Peace be with you.............

John 20.19-29  NRSV    courtesy of www.biblestudytools.com

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, 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 his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." 28 Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."


A second important thing about Easter:  not everyone reacted the same.  Most of the disciples needed some help understanding what had happened and what the implications of this 'resurrection' were for them, for the world, and for Jesus. 

We who count ourselves as believers and who are connected to the church often take cover in 'religious speak.'  We talk about matters of faith in the 'inside' language of the church, the code words of believers.  Two dilemmas result:  first, others who are just 'coming to the tomb' so to speak don't speak this religious language; second, it is too easy for us to take refuge in the language and not compose our own personal message of Easter's importance.  (You can apply that second dilemma to any 'church' or religious topic that arises.)

Thomas, in our story, has no trouble saying what he thinks.  Earlier in the chapter 11 he blurts out , "let us go with Jesus so we can die with him"   In chapter 14 he responds to Jesus'  words by saying , "Lord we don't know where you are going, how can we know the way?"  So, I'm thinking that the excitable disciples get a 1st century 'whatever' when they try to tell Thomas about the Lord's appearance.  Thomas hears their words, but clearly is in need of a different kind of experience.  Jesus gives him just that - as a gift - not in recrimination.   And if you watch, you will see that Thomas never does put his finger in Jesus' wounds, he simply sees Jesus and announces, "My Lord and my God."  This powerful acclamation points to Jesus not just as Lord of Thomas, but also as God.....you aren't going to find that strong a confession of faith many places in the four gospels.

Jesus has two agenda items as he appears in that upper room.  First, he comes to bring peace.  Second, he comes to give the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Why bring peace?  When you think about it, having your dead leader reappear in a locked room is a good occasion for terror.  Locked doors and apparently risen dead leaders are NOT supposed to happen, ever!   Along with this other worldly phenomena, you have before your face the very leader the disciples had abandoned.  Just what was Jesus going to do to them?  Just what was Jesus going to say?   Add to that the Romans who executed Jesus and were most likely looking for his followers (to execute them as well was the thinking).  There was a lot of peace needed in that upper room.

Many believers have experienced just this kind of peace in the midst of great catastrophe or distress.  It is called 'the peace that passes all understanding.'  It is a sense of calm, of shelter, even a bit of strength....at least it has been for me.  What a gift....Peace I give you.  

Have you experienced this peace?  How would you describe it to others?  Is this not a word that everyone needs to hear, a peace that could bring so many into relationship with Jesus? 

So Jesus' first gift was peace - a peace that presumed forgiveness, acceptance.  Then the Holy Spirit.  Perhaps one cannot become aware of the Spirit's presence without the opening that God's peace affords us.  One cannot focus on the power and life giving possibilities that are the work of the Holy Spirit if you are all tied up in worry and concern. 

But here it is.  God's great gift of power bestowed on the disciples.  A power that moves on its own and yet a power that believers can call upon to do the Lord's work.  A power that brings life where death was before.  A power that makes things happen that we could not even imagine.  The power which called forth the church into being.

Two gifts.  So many will focus on 'doubting' Thomas and miss the wonder of peace and spirit.