Scripture Readings: John 20: 19-31
ANZAC Day is a time of solemn remembrance – of sacrifice, service, and love for others. As we think of ANZAC Day, we pause to remember those who bore wounds for the sake of others – those who gave their lives, and those who still live with the impact of service.
On ANZAC Day, we honour those who were sent into danger for the sake of others and remember the cost of freedom and peace through the sacrifices. As Christians, we are also sent – not into war, but into a broken world – as bearers of reconciliation, peace, and service in Christ. Our mission is shaped by the cross and resurrection – not to conquer, but to heal, forgive, and love. We also remember the cost of our salvation in Christ through His wounded hands and side.
In John 20: 19-31, when the disciples were behind locked doors, fearful and uncertain, the Risen Christ appeared to His disciples and spoke the words, “Peace be with you,” not once, but three times. (v.19, 21, 26) Each repetition carries a distinct focus. The first comes as Jesus enters a room full of fear, doors locked, and hearts uncertain. Here, “Peace be with you” is a word of comfort. It stills their fear and assures them that death has not won, and that Jesus, their Lord, is alive.
The second time, Jesus says, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” This peace commissions them. It is peace with a purpose – “God’s shalom” that equips the disciples to go into the world as messengers of resurrection hope. The third time, spoken to Thomas a week later, reaches into the heart of doubt. Jesus again says, “Peace be with you,” inviting Thomas not just to believe, but to find peace in believing, even in the midst of questions.
Each “Peace be with you” touches a different part of our human journey – our fear, our calling, our doubt. And today, Christ speaks this same peace to us. Whether we are behind locked doors of fear, wondering about our purpose, or wrestling with uncertainty, His peace meets us where we are. And in His peace, we are not only comforted but also transformed and sent out into the world as signs of His risen life.
The resurrection story in John 20 is filled with deeply personal moments of recognition and transformation. Mary Magdalene, weeping outside the empty tomb, hears Jesus speak her name, and in that instant, her sorrow turns to joy. She runs to the disciples with the first resurrection confession: “I have seen the Lord.” Her words are bold and full of wonder.
Later that evening, Jesus appears to the disciples in their fear and darkness. He shows them His hands and side, and they, too, rejoice in His presence. Though their confession is not in words at first, their hearts echo Mary’s joy and confession – they have seen the Lord, and peace begins to replace fear.
Then comes Thomas, who holds space for all of us who long to see and touch, who wrestle with doubt and belief. When Jesus meets him with gentleness and invitation, Thomas responds with the most personal and profound confession of all: “My Lord and my God!”
These three confessions – Mary’s proclamation, the disciples’ joy, and Thomas’ declaration lead us to our own. We may not see Him with our physical eyes, but through the witness of others, through faith, and through grace, we are invited to join the chorus: “I have seen the Lord,” and “My Lord and my God.” In our sorrow, our fear, and our doubt, Jesus still comes to us, offering peace and calling us to believe, to confess, and to live as those who have truly encountered the Risen Christ.
When Jesus appears to His disciples, He does not hide His wounds – He shows them His hands and side. The marks of suffering are not erased by the resurrection; instead, they become signs of His love and victory. Jesus meets His disciples not as a distant but as the wounded healer. His scars speak of pain endured, death conquered, and love poured out. In this moment, we see that our own wounds – whether physical, emotional, or spiritual – are not something to hide in shame. Jesus enters our vulnerability and says, “Peace be with you.”
In showing His wounds, Jesus offers solidarity with our suffering and speaks a deeper truth: that resurrection does not ignore pain but transforms it. We are invited to bring our brokenness into the light, to see our scars not as disqualifications but as places where grace can shine. Just as the disciples found hope in His wounds, we too can find healing, purpose, and peace in our own. Christ’s scars remind us that we are never alone in our pain – and through Him, even our deepest wounds can become part of a resurrection story.
In today’s text, we witness the gifts of the Risen Christ: Christ gives peace that calms our fears, presence that turns sorrow into joy, power to believe, even in our doubts, and purpose – He sends us with His Spirit. When Jesus shows the disciples His hands and His side, they believe and rejoice.
The breath of the Spirit empowers us to live and serve as the body of Christ in the world. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” What does it mean to be a sent person – in our homes, at work, in our communities? We are not only comforted by Christ; we are commissioned and sent by Him.
Jesus also said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (vv. 21–22) With the other apostles having passed on and himself now an aged apostle, John records this moment as a vital gift from the Risen Lord – an act of passing on the apostolic faith to future generations. Though this scene is not found in the Synoptic Gospels, John emphasizes the importance of the Risen Christ appearing to the disciples, breathing the Spirit upon them, and sending them out.
When Thomas said, “Unless I see… I will not believe,” Jesus did not rebuke him. Instead, He met Thomas in his doubt. Faith is not the absence of doubt; it is trust in the Risen Christ who is present and alive. Jesus responds with compassion, not condemnation. Doubt is not the enemy of faith – it can be the doorway to a deeper relationship.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (v. 29) This is a word of encouragement for all generations of believers. Just like the disciples, we, too, are part of the Easter story – living in the blessing Jesus speaks here.
Many people today experience fear, doubt, or longing for peace, especially during or after difficult seasons. The Risen Christ comes with wounds, marks of the cross, and peace to us. Christ still comes to us in our places of fear, doubt, and vulnerability with His peace. He doesn’t hide His wounds but invites His disciples and us to see and remember.
Jesus enters even locked rooms and hearts. In this Easter season, we are invited to receive Christ’s peace, embrace our purpose, bring our questions, and grow in faith. Like Jesus’ disciples, may we move from fear to joy, from doubt to confession, from being locked in to being sent out. Let us live with thankful hearts, remembering the past, embracing the present, and stepping into the future with hope in Christ our Lord.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)