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This Sunday we will celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the grave. Sin and death were conquered. The victory that the religious leaders and Satan thought they had achieved on Friday was overturned once and for all. Jesus revealed that He had been the One who was victorious on the cross, and the empty tomb was His proof, just as He had told His disciples. And yet, somehow, they had forgotten. Somehow, they were not looking for Him to arise from the dead. Somehow His return had been unexpected. If it was true of those who walked with Him physically for three years, what can the rest of us learn from them?
This was the first time that all of Jesus’ apostles had been back together since the night of His arrest, with the exception of Judas Iscariot (the betrayer) and Thomas (the one called “the doubter”). But others had also more than likely joined them. His mother, Mary, was surely there, as were His brothers at their mother’s prompting. Bear in mind that until that night, His brothers had not believed Him to be the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were probably counted among them, together with others who had traveled with Him. It was a roomful of His closest followers.
They had secretly gathered, and the door to the room was locked.(1) The room was abuzz with the reports of His resurrection. Mary Magdalene had told the group about how Jesus had spoken to her as she stood outside the 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. Jesus’ aunt Mary, together with Joanna and Salome, relayed their encounter with the angels in the tomb, and then how Jesus had appeared to them on their way to report to the apostles. Then Peter told them how Jesus had appeared to him earlier in the day. Finally, Clopas and his companion had just returned from Emmaus and 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 were hearing these reports from brothers and sisters they respected, but the idea of Jesus returning from the grave was still hard for them to believe. How could it 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 be a part of the religious leaders’ plot to not only murder Jesus, but to defame His teachings and His miracles? Was this all a part of the 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! He didn’t knock on the door. There was no fanfare leading up to His arrival. He just suddenly appeared in the middle of a locked room. i would venture to say that some of these guys were ready to jump out of their skins! And if we had been there, we would have been ready to do the same. Some of them thought they were seeing a ghost.(3) So, it is no wonder that the first words out of Jesus’ mouth were “Peace be with you!”(4)
In essence He was saying, “Be at peace, the One – the only One – who can make sense of it all is now in the room!” He calmed their fears and gave them assurance. He ate a piece of broiled fish to assure them that He wasn’t a ghost.(5) 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. Gradually the disciples’ fear and anxiety turned to peace and joy!
Allow me to conjecture that at some point, Jesus’ 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 that day – and, more than likely, his had been to an even greater degree.
Then for a second time, Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you.”(6) But this time it wasn’t a word of peace just for them, it was a word of peace for all of us. Jesus had repeatedly told His disciples that He would, in fact, be killed, and be raised on the third day.(7) But when the day arrived, none of them seemed to remember. They were so caught up in their sorrow, tragedy and fear that they forgot His promise. The first, and perhaps only one, to believe He had risen (without first seeing Him) was the apostle John. He had believed when he saw that the tomb was empty.(8)
Jesus has told us that He will return.(9) This time, it won’t be on the third day. It will be on the day the Father chooses.(10) We will not know when that will be. It may be in some of our lifetimes, or it may not. But until then, we are to walk in peace, knowing that the One – the only One – who can make sense of it all has sent His Spirit to walk within us, before us, beside us, and behind us! And just like those gathered in that upper room, He has told us to go forth and share that peace – His gospel – with a world that desperately needs peace. As the Father had sent Him, He was now sending the disciples … and us!(11)
We would do well to learn from those apostles … as well as the one who was missing. 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. i can’t help but wonder if perhaps he was so ashamed that He had abandoned Jesus the night of His arrest that he couldn’t face anyone else. i wonder if his shame and grief led him to isolate himself from everyone else. And when He heard that Jesus was alive, his disbelief was compounded by the guilt he felt. After all, if it was true, how could he possibly face Jesus?
Just like those men and women, have we allowed disbelief or shame to keep us from anticipating His return? Are we watching for His return with anticipation or have we allowed ourselves to no longer even expect His return?
The fact is – He will suddenly appear, just like He did on that Resurrection Sunday night in the upper room. Let’s not be surprised by His appearance. Let’s be expectant. And let’s be faithful to tell others about His soon coming return.
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As i have previously mentioned, i have written a short novel about one of those eyewitnesses – Mary Magdalene. It’s a first-person eyewitness account of what she experienced and witnessed. The book is entitled A Witness Called Mary. It’s the ninth book in my series, The Called. i invite you to consider her story – the part you may already know – and the portion that could have been. The book released two weeks ago through Amazon in paperback, large print and for Kindle or Kindle app. Click HERE for more information on how you can obtain a copy.
Also, portions of this post have been taken from my book Taking Up The Cross, chapter 58.
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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 24:37
(4) John 20:19 (NLT)
(5) Luke 24:42-43
(6) John 20:21 (NLT)
(7) Matthew 16:21 (NLT)
(8) John 20:8
(9) John 14:3
(10) Mark 13:32
(11) John 20:21
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