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101 Pondfield Road West Bronxville, NY 10708
One Great Hour of Sharing
How to Donate
Mail a check or make a donation through your online banking service.
Make the donation to: West Center Congregational Church and put OGHS in the memo line.
101 Pondfield Road West Bronxville, NY 10708
SUNDAY WORSHIP April 27, 2025 11:00AM Sunday's Bulletin Resurrection Witness Rev. Dr. Chris Ponnuraj, Preaching Mr. John Strybos, Music Director, Choir Jesse Matgieri, Lauren Mitchell, Robert Orbach, Susie Reisinger 
Come and share the joy of Christ's love with us.
All are welcome! Join us for our
Friendship and Fellowship Hour after 11:00 AM service in Bodge Lounge. 
Join us for the next Showing
on Saturday May 10, 2025 Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM Movie at 7 PM |
The gospel reading for this Sunday is taken from St. John 20:19-31. In this reading we see Jesus meeting the disciples for the first time and providing them first the comfort, and then the disciples are commissioned, in return the disciples give their personal commitment to Jesus.
“Peace be with you” is the common greeting and probably the one Jesus had spoken to the disciples many times. But in this situation, it was more than a greeting. It was a message! It is some kind of comfort for fear filled disciples. Jesus suddenly appeared in the upper room when all the doors were locked. The disciples had already been in fear over what the religious leaders might do to them. That’s why their doors were locked in the first place. Suddenly Jesus appeared and the disciples were scared. Jesus calms their fears by saying “Peace be with you.” That was certainly something they needed. We see Jesus provided the disciple’s comfort. In II Timothy 1:7 we read “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.” Fear will always torment, and these disciples were being tormented by thoughts and vain imaginations. Have you ever been fearful of what might happen next in your life? I have had strange feelings at times when I would suddenly feel my gut tighten with fear. I couldn’t even associate it with any event. But I did know where it was coming from. I get strength when I remember the verse “God has not given us the spirit of fear...” That’s what the devil wants to give us fear. As Christians we are authorized to resist. A strange thing has happened in the upper room that was locked. Jesus the Prince of Peace has come to them, and they were afraid. Jesus is the very one who can calm all their fears. Jesus already told them before his death, as we read in St. John 14:27, “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”. But here we see the disciples are very afraid. Jesus proves to them that he is not a spirit, not a ghost. Jesus shows them his hands and side. They see clearly that this is indeed the resurrected Christ. At that moment of Jesus' revelation to the disciple’s fears were gone. Their sorrow is turned to joy. Their hopes are revived. This is so amazing how the presence of Jesus can turn our world around? Maybe we should remember the promise in the scripture as we read in Hebrew 11:5. “I will never leave you nor forsake you” The disciples awakening to Jesus' presence is what turned their world around. Are you aware of Jesus' presence in your life today? Are you mindful of Jesus as you go through your daily routine in your life? |
We may discover more peace in our lives if we learn to nurture our awareness of Jesus' presence. The more we partner with him during the day, the more we commune with him in our spirit, the more we depend upon him for guidance and strength, the more conscious we become of his presence with us. Jesus says to his disciples, “Peace be with you.” That is a powerful revelation of his heart toward disciples and as well as us.
Jesus had chosen the twelve and he was in their presence for more than three years. Jesus had cared for them and taught them. When they found themselves perishing on an angry sea Jesus came and rescued them. The disciples had told Jesus how much they loved him and would even die for him. But then when the pressure got on, they wouldn’t even pray with Jesus for an hour. Jesus asked them to pray but instead they slept. When the authorities came to arrest Jesus, he made sure they were safe and not arrested. Jesus was about to be brutally beaten and crucified. One disciple betrayed him. One openly denies knowing of him. All the disciples have run away and left him to deal with the problem alone.
How would you feel about friends like that? After Jesus victory over the enemy, his comforting word to the disciples is, “Peace be with you”? If you would like to know more about the "Resurrection Witness", please join us in our worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Jesus had chosen the twelve and he was in their presence for more than three years. Jesus had cared for them and taught them. When they found themselves perishing on an angry sea Jesus came and rescued them. The disciples had told Jesus how much they loved him and would even die for him. But then when the pressure got on, they wouldn’t even pray with Jesus for an hour. Jesus asked them to pray but instead they slept. When the authorities came to arrest Jesus, he made sure they were safe and not arrested. Jesus was about to be brutally beaten and crucified. One disciple betrayed him. One openly denies knowing of him. All the disciples have run away and left him to deal with the problem alone.
How would you feel about friends like that? After Jesus victory over the enemy, his comforting word to the disciples is, “Peace be with you”? If you would like to know more about the "Resurrection Witness", please join us in our worship on Sunday at 11:00 AM.
Peace!
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister
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Church Office: 101 Pondfield Road West, Bronxville, NY 10708 Email: [email protected] Phone: (914) 337-3829 |