July 5, 2009 - LifeWORDS:

"Peace be with you." (Luke 24:33-36; John 20:19-29; also 14:27; 16:33)

Key Focus:

• Jesus promised His followers genuine peace
  • Not peace like the world offers (14:27)
  • But peace that allows us to not be afraid and to not be troubled (14:27)
  • Because the world is full of tribulation (16:33)
  • But Jesus has overcome the power of the world so we can take heart (16:33)
  • And through the resurrection brings us joy (20:20)
  • And gives us His Holy Spirit to be His presence in us (cf. chaps. 14-16) and to empower His mission through us (20:21-22)
  • Assuring us that we will have a home with Him (14:1-4) and that He will make His home in us until that day (14:19-23)

• July 5 is a holiday, so we will have some visitors and a number of people gone
• dPod will be preaching at Daybreak and this will be a great opportunity to support and encourage he and his family

• John 20:19-26, tniv

19    On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21    Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

26    A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”

• Luke 24:33-36

33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

• John 14:25-27 tniv

25    “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

• John 16:33 tniv

33    “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Drama, Media, & Connecting Pieces:

• Pre-video: Dennis Pod and Natasha greeting folks and inviting them to our worship time
• Video Piece: Peace on Earth followed by a congregational reading from Isaiah 26:3 from The Message: God, you will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
• Scripture to read: John 14:25-27
• Congregational Reading: 16:33
• Communion Emphasis:
  • The Lord's Supper is something we share with believers all over the world. It crosses cultural boundaries, language boundaries, geographical boundaries, and racial boundaries. As we sit at this table, we are part of the great family of God, a people in whom Jesus is present and through whom Jesus is at work to unite the world in God's grace and work to live out the Kingdom of God here on earth (cf. Matt. 8:5-13; 18:20; 28:18-20)

Time in the Word Focus:

• Jesus not only uses the blessing of "Peace be with you!" but He promises us peace.
• But what does this mean?
• How is this tied to our mission in life?
• Where do we get the power for both our mission and this peace?

Daybreak Focus:

• Dennis Pod will be bringing the message and tying it to God's call in their lives to return home to Russia to share the goodnews of the Kingdom of God.
• Use IMT folks in the service to do the Communion Devotional and Prayers
• Stephen Corbett will help with LifeWORDS ppt backgrounds on key slides for Dennis to use to make his key points and finish the sermon with a graphic image slide.
• Phil will make a slide like used in previous weeks for a congregational reading related to the message. This one will be Isaiah 26:3 from The Message
• Those working on the service order are Marisue & Ed, Dennis Pod

Refresh Focus:

• See emphasis above in the Time in the Word Focus
• Team Working on Planning Order - Wade