The transcript of the service can be read below
John 20:19-23
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.23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Revelation 2:7
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
HEAR JESUS SAY: “PEACE
BE WITH YOU”
Springford Baptist Church: April 11, 2021.
If you have not seen someone for an extended time, what are the first words you would want to speak to them?
All of us have been having firsthand experience of not seeing family and friends for such a long time during these lockdowns that have been part of dealing with the seriousness of the pandemic.
We have been blessed to have been able to speak with loved ones on the phone or through other electronic means. However, as we have realized, “It is not the same as being together in person.”
It may seem that Jesus’ absence from His disciples, His close friends had been for a relatively short time. He had died on Friday and been raised back to life on Sunday.
It was now the Sunday evening of the day that Mary Magdalene had seen Jesus alive and had told the disciples the compelling news, “I HAVE SEEN THE LORD”. (John 20:18)
Can we imagine the turmoil the disciples had been through? They knew that Jesus had been put to death and they had concluded that they would never see Him again. That time between Friday and Sunday would have seemed like an eternity to them. What meaning could their lives have now that Jesus was gone from them? How could they face not seeing Jesus and not hearing His words to them?
They had come to rely on Jesus completely and now He had been taken from them and understandably they were devastated.
As Jesus’ disciples, His followers, gathered together on that first day of the week, the doors were locked. (John 20:19) They were in lockdown. Why? Because of fear. They had the doors locked, “for fear of the Jews.” (vs. 19) As we know from personal experience, fear can really take over, can’t it?
There can be legitimate cause for fear as there was with the disciples. They had been closely associated with Jesus and the Jewish leaders had been insistent that Jesus be killed. Their lives were certainly also in danger.
And then there had been the strange and unsettling events of that very Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene had reported that the tomb where Jesus had been buried was empty. Peter and John had rushed to investigate and had found that it was indeed empty. What were they all to believe? If Jesus was alive, why hadn’t they seen Him yet for themselves? Mary said that she had seen the Lord, but they had not yet seen Him.
Fear takes hold, doesn’t it? Fear can literally take over and cause us to expect further disaster. As our stomachs churn when we are overcome with fear, the last thing we are expecting is to receive peace. Even trying to think rationally can be a struggle when we are gripped by fear.
Into this scene of fear and dread of what may happen next, comes Jesus. The locked doors do not prevent His entry. Jesus is not controlled by a lockdown. He comes to those whom He loves deeply and He understands completely how they are feeling. How do we know that Jesus understands completely how they are feeling and what they are thinking? It is in the speaking of those first words. The first words that Jesus speaks to His disciples after being raised back to life are, “PEACE BE WITH YOU.” (vs. 20b)
In those moments, it is evident that Jesus recognizes the torment they have been through. He knows that fear has invaded their hearts and minds. He comes among them with the gift of peace. These are not empty words. In appearing to them, Jesus does bring peace. It is now possible for peace to be with them because Jesus is with them. Death had separated them from Jesus, but now they are reunited and peace fills the room. Fear is pushed from the space they are in because Jesus is with them and peace has now moved in and insists on the space that fear had claimed.
We are told that after saying this, Jesus showed them His hands and side to demonstrate that it was really Him. Fear would protest and try to create doubt and rob them of their peace, but the evidence is there that this really is their risen Lord. Fear will have to vacate because Jesus has come among them to bring peace.
Of what are we afraid? How does fear invade and take over in our lives and experience? We can identify with the disciples on that evening of the first day of the week, can’t we? There are realities in our lives that result in fear. The pandemic we are living through has caused widespread fear. Even the attempts at lockdown have not been able to lock us away from or to shutdown fear. People of all ages are affected by fear at this time. We can feel extremely vulnerable about safety for ourselves and for those we love.
We like Jesus’ first disciples, need to have Jesus stand among us and to speak those words of reassurance, “PEACE BE WITH YOU.”
When we hear Jesus say those words to us and when we recognize that it really is Jesus with us, then we too can have peace. It is a peace that only Jesus can give.
The peace that Jesus brings us with His Presence does dispel fear! The disciples, when they conclude that this really is Jesus, are overjoyed! They move from being overcome with fear to being overcome with joy. It is all because Jesus has come to be with them!! (vs. 20)
This Scripture tells us that Jesus repeats these words that have changed everything. ‘Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” (vs. 21a) And now Jesus adds something that the disciples need to pay close attention to and so do we. This peace of Jesus is not reserved just for them and it is not reserved just for us.
There are others who are controlled by fear and they also need to be released and set free by Jesus and the peace that He offers. This is why Jesus continues with these words, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (vs. 21b)
When we have received the peace of Christ, we are intended to share the peace of Christ. This is not a gift to keep for ourselves. The possibility of having fear replaced with peace because of Jesus is a gift that must be shared!
Jesus provided the disciples with the Holy Spirit to assist them in their mission of sharing the good news of who He is and of the peace He has come to bring. (vs. 22)
The concluding verse of this Scripture passage could seem puzzling. Jesus says, “If you forgive anyone their sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive their sins, they are not forgiven.” (vs. 23)
Those who faithfully proclaim the gospel message, are in effect forgiving or not forgiving sins, depending on the choice of those who hear. Forgiveness of sins will depend on whether the hearers accept or reject Jesus.
Jesus offers Himself and His peace to anyone who will receive what He has to offer. The peace of Jesus is the certain remedy for fear. As you and I go in Jesus’ name and share His peace, others will know that He lives. They, along with us, can listen and hear Jesus say, “PEACE BE WITH YOU.”