The Changing Culture – The breakthrough moment Jesus wants us to have.

The Changing Culture
Pastor Calvin Cook – April 23, 2025

Scripture Focus: John 20:21-23
“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’”

As I pause before God this morning, I humbly ask for His forgiveness if I have missed anything. We often live our lives focused on our plans, goals, and desires, driven by a worldly standard. We work, we worry, we wait, and yet so much of it is self-centered. Sometimes, we cling too tightly to things we hold dear, becoming reluctant to release them, even when God has something new for us.

When God is preparing something new in our lives, are we truly open to it? Or are we, like the disciples, holding onto comfort and familiar patterns? The disciples experienced a life-shaking event with the crucifixion of Jesus that forced them to face their fears. They hid behind locked doors, not just to protect themselves physically, but perhaps to protect their faith. They feared change.

This reflects our present condition as the church. In times of crisis, the church rises up, but what about in ordinary moments? Are we sitting in complacency, taking care of ourselves, and ignoring the call to reach out to others?

Jesus is walking through the locked doors of our lives, offering us three important things:
1. His peace that transforms us,
2. His calling to go and tell others,
3. The empowering of the Holy Spirit to equip us for the work ahead.

We cannot let the changing culture of the world drive us into silence or fear. We are called to change the culture by bringing people back to the heart of God. This cannot be done by sitting idly, focusing only on ourselves. We must go, share the grace and hope of Jesus, and create an atmosphere of healing and redemption. We are entrusted with the message of forgiveness and the promise of eternal hope.

Lord, empower us to change the atmosphere around us for Your glory. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.