Was He Talking About 2020-2023 in John 20:20-20:23?

Four Years in Four Verses

 You may recall, in January of 2020, the Lord showed me a picture of Adam and Eve, in the garden, the moment after taking the forbidden fruit. The word, “Exposed” was superimposed over the picture. The rest of the year played out that word. Unprecedented corruption, exposed. Unprecedented fear of being exposed to an invisible enemy shook the world.

John 20:20 exposes even more.

Imagine all of 2020 crammed into one day. That’s what that Friday was like.

The next day, they called it Sabbath, we call is Saturday, was longer still, all of eternity laid within its horizon.

Then, the first day of the week, they were told He wasn’t dead, wasn’t stolen, but was risen.

Just like that, there He stood, in their midst.

The next four things He said and did echoed for two thousand years until reaching a crescendo regarding the current four years in which we live.

Peace

If asked, they’d have to admit, they were scared, huddled like sheep, no idea what to do, for fear of the Jews.

But then, He said, “Peace be unto you.”

That triggered a memory.  

Only a few days prior. Just hours before He was betrayed by Judas, and abandoned by His friends, He talked of peace—twice. Once He said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” Then in the same conversation, a little bit later He said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Exposed 2020

Then, He exposed His scars. His hands and His side. (John 20:20)

He was alive. It was really Him. The scars proved it.

But wait.

How could the Creator of all the universe, perfect in every way, be standing there…flawed?

He kept the scars.

He didn’t have to.

Why'd He do it?

He showed His scars, the ones we (you and I) gave Him, not to shame us, but to teach us.

Scars may identify us; but they don’t define us.

When they saw the scars, they knew it was Him and fear and sorrow fled. The writings of old, came alive right there and then, like front page news.

“He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

In 2020 and John 20:20, scars were exposed…and remain.

Rioting, burning, beating and murder. “Give us our way or we'll burn it to the ground!” Venom from the very same demons that stirred the mob to cry “crucify, crucify…impeach, impeach.”   

The scars in 20:20 revealed the sin of mankind. The scars of 2020 revealed the sin of our nation.

In both cases, the cause and the cure are the same. Never before in the history of mankind has the world shouted in unison from every outlet, “Wash your hands.”

They say it to prevent being infected by an invisible enemy called COVID.  “Wash your hands” in the Bible means to repent of the invisible enemy called, sin.

What evil meant to harm us in 20:20 and 2020; God has turned around to heal US.

 

Engaged 2021

After the excitement settled a bit, He said it again, “Peace to you.” But He didn’t stop there.

“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)

Wait. What?

All those years. Centuries actually. They’d been praying, longing, believing, waiting, for the Messiah.

When Messiah comes, the rightful King will sit on the throne. When Messiah comes, He’ll restore the kingdom. When Messiah comes, He’ll make us great again. Messiah will fix everything.  

But they (and we) got it all wrong.

As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.

His plan is not to do it for us…but through us.

Looking back, it made perfect sense. He came right out and prayed it on that dreadful night, “As You have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18).

Just like in 2020, the Lord showed me a picture and a word for the coming year, 2021. 

It was a picture of an army. A glorious army, in one accord, without spot or wrinkle. Engaged, was the word superimposed over the picture. 

2020 slapped US out of our apathetic atrophying slumber; it was a rude, but necessary awakening. Now we’re awake and engaged and following Jesus to be the glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish. (Ephesians 5:27).

 

Anointing & Power 2022

But how?

How could anyone, ever follow in even one of His footsteps; our weaknesses so many, our strengths, so few?

He answered that question by breathing on them and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

It must’ve been like when He breathed the breath of life into Adam. It was like blowing a dying ember to life; glowing and growing, until finally exploding into tongues of fire and world changing Power; fifty days later on the day of Pentecost.

The power of unity is supernatural. 

Before they received the Power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it’s written that they were in one accord. On the night Jesus was betrayed, His earnest prayer for us, was that we’d be in unity, that we’d be one as He and His Father are one. (John 17:20-23).

As the Church unites Power ignites.

The holy engagement of 2021 will lead to anointing Power of the Holy Spirit in 2022. We will see as they did then, Holy Spirit Power moving the hearts and minds of men to cry out by the thousands, “What must we do to be saved.”

 

Authority 2023

What He said next was something we could never grasp mentally or do, physically, it's obtained only by Divine Authority.

“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:23).

After being exposed (2020) to the Truth, the Proof, the scars and coming together, engaged (2021) as a glorious army, without spot or wrinkle, we receive Power (2022) from the Holy Spirit; which comes with His Authority (2023) to bind and lose, to forgive and retain, to rule and reign.

 

Dear Church, The days of saying I’m just an ol’ tired, worn and weary, sinner, saved by grace, are over. Jesus is not coming back or looking for an old worn out, doomsday dreary, hag of a bride waiting for a magic carpet ride on a rapture rug. He’s coming back for a glorious church, a beautiful bride, watching, prepared and ready, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, holy and without blemish.

This is our day, this is our hour, arise and shine for the Light has come and the glory of the LORD has risen upon US.