4/2/2024 0 Comments PeaceJohn 20:19-33
Jesus Appears to the Disciples www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+20%3A19-31&version=NRSVUE The Easter story continues by picking up from last week, on the evening after the women discovered Jesus had been raised. The disciples were gathered in fear, in a locked room, and Jesus appears. Jesus greets them with peace. The first words Jesus says to them after the resurrection are “Peace be with you” (v.19). Three times in this passage, Jesus comes to them and greets them with peace. This phrase may be interpreted as just a greeting, and many cultures use the word “peace” as a greeting. However, it’s interesting that Jesus says, “Peace be with you” to identify who he is and that he is there among them. He appears after the resurrection behind the fearful locked doors and announces that he is there with them and brings them peace. He shows his wounds and that brings them peace. A week later, when he returns to show Thomas his wounds, Jesus stands among them, again behind shut doors, and announces he is there by bringing them peace. His peaceful presence just appears among a locked-down room that is filled with fear and disbelief. Locked doors or even closed doors cannot keep Jesus’ peace from entering and filling the room. As soon as the disciples and eventually Thomas see Jesus, his peace fills them and they rejoice and they believe. It is Jesus’ peaceful presence that causes them to believe. Seeing Jesus’ wounds also cause them to believe that it really is Jesus. They don’t recognize the Risen Christ at first. He has to be known by his greeting of peace and his wounds. His scars identify him but also become signs of peace to show that his peace came from his pain. Now that the Risen One has brought peace to the disciples, he sends them to take his peace into the world. “As the Father sent me, so I send you,” he said, as the first post-Resurrection commandment. He greets them in peace, shows his signs of peace, and sends them out, to take the peace to all the fear-filled rooms, to all the locked and shut doors that people find themselves behind. Jesus brings peace to fearful people and terrifying situations. He brings peace from the pain we endure. He places a call on our lives to share his peace with the world. Reflection Questions: Have you experienced the peace of Christ? Remember a time when you were fearful or have experienced pain. Did Jesus bring you peace? If not, could Jesus bring you peace? In what ways? How can you share the peace of Christ with others? Action: Do one act this week that takes Christ’s peace into the world.
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