SHALOM…PEACE
How often has Jesus warned us of the hatred of the world as He experienced it , how He was persecuted so we shall be as well. His disciples feared for their lives after the crucifixion, locking themselves in the upper room, waiting…
Are we as individuals and a church sitting behind locked doors?
Turn with me to John 20: 19-31
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace to you." And having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Therefore, Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." But Thomas, one of the twelve, the one called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So, he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will by no means believe." And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been closed, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Bring your finger here, and see My hands; and bring your hand here and put it into My side. Be not unbelieving but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
We need to understand that time, Jesus Christ their teacher, their rabbi, was just crucified by the romans, by the Jewish Leaders, they are locked in that room, in fear, they are stuck there in the same place. I mean, a life changing event happened, but it looks like it did not do anything for them, their world did not change.
I want to ask you, what has the resurrection of JESUS done for you?
Is your life different?
Or still the same as before he was crucified?
We sit and judge the disciples, wondering what they are doing, why did they not stay by Jesus, yet have we do anything to make our lives different?
Jesus entered the room where they were waiting, not by knocking or unlocking the door but just appearing in their midst, I mean if He, Jesus was to appear suddenly now in front of us…
There was no question, He showed them His hands, His side, you can only imagine what a rejoicing then took place, Jesus then shared The Holy Spirit with them, teaching them forgiveness towards them whom crucified Him.
The RESURRECTION is a big deal, a life changing event, death was defeated, yet we all live defeated, it takes time, it is a process, it is not easy, and some days are harder than most. By the GRACE OF GOD, WE MUST GROW INTO A RESURRECTED LIFE. It is not because the resurrection failed, the empty tomb is a fact, written down in history. We can say that the empty tomb is the starting point for the resurrection. Ok let us look at an example, on the day that Jesus showed Himself to the disciples, one was not there, the one they called Thomas, how do we call him today, doubting Thomas, the doubter, we are reminded of what he said, “unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands and put my finger in His side, I will not believe. (how many of us are here, we say we believe but want the proof).
Do you know the end of Thomas’s story, Jesus came back to prove to him that He has risen, Thomas then declared, “My Lord and my God”. He recognized a new relationship, a new way of being. Thomas went on to become an evangelist, preacher in India, was run through with five spears, died preaching the gospel.
The doubter who grew and changed, yet it took time, that was his starting place.
Where is your starting place?
You know whatever your life is, whatever it brings that is the starting point of your resurrection. If you are dealing with loss, that is the room Jesus will enter, if you are dealing with emotion, if you feel lost, that is the place Jesus enters. Whatever it might be for you, that is the starting point. He steps into the midst of our house, breathes peace, life, hope into us. Take a deep breath, take it all in, let it fill you, give you hope, courage, strength to unlock the doors of your life. It has been hard lately, life has been turned upside down, torn apart, it is a daily struggle to work through it all.
Today I want you to hear the words of Jesus, it is repeated three times in this scripture alone, he says to us:
PEACE BE WITH YOU!
HE JUST APPEARS, THE FEAR IS GONE, TURNED INTO GLADNESS.
What is this peace He is offering to us?
- Total personal renewal and rest
His resurrection brings new life, we were dead and far from Him, now we have been made alive in Him, our sins are forgiven, new spiritual life has come, we are no longer separated from God if we believe. Death has no hold over us, whatever comes, cancer, heart attack, virus, war, we can have peace knowing that the death of this body will not be the end.
So, I can see you all asking, you want me to experience peace when all around me is trouble and no open doors.
- Restoration, Justice
His resurrection brings a new world, restoration, justice. Peace, the original world is in Hebrew, shalom, meaning that everything that is wrong in this world is being made right again, yet it goes deeper that than, it is a vision of wholeness and complete healing, it involves creation. In Colossians 1, Apostle Paul calls Jesus the Creator, that one day He will return, peace will be restored, everything will bow before Jesus, spiritual restoration as well.
- Hope for doubters, late comers
To those who believe that peace is coming yet struggle to believe it is true, look at the story of Thomas. Jesus knows our hearts, look at verse 29
Joh 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
Have you thought about this verse?
Maybe the reason these words were written down in John were meant for us, did we see Christ? We cannot gaze upon His risen body or reach out and touch His wounds, just maybe He is wanting us to respond like Thomas, “My Lord and My God”
Christ has risen, peace is with Him, will we believe?
- Prince of peace brings trouble
We live in a fallen world, things are not right, yet we do experience peace in part, let us think about those whom Jesus loved, He was always found around people who were lost, lepers, ladies of the night, sinners, possessed, people who were hated, forgotten, abandoned, He drew them all near to Him, He ate and drank with them. Jesus condemned the Pharisees, He hated empty religion, the way people were led astray. Now you do not want to hear this, yet trouble is coming, listen is makes sense, if Jesus is coming back with perfect peace, he is coming with justice as well, the world is going to be turned around, some will be lifted, others will be pushed down. The Jewish teachers, the Roman leaders killed Him, refused to recognize He as the Son of God, as King.
He is God, we are not, He is Lord, He deserves our praise, prayer, and service
- Trusting in His perfect peace
A new life, a new world, we need to listen and to believe. Peace is only found in him, go, and proclaim the good news, we must be careful, it is not easy. Let us embrace that what was said in verse 21 and 22
Therefore, Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
Let me tell you this, Jesus does not want peacekeepers in this troubled world, He wants peacemakers, even with your enemies, Jesus says to us today: “Peace be with you”
To the mum who shouts all the time: peace be with you
To the couple whose marriage is falling apart: peace be with you
To the one battling a health issue: peace be with you
To the one who feels like they have nothing to live for: peace be with you
To those who have lost loved ones to covid: peace be with you
To those jobless battling to provide: peace be with you
To those who are abused: peace be with you
To those who need to be loved: peace be with you
In John 16: 33 it says:
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but have courage, I have overcome the world."
As His church and as a child of God we must bear the scars of ministry to reach others.
In ending I leave you with this:
The Hands of Peace Derl G. Keefer
Screams poured from the second floor of the burning house and cascaded down to the gathered crowd below as people watched, immobilized. No one seemed to know what action should be taken to rescue the young child trapped upstairs. His grandmother perished in the fire as she attempted to rescue him. A stranger appeared, assessed the situation and in a moment climbed up an iron drainpipe close to the window where the child was seen. He gathered the boy into his arms and to the cheers of the crowd he climbed down that hot drainpipe. While saving the boy, his hands were burned and terribly scarred.
Some time passed, and the custody of the boy was to be discussed at a town meeting. One by one, different people spoke as to how they could best take care of the child. Then a man stood and held out his scarred hands. The youngster immediately recognized him as the man who had saved him by climbing up and down the scalding drainpipe.
The others rose and left without a word. The boy embraced the man who had saved his life. Those scarred hands said more than any words could say.
Jesus the Saviour has come with His scarred hands to speak love, redemption, and peace to a world in need of saving!
So, I ask you today, would you stand and bow with me before the resurrected one, Our Lord Jesus Christ and step into your new resurrected life. Let us pray…
