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SPB Sermons || Sent Like the Son || JOhn 20:19-23

Sent Like the Son – Family Worship at SPB Belfast (Sunday 27th April 2025)

On the evening of Easter Sunday, as fear gripped the disciples behind locked doors, Jesus appeared among them and spoke the words they most needed to hear: "Peace be with you." At St Paul’s & St Barnabas this Sunday, we reflected on John 20:19-31 and the incredible transformation that the resurrection brings — not just to history, but to our hearts and lives today.

We joined the disciples in their fear and doubt, seeing how even the testimony of Mary Magdalene couldn’t unlock their fear. Yet no locked door could keep out the risen Christ. Jesus appeared, scars and all, speaking peace into their brokenness. His scars weren't signs of defeat, but emblems of the victory won at the Cross — a reminder that by His wounds, we are healed.

Jesus did not come to rebuke His followers, but to comfort them with His presence, speak peace into their hearts, and to commission them for mission. He said, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." The peace He gives is not passive — it is peace that moves us into the world. As Jesus was sent incarnationally, sacrificially, and dependently, so too are we sent to be His witnesses in a broken world, bearing the message of peace and hope.

Importantly, Jesus breathes on His disciples, giving them the Holy Spirit. Just as God breathed life into Adam in Genesis, now Jesus breathes new resurrection life into His people. We are not left to our own strength; we are filled and empowered by God Himself to live out the peace and mission of Christ in our daily lives.

This Sunday’s message at SPB reminds us: the Church is not meant to stay behind closed doors. We are a people of peace, called to live it, embody it, and share it wherever God sends us. Our scars tell a greater story — the story of a Saviour who still calls, still breathes life, and still sends His people into the world He loves.

If you missed this week’s sermon or would like to reflect more deeply, we invite you to listen here:

We would love for you to join us at St Paul’s & St Barnabas, Belfast. Whether you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a church family to belong to — there’s a place for you here. Come and discover the peace that the risen Jesus still offers today!

Sunday Worship: 10:30 am | 208 York Street, Belfast

Find out more at: www.spbbelfast.church

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