and his peace
and his wounds
and his intimacy
and his breath
all over you
and good news
of forgiveness.
That's what you get.
And so if
Reuben arrives
carrying the Lord Jesus
with him,
and of course
all of us
as believers
one to another,
if Reuben arrives
carrying the Lord Jesus
with him,
these are the sorts
of things you'll get.
Jesus came
and stood among them.
Here are some
fearful disciples
and Christ comes
to where they are
and joins them there.
Here is a broken world
and the Son of God
comes into that world
as Emmanuel,
God with us.
And Jesus has
a very present way
of being present.
You know how you
and I can be here
but not here.
Halfway through
a conversation,
sorry I was somewhere
completely else.
We absent ourselves
but not the Lord Jesus.
Look at his attentiveness.
There's not much about it
but look at his eye contact.
There's lots about it.
Look at his touch.
He's there with the person
who's in front of him
right now.
There is something
very real and personal
and direct and serious
when you're with Jesus
and so with those
who carry Jesus.
Of course,
you might be behind
some sorts of locked doors.
There might be members
of the congregation
who are like behind
locked doors.
Of course,
we're afraid of stuff.
Of course,
we don't want to let people in.
How are you denying access
to Christ?
What are you afraid of?
Think of somebody else
in your life
who's got locked doors.
Think of how the Lord Jesus
might come
and stand
even though you thought
you locked him out
and then maybe
it'll be Reuben.
Maybe it'll be Reuben
who comes and stands
even though it's behind
locked doors.
Maybe it'll be patience
or prayerfulness
or empathy
or understanding you
or knowing that he stands
like you
in need of God's mercy.
Maybe it'll be gentleness.
Who knows
what it'll be
but if he is a real
Christ bearer,
if he is carrying Christ
like the Christ of John 20,
then he will get behind
locked doors
and be really present
to you
because,
blessed be his name,
Jesus is present.
Let's be quiet.
Lord Jesus,
it's the fact
that you're with us
behind locked doors,
that's
the marvel,
the wonder,
the delight.
We thank you.
Jesus brings his peace.
He told his disciples
that it was his peace
he would give them.
I mean,
that's back in
chapters 14 to 16.
His peace
that he would give them.
His,
it's okay.
Jesus had peace
during his busy days.
It's okay.
He had peace
in the middle of storms.
It's okay.
He had peace
in the face
of vicious opposition,
fickle crowds,
disloyal disciples.
It's okay.
He has a peace
which comes
from clinging on
to nothing,
holding loosely
to and letting go
of everything.
He let go of sleep
and food
and possessions
and favour
and even life.
Why?
Because he rested
in the Father's
yes.
It's Easter day,
this story,
and Easter,
the resurrection,
is God's almighty
yes
over the Lord Jesus,
over his
crucified son.
That's why he's raised
for our justification.
Raised for our justification
means if we're joined
to Jesus,
God speaks an almighty
Easter day yes
over us,
too.
It's okay
because God says
a big,
loud yes.
Put those two together
and see how Jesus
speaks peace.
It is the okay
of clinging on
to nothing
because you're
resting
in the Father's
yes.
So when Jesus
gives us
his peace,
it's like he's
sending
waves
over us
of,
in me the Father
speaks his almighty
yes
over you.
That's what it's like
to be
in Jesus'
presence
and to hear
Jesus' word.
It's like hearing
the Father's
yes
over you.
And Jesus,
when he gives
his peace,
it's like he's
sending waves
of,
it's okay.
You can let go
of your fear,
your self-protection,
your clinging
and all that stuff.
Forgive the word,
but I've got a new
ambition from the
last couple of weeks
when I came across
this sentence
of John Updikes.
He says,
I like old men,
they can be
wonderful bastards
because they have
nothing to lose.
The only people
who can be themselves
are babies
and old bastards.
And the reason
is this,
because they've got
nothing to lose.
They're not afraid
of any no
that you can speak
over them
and they're not
afraid of any no
that you can speak
over them
because they've got
God's loud yes
in Jesus
ringing in their ears
and ringing in their hearts.
cheerful serenity,
ease of soul,
peace be with you,
cling to nothing,
it's okay,
the Father says yes.
And when a good pastor
brings Jesus
into our lives,
he brings the peace,
the it's okay,
the Father says yes
into our lives.
But it's not his peace,
it's Jesus' peace.
Let's be quiet.
Lord Jesus,
it's your peace
that's our delight
that we marvel at.
Thank you.
Jesus brings his wounds.
What does he do?
He shows them his hands
and his side.
He brings his wounds.
Now we know
that Jesus' wounds
are like no other.
Jesus' death
and only his death
deals with our sin.
but we also know
that there's meant
to be something
of Jesus' cross
in our lives.
Even though
it's Jesus' cross
that deals with sin
totally,
completely,
once for all,
sufficiently,
we can't do it,
we never could.
And yet,
we're to take up
our cross daily.
We're to carry in our body
the death of Jesus.
We're to have fellowship
with him in his sufferings
and be conformed to him
in his death.
And so,
the pattern
of the unrepeatable,
unique,
totally sufficient,
once for all,
deal with sin,
death of Jesus
gets played out
in our
not trying to save
our own lives,
keep ourselves,
giving up,
laying out
of life.
In our lives,
including the lives
of pastors,
that will take the form
of poverty of spirit
and sacrificial service.
When a pastor
shows you
his hands and side,
his wounds,
when any believer
shows you their hands
and side,
their wounds,
they are showing you
their poverty of spirit,
that's to say,
their fragility
and their dependence,
and they're showing you
their laying out
of their lives
to be a blessing
to others.
That's what they're
showing you.
So Reuben's not
coming along
claiming to be strong
or superior,
he's actually qualified
by being weak
and knowing it.
I mean,
there's a load of us
who are weak
but don't realize it,
but those of us
who are weak
and know it,
they're the ones
who are going to be
bringing the presence
of Jesus to others.
Wounds of brokenness
in ourselves,
wounds of blessing
to others.
God,
Reuben had a floor exam
at Presbytery
a couple of weeks ago
where he has to stand up
and answer various questions
and he tells me
that in answer
to one of them,
he had a complete
mental blank.
It was a pretty simple
question, wasn't it?
And he just went blank.
And when I heard that,
I thought,
hallelujah,
thank you, Lord,
God be praised.
That's brilliant.
God blessed Reuben
with the mental blank
because,
and now I'm going to use
some words that Reuben used
when he was telling me
about this.
It means that
as he starts here
at IPC Ealing,
he comes onto the stage,
his words,
with a limp,
not a swagger.
Wounds.
Wonderful.
It's the Isaiah
who says,
woe is me
for I am lost
who's cleansed
and takes the message.
It's the woman
who's forgiven much
who loves much.
It's the Peter
who denies Jesus
three times
and loves Jesus
who feeds the sheep.
The foundational disposition
for the kingdom
is I'm frail,
I'm dependent,
I'm not strong.
What we want
in a pastor
is somebody
who's weak and flawed.
I mean,
we better not want anything
other than weak and flawed
because weak and flawed
is all that's on offer.
What we want in a pastor
is somebody who's weak
and flawed
but who is not trying
to hide that weakness
or pretend that he's better
than he is.
He's been forgiven
by the Lord Jesus,
he loves the Lord Jesus
and therefore he carries
the presence of the Lord Jesus
with him.
Wounds.
Let's be quiet.
Lord Jesus,
we're glad that Reuben
knows his weakness
but really,
really,
it's your hands,
your side,
your wounds
which are healing
and life for us
and we thank you.
Jesus comes with a mission
from the Father
with whom he's intimate
as the Father sends me
so I send you.
In a way,
the Macedonia story
does that for us
but just listen
to one or two phrases
from John's Gospel
which over the next,
is it 10, 15 years
you'll be preaching
John's Gospel, Paul?
Do not make my Father's house
a house of trade.
The Father loves the Son
and has given all things
into his hand.
The Son can do nothing
of his own accord
but only what he sees
the Father doing.
For whatever the Father does,
that the Son does likewise.
For the Father loves the Son
and shows him
all that he's doing.
The living Father sent me
and I live
because of the Father.
I speak just as the Father
taught me
and he who sent me
is with me.
He has not left me alone
for I always do
the things that are pleasing
to him.
The Father knows me
and I know the Father.
The Father is in me
and I am in the Father.
I've not spoken
on my own authority
but the Father who sent me
has himself given me
a commandment.
And on it goes.
The relationship
between the mission,
the being sent,
of Jesus
and his intimacy
with the Father
is so, so close.
Now lots of us
spend our time,
our lives,
I'm afraid,
trying to impress
our earthly Father,
dead or alive
and seeking
his affirmation.
Others of us
are cherished
by our fathers
and we just want
to remain in his love.
Others of us
hate our fathers
and want to defeat them
and get revenge on them.
Others of us
just wish we knew
our fathers.
With Jesus,
the relationship
to the Father
is perfect
and it forms
and patterns
all the service
of his disciples
and therefore
of pastors.
As any of us
to each other
and as Reuben
carries Jesus,
smells of Jesus,
does the work
of Jesus,
it's to be characterized
by intimacy
with the Father
in Christ.
Let's be quiet.
Oh, Lord Jesus,
your intimacy
with the Father
and how that plays out
in the way
you're sent
and how you behave
as sent.
Really, really,
we want this
for ourselves.
But our wonder,
our marvel
is that you have it.
You say
what the Father
gives you to say,
you do what you see
the Father doing.
He delights in you,
you're always pleasing
to him
and he's always
with you
and we thank you.
Breath,
spirit,
just as in the garden
God breathes
into Adam's nostrils
and he becomes
a living soul,
so here
Jesus breathes
onto
or into
his disciples.
I still wonder
whether he goes
or whether he goes
we don't know.
But he actually did.
I mean,
it's not just a story,
is it?
It did happen.
There were those
disciples
and Jesus breathed
on them
and as he did so,
he said,
receive the Holy Spirit.
He breathed on them.
You know,
it's like
Aslan's breath
and they come
into existence.
Aslan's breath
and the statues
come alive again.
Aslan's breath
and the servants
are transported
to where they need to go.
The breath
of the Lord Jesus.
What breath is that?
Well,
obviously,
the Spirit.
The Father
breathes out
the Spirit
and when Jesus
breathes in,
ha,
he's filled
with the Spirit
which means that
the Father's out breath
is Jesus' in breath
which means that
when Jesus breathes out,
what's he breathing out?
He's breathing out
the Spirit
and therefore,
when we breathe in,
what are we breathing in?
The Spirit.
That's how it's to be.
When we were at Oak Hill,
there wasn't a module
on how to breathe
but really,
there should be
and it's like this.
I breathe in Jesus.
as he breathes
his Spirit
into me.
I breathe out
Jesus
as I lay out
my life
in trustful love.
Breathing in
as Jesus
breathes on us.
Laying out
our life,
breathing out.
We're to carry
and to breathe
Jesus
by his Spirit.
Let's be quiet.
Last one.
You don't need
to do your thing.
Gospel authority.
Jesus,
as the Son of Man,
has authority
on earth
to forgive sins
and then
to dismiss sins,
to release us
from sins.
He has that power
in himself
because of his death
and resurrection.
So as we
carry around
the Lord Jesus,
as we breathe
his Spirit,
spread his aroma,
speak his word
and offer his peace,
we are bringing
his forgiveness
with us.
It's like we've got
anti-venom serum
or debt
cancellation notice
about our person
ready to hand over.
Ours,
it's true,
is conditional.
So effectively,
as believers
and as pastors,
we are saying,
if you relate
to the Lord Jesus
in a posture
of turning away
and saying yes,
then your sins
will be dismissed.
If you don't,
they won't.
Ours is a conditional
announcement
whereas Jesus is
an absolute one.
We're ambassadors.
We have the right
to bestow honours
and to provide
sanctuary
and to grant
citizenship,
but we do so
on behalf of the king
with his authority.
All the ways
that Reuben
will make
a good difference
relate to him
carrying Jesus,
being a bit
of Jesus.
And one of them
is he carries
and announces
the forgiveness
that Jesus does.
But it's his forgiveness.
Blessed be his name.
You hear that,
don't you?
Please hear that.
The presence,
it's his presence.
The peace,
his peace.
The wounds,
his wounds.
The intimacy mission,
his intimacy mission.
The breath spirit,
his breath spirit.
The authoritative
announcement
of forgiveness,
his authoritative
announcement
of forgiveness.
Blessed be his name.
his name.
Six wonderful things
about the Lord Jesus
and therefore
six wonderful things
about those
who smell like him,
who breathe him,
who speak with his words,
who carry him around.
No wonder, therefore,
the sentence
we didn't look at,
the central sentence
when it says,
the disciples were glad
when they saw the Lord.
To the degree
that Reuben
carries the Lord Jesus
around with him,
you will be glad,
and to the degree
that you want Jesus,
you will be glad
when you see Reuben.
He will bring
these things with him.
This is what makes
the Lord Jesus great.
This is what we're
all called to.
This is Reuben's
very special
privilege
and calling
and God's gift
to the church
in Reuben.
But back to last
Sunday morning,
the three-word summary,
not me,
him,
not Reuben,
Christ.
He's here now
by the Spirit.
You believe that?
He's present.
He offers his peace.
He shows us his wounds.
He sends us on his mission
in intimate relationship
with the Father.
He breathes on us
and he announces
the dismissal
of our sins
and gives us
that message
for others.
That's Jesus.
Blessed be his name.
Let's pray.