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Do you find yourself in the midst of a situation that looks bleak? Are you at a place facing the unknown where you have more questions than answers? Is your situation causing you to be anxious or fearful? If so, you have a lot in common with Jesus’s closest followers.
This was the first time that all of them, with the exception of Thomas (whose absence is a curiosity), were back together since the night of His arrest.(1) They had secretly gathered, and the door to the room was locked. It was risky for them to be together in one place. They were still fearful that they might all be arrested at any moment and punished … or worse. But they had secretly gathered because a few of their number were sharing the most extraordinary news. The room was abuzz!
Mary Magdalene told the group about how Jesus had spoken to her as she stood outside His tomb. John shared how he and Peter had witnessed the empty tomb, and his belief that Jesus truly was the Son of the Living God. Mary, Joanna and Salome relayed their encounters first with the angels in the tomb, and then with Jesus Himself when He appeared to them on their way to report to the disciples. Then Peter told them how Jesus had appeared to him earlier in the day. By now most of them had heard how Peter had denied Jesus following His arrest and they were curious what that face-to-face meeting might have been like. Finally, Clopas and his companion, having just returned from Emmaus, were telling “their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road.”(2)
The disciples’ heads were spinning. They wanted to believe the news … but it was hard to fathom. These reports were coming from brothers and sisters that they respected … but how could this possibly be true? Jesus had been subjected to unspeakable brutality and had died on the cross. They had witnessed it, albeit from a distance after they scattered. Could this all be a part of the religious leaders’ diabolical plot to not only murder Jesus, but to defame His teachings and His miracles? Was this all a part of their plan to now draw out His close followers and arrest them as well? At that moment, there was still more fear than faith present in that room.
Then all of a sudden – Jesus appeared – out of nowhere!(3) Heads all turned to see if the door had opened, but it was still locked! i would venture to say that many of those in the room were ready to jump out of their skins! Good thing there weren’t any open windows nearby! i would venture that if you and i had been there, we would have been ready to do the same. They thought they were seeing a ghost!(4) So, it is no wonder that the first words out of Jesus’s mouth were “Peace be with you!”(5) Be at peace, the One – the only One – who can make sense of all that is happening is now standing before you in this very room!
Jesus did all that He could to calm their fears and give them assurance. He ate a piece of broiled fish to assure them that He wasn’t a ghost.(6) He showed them the wounds in His hands, His feet and His side to prove to them that He who was dead was now alive. The work that the Father had given Him to do was now complete. Slowly, the disciples’ fear and anxiety turned to peace and joy! Allow me to conjecture that at some point, Jesus’s and Peter’s eyes knowingly locked for a moment as they saw the rest of the disciples gradually and finally coming to that place of peace. Peter had experienced that same emotional roller coaster earlier in the day – and i am certain that his was to an even greater degree.
Then for a second time, Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you.”(7) But this time it wasn’t a word of peace for them, it was a word of peace that they were now to go forth and share with a world that desperately needed to hear it. As the Father had sent Him, He was now sending them (and us)!
Again, we aren’t given any explanation as to why Thomas was not in the room that night. John is the only Gospel writer who gives us that report. Surely, Thomas didn’t have a more pressing appointment. But later, when he did join the other disciples, he refused to accept their testimony. He held to the conviction that since he wasn’t there to see it, it must not be true. Thus, he became “Doubting Thomas” – to this day defined as “a skeptic who refuses to believe without direct personal experience.” His skepticism and faithlessness robbed him of joy for eight long days before Jesus again appeared in their midst and stood among them, this time including Thomas. Jesus again declared, “Peace be with you,”(8) but this time He added a rebuke to Thomas with a truth that we too would do well to embrace – don’t believe simply because you see; believe because of Who I am and what I have said.”(9)
Therefore, it would do us well to repeat and rehearse the truths that the disciples learned and experienced on those two occasions:
1. No matter our situation or circumstance, we will always find peace in the presence of our Savior. As the apostle Paul wrote to the church, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”(10)
2. We have not heard the full truth about any situation until we have heard from Jesus. As we cast our doubts and fear on Him, trust Him for the answers that we need – not necessarily all the answers we want, but all the answers we need to know. Some of those answers will not come until we are in His presence. But in the meantime, He has promised that “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”(11)
3. The peace He gives us – His Gospel – is not just for us. He has entrusted it to us to share it with others. As Jesus said that night, “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”(12)
4. Don’t believe simply because you see; believe because of Who Jesus is and what He has said.
Peace be with you! “…Because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.”(13)
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This post is adapted from Taking Up The Cross, chapter 58, entitled “Peace Be With You.” This fifth book in the Lessons Learned In The Wilderness series is available through Amazon in print or for your e-reader. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy of the book.
Also, i have written a collection of forty short stories about some of the men and women who had a personal encounter with Jesus throughout His years of ministry, at His crucifixion and following His resurrection. You can read how some of the eyewitnesses who were there that night in the upper room may have reacted in my book, The One Who Stood Before Us. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain your copy.
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(1) John 20:19-29 (NLT)
That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” He said. As He spoke, He showed them the wounds in His hands and His side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again, He said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in His hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in His side.” Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” He said. Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand into the wound in My side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen Me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing Me.”
(2) Luke 24:35 (NLT)
(3) Luke 24:36 (NLT)
(4) Luke 24:37 (NLT)
(5) John 20:19 (NLT)
(6) Luke 24:42-43 (NLT)
(7) John 20:21 (NLT)
(8) John 20:26 (NLT)
(9) John 20:29 (paraphrase)
(10) Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
(11) John 8:31-32 (NLT)
(12) John 20:21 (NLT)
(13) Philippians 4:7 (CEV)
Copyright © 2021 Kenneth A. Winter All rights reserved.
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