Scripture Readings: John 20: 19-31
In John 20:19-31, we witness the transformative power of the risen Christ bringing peace, dispelling doubt, and inviting us into a deeper faith. We also find that the cause for the victory is the peace that the risen Lord brings, and Jesus restores peace by appearing to His disciples.
Today’s text opens with a scene of fear and uncertainty. The disciples, locked away in a room, are gripped by anxiety following the crucifixion of Jesus. Yet, in their fear, Jesus appears among them, offering words that ring through the ages: “Peace be with you.”
What do you do when you truly need peace of mind? Sometimes it seems like there’s no way around it, and we find ourselves begging God to give us peace. One thing is for sure, our Lord gives peace whenever we ask for it, even when circumstances don’t change.
The peace that Jesus brings is not merely the absence of conflicts or struggles in our lives. It is a peace that surpasses understanding, a peace that calms our troubled hearts and fills us with hope. It is a peace that can only be found in the presence of the risen Christ among us.
The body of Jesus was not in the tomb, but the risen Christ has come to us. Just as he did with his disciples, Jesus comes to us in our times of fear and doubt, breaking through the barriers we build around ourselves. He comes to us wherever we are, providing us His peace and inviting us into a new way of being. The risen Christ is with us whenever we are looking for Jesus.
In John 16, Jesus had promised to relieve the disciples’ grief by replacing it with joy. In John 20, Jesus appeared to his frightened disciples behind closed doors, in locked rooms, and gave them the gift of peace. He fulfilled that promise.
The locked door meant nothing to our Lord. He showed them the nail marks on his hands and the spear scar in his side. The disciples saw and met the risen Christ who had died but was now living again and standing before them. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He commissions his disciples, sending them out into the world as ambassadors of his peace. “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit”. He declares and breathes upon them the Holy Spirit, empowering them for the task ahead. In the time between the resurrection and the ascension, Jesus gave His disciples peace, mission, and the Holy Spirit.
Yet, even as Jesus commissions his disciples, he recognises the reality of doubt. Thomas, one of the twelve, struggles to believe in the resurrection until he encounters Jesus with his own eyes. However, Jesus did not scold Thomas or condemn his hesitation. He gave doubting Thomas a second chance and provided the evidence, telling him, “Stop doubting and believe.”
When Jesus appears to him a week later, Thomas responds with a confession of faith: “My Lord and my God.” God has given Thomas and us the chance to be blessed by our faith. The disciples rejoiced, but their joy was not the end. Thomas’ response was praise rather than joy. Praise and glory be to our God. Our joy needs to be continued to the glory of God. May we be blessed by our faith and glorify God by genuine confession and praise.
Jesus’ response to Thomas speaks to all of us who have wrestled with doubt in our faith journey. Blessed are those who believe without seeing, Jesus tells us. Blessed are those who, despite their doubts and uncertainties, choose to trust in the promise of the resurrection.
Our hearts are broken as we look at a world of war, hunger, disaster, and suffering, and we continually pray for the Lord’s peace with heavy but hopeful hearts. In the tough days, may we remember that Jesus said, “Peace be with you!” and never forget Jesus’ promise, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” When it comes to spiritual truth, may we be prepared to believe what we have not seen.
We are called not only to experience the peace of the Lord in our own lives but also to share it with others. We are called to be agents of reconciliation and healing in a world that is often broken and torn apart by division and strife. To do this, may we take our eyes off the empty tomb and place them on the Lord.
Just like Jesus’ disciples, may we respond with faith and obedience to the call of our Lord. Our journeys continue between doubt and faith, but may we continue to journey, trusting in the promise that the risen Christ is with us always, even to the end of the age.
In the season of Easter, let us remember that the risen Christ comes to us, again and again, inviting us to experience resurrection right here and now. May we comprehend the truth about Jesus, believe that he is the Christ and the Son of God, and live the life described in the Gospel. The risen Christ is coming to us and wanting us to live God’s ways of love, peace, and justice. Let us embrace the peace that he offers and let us share that peace with a world in desperate need of hope and healing.
As the light of Jesus’ resurrection falls in the grave, may the Risen Christ shine upon you, even in your suffering and sadness. Just as the peace of the Lord descends into the closed room, may the peace of the Lord lead you into paths of righteousness and hope and victory.
Thanks be to God! Amen.
(Ref. Bible, commentaries, theological books, UCA materials)
