"The difference Resurrection Peace makes" Easter Sunday 2002
(Recommended Drama: "These Parts" by Judson Poling 1991 Willowcreek.com)
Today I want to talk to you about this! Something of what you just saw acted out. No surprise, today we’re dealing with the topic of the Resurrection. The greatest event of all time.
When I was a college sophmore at Mt. Vernon Nazarene College I wrote my first theological term paper on this subject. And since I had never written one before, I was a little bit nervous about doing a good job. So I worked extremely hard to theologically cross all my ‘T’s" and dot all my "I’s" I wanted the paper to be good. So I spent a lot of time researching, reading and writing. And of course back in the 80’s we typed all our term papers, this was before the advent of the P.C. So I spent literally hours typing out my term paper on the Resurrection. When it was complete, and ready to hand it, I sort of thought I would make the rounds among some of my peers and show them what a good job I did. So I took all ten typed written, foot noted pages bound them in a folder and began handing it around. I gave it to my friend Steve to read through. After reading the first few pages, I could just see the puzzled look on His face, and my heart just sunk, I said, "Steve, you look a lit puzzled, is there something wrong with paper?" He looked back at me, closed the binder and said, it looks like a great paper Bob, too bad you spelled the word Resurrection every time you used it! (Laughs) I grabbed the paper back out of His hands and leafed through it only to find he was right. I even looked the word up in the dictionary to be sure. My bubble burst and so did my ego. I spelled the word resurrection wrong no less that 50 times. I spelled it with one r in the middle, instead of two! Needless to say, there’s no spell check on a typewriter, and it was too late to do over, so I handed it in anyway. Thinking my professor would look over the mistake and not grade me down for it. No such luck! When I got the graded paper back, the mispelled word was circled in red all fifty times! So early in my theological career I learned the hard way, resurrection is spelled with two "R’s" in the middle. I don’t know how severely I was graded down for it, I was too embarrassed to ask!
On a different note, today I want to talk to you about the resurrection peace that’s available to us in Jesus Christ. In order to do so, I’m going to have you turn to John 20:19-23 where Jesus appears to the disciples. The timing of the event is about 12 hours after the first witness saw Jesus up from the grave. The scene is a private home in Jerusalem. The characters are the disciples, the 12 best students of Jesus. The mood in the room is one of fear and turmoil. And here is what happened…Quote from memory John 20:19-23.
Jesus both did and said something on this occasion that had really important implications for the future of the disciples. He said something with his words, and did something with His actions that really got their attention. Let’s talk about what He said and then we will talk about what He did. When Jesus entered the room, He didn’t even knock. He just passed through the bolted down door and stood right in front of the disciples in resurrected glory. Needless to say, they were shocked and dismayed. And the first words out of His mouth were this, He said, "Peace be with you."Vs.19 Words again repeated just a moment later.
What do those words mean? Let’s take a closer look. The word peace in the ancient language had much deeper meaning than it does today. You and I, as we travel about, we see the peace symbol graffitied on walls, tatooed on arms, and posted on billboards. There was a time when, when it used to be a really hip to say to say to each other, ya know, "Peace, dude, peace!" I suppose overuse of the term has caused some of it’s meaning to be lost. But in the day of Jesus, the word Peace had strong connotations; it was more than just a greeting. The word comes from the Hebrew and is pronounced "Shalom." Which means well being and wholeness. So when Jesus says to His frightened dismayed disciples, "Peace be with you." He’s in affect saying to them, "it is well with you, or wholeness has come." The word Peace, in it’s original context, encompassed a person’s entire state of being; their physical health, emotional health, spiritual health. The Shalom peace offered and bestowed upon the disciples had pretty radical implications and it still has some pretty radical implications. We should not be surprised that Jesus uses this word. He has every right to, because long before Christ was even born, He was prophesied to be, "the prince of peace." Is. 9:6 So the first words out of Jesus mouth when he appeared to the disciples are, "Peace be with you." In other words, "Wholeness has come." or "May it be well with you now."
Not only did Jesus say something very significant, He did something very revealing. After the words were spoken, He showed the disciples His hands; hands once pierced with nails. And then he pulled up His robe and revealed His side, that part of Him that was gouged with a sword.. Three days earlier, His body was bruised beyond recognition. But as He stood before the disciples, He gave them proof. The disciples were given tangible proof of God’s resurrection power. The broken body of our Lord was miraculously put back together again and made whole. Jesus demonstrated this to His disciples. He showed them the wholeness and put togetherness of His own body. He let them know in word and deed that God can do this. That we serve a God of resurrection. A life giving, flesh healing, spirit breathing God. Jesus not only talked about it, but He was living proof of it.
Now let’s fast forward for a moment. Let’s take a leap into the present. Here we are 2,000 years later. A lot of time has passed and a lot of things have changed. And the question for everyday people like you and I is, "So what" "Does this make any difference to me? Do the resurrection words of Peace have any bearing or relevance whatsoever to people living in the 21st century? If you tell somebody on the street that you believe in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, many will say that’s nice and just go about their business. Most people don’t assume that an event occurring 2,000 years ago will have much impact on everyday life. But the fact is, the resurrection does! It was an event that only happened once, but once was enough. The tomb is empty, Jesus is alive. These words still have meaning and impact. If Jesus is alive, then so are His words. So what I going to do tis morning is apply the resurrection of Jesus to ordinary life in such a way that none of us can escape it’s meaning and implications. We can do this, in fact we are reminded in scripture to exercise this privilege in Ephesians Ch. 1: 19-20. Where it says to the reader that the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead can be at work in your life and mine. That’s a pretty outrageous claim isn’t it? But nevertheless a true one. The words of the risen Christ are still alive, and they can be a present reality in our lives.
When the risen Christ said, "Peace be with you." I believe He meant for us to hear those words too. Oh, friends it’s more than just a statement of greeting, it’s a pronouncement of well being and wholeness. And I believe the words spoken by Jesus to His disciples, still need to be heard today.
So what I’m going to do is take some time to apply this truth on three different levels. All of which are relevant to us. The words, "peace be with you." Are words that we need to hear again and again on this Easter Sunday 2002.
What do the words "Peace be with you" mean to me? Number #1 It means that I can be at peace with my past.
I. I can be at peace with my past.
Jesus Christ can speak a word of resurrection wholeness and peace into your past. I know there’s at least one, if not a handful of us that need to hear this tis morning. There are a lot of people that simply can’t get on with life, because of something that happened a long time ago. It’s what I call getting stuck in the past. Past relationships, past abuses and lost opportunities, harbored regrets.
It’s sorta like this. Driving down the road looking in the rear view mirror. And if you keep looking in the rear view mirror, what happens? You can’t see what’s ahead of you and you crash! That’s exactly what happens to people that can’t get past their past, they crash.
Do you remember the story Ebenezer Scrooge in the Christmas Carol? He was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past. The ghost took him against his will back to a time earlier in his life when he proposed to a woman he loved. She realized at the time, that scrooge loved money more than he did her. So she broke the engagement and they never married. The ghost of Christmas past takes him back to replay that whole event and you can just see the pain and regret on his face. One can only imagine how different life would have been for Scrooge had he affectionately married the women instead of money. Perhaps he wouldn’t have become the wretched old miser he was.
And I would say tis morning the ghost of Christmas past is more than just a figment Charles Dicken’s imagination. The ghost of Christmas past is an everyday nightmare for some. It knocks on our door every time we rehearse our regrets and replay our mistakes. Getting past the past is easier said than done. Especially when there are some painful things back there that we have to deal with. According to the experts we should expect this activity. We’re wired up this way nuerologically. Dr. Wilber Penfield, a neurologist with the Montreal Institute said in a report given to the Smithsonian institute that, "Our brain contains a permanent record of our past that is like a single, continuous strip of moving film…The film is like a library that records a person’s whole life from childhood on. At anytime a person can relive those scenes from the past and feel almost exactly the same emotions they did during the original experience."
And you know what? I think he’s right. We do that. We replay events as if they were today. Especially the painful ones. And sadly a lot of those past events and issues can prevent us from living in the now.
Well I’ve got good news for you today. Jesus Christ can help you get past your past. Your past isn’t likely to be forgotten anytime soon. But with God’s help you can be at peace with it. When Jesus says, "Peace be with you." It’s more than just a cliché, it’s a pronouncement of peace over a person’s whole being. And this is what I believe Christ would say to a person struggling to overcome a regrettable, sinful past. He would offer to that person the spoken words, "Peace be with you." The Lord can speak wholeness into our past, and help us overcome it. Jesus Christ can forgive your past and set you free from it. He has the authority to do so as given by God the Father And you won’t find that kind of help anywhere else, not from a recovery group, a counselor, or even a pastor. There is only one person qualified under heaven and earth to sufficiently deal with our past, and it’s Jesus Christ. He makes it possible for us to be at peace with our past. Secondly, we can also be at peace with the present.
II. I can be at peace with my present.
Let me ask you this question: "What are you dealing with right now that causes you grief and turmoil?" Is it your marriage, your finances, your health, your children? What are you dealing with right now, in the present, that’s tearing you apart? The fact is much of life seems unmanagable at times. We’re living in such a broken world. People’s lives are daily being torn apart and shredded. Oftentimes there nothing to hold them up or anyone nearby to give them hope.
For example, I watched with dismay as I’m sure you did as the whole Enron downfall unfolded before us a couple of months ago. The news media had a feeding frenzy on this story. Interview after interview was given that featured people who’s lives were literally shattered because of the financial loses. Closer to home, there was even a couple from St. Helens, OR featured on a national news program that testified to losing it all. During the interview you could hear in the tone of their voices in the regret and dismay. You could see on their faces the pain and grief. They, like many others, put all their eggs in one basket, and when the bottom dropped out, they blamed the Easter Bunny (laughs). Friends this is what happens when we put all our trust in man made institutions and base our happiness on financial success. How quickly things fall apart and come unraveled when we put out trust in the wrong thing. The sadness and grief reached to a deeper level when on Jan 25th, former Enron Exec. Jeffrey Baxter, took his own life because of the pressure and responsibility he faced in the wake of the collapse. Thousands of lives have been devastated and now one lost because of his scandal. When we place our trust in the wrong thing, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. The Enron story is classic example of what happens when we base our hopes on finances instead of faith. For the thousands of people who’s lives have affected by this financial collapse. To them I wish I could say one thing: and if I could say one thing to them, I’d say this: I’d say don’t confuse your net worth with your self worth, God still loves you even when your bank account is on empty. Jesus Christ died for broken people. And He can put your life back together again! He can say to that financial storm, "Peace be still" That 401K money may never reappear and your bank account may never be replenished. But if you have this word from the Lord, if you truly receive His wholeness into your situation; then isn’t that all that counts? Net worth matters to no one in eternity. When we let Jesus Christ speak wholeness into our lives and peace into our situation. With these words, He can establish our life on a firm foundation. And plant our feet on solid ground. We need this! So that when the rains and floods of financial recession come, we have something to cling onto.
It’s almost overkill to say it folks, but even people in the Church experience times of brokeness and strife. Once in a while I encounter an individual or even a pastor who goes through a season of total rebuilding and overhaul. When everything you’ve trusted in falls apart, and you have no where turn. Take to heart, the words of the Psalmist that say, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those crushed in Spirit." Jesus Christ was broken so He could identify with broken people. He came the prophet Isaiah said, "To bind up the wounds of the broken." (Is. 61:1) And so I challenge you to turn your brokeness over to God. And He will say to you what He said to His frightened disciples that night, "Peace be with you."
There was a time 8 years ago, shortly after Cambria and were married when our relationship fell apart. We were young, immature and incapable of resolving conflict. It got so bad, that there was even a time when we slept in separate rooms because we couldn’t bear to work out our differences. So broken and helpless we were, we begin to think maybe we made a mistake. It’s been said that marriage is a 3 ring circus: first there is the engagement ring, then there is the wedding ring, and then the suffering! (laughs). Well we knew about the suffering, we were making each other miserable. Our situation seemed impossible to change. But thanks to the help of a counselor, and a lot of prayers we got through it. God restored our marriage and put it back together again, this time establishing it on the right foundation. Anything built on the wrong foundation is going to crumble. And sadly a lot of marriages are built on the wrong foundation. They are built on the foundation of selfishness, control and manipulation. And we could see ourselves headed down that road. But you know, even a marriage can be resurrected. Jesus can speak wholeness into your marriage if you let Him. That’s what shalom peace is all about, it impacts every segment of our life; our relationships, our physical health, and especially our spiritual health. It’s all encompassing. And it especially impacts number #3 Our Future. We’ve talked about overcoming the past, managing the present, let me address the future.
III. I can be at peace with the future.
You and I have a glorious hope offered to us in Jesus Christ. This is a message that needs to be heard today. We’re living in such uncertain times. People are skeptical about the future. There’s a prevailing attitude of fear and pessimism that’s rippling throughout our society. We see the war on terrorism unfolding with no visible end in sight. Everyday there seems more and more tension mounting in the Middle East. Historians say the last century of world wars and conflict was the bloodiest on record, and the expectation is that it will continue. There are hot spots all over the world, China & Tiawan, Indian Vs. Pakistan, North & South Korea, North & South Vietnam. Everybodies out to get everybody. People living side by side one another can’t seem to get along. The future of world stability and peace is uncertain. The outlook is pretty dim. But friends I want to tell you there’s a hope and peace that surpasses and transcends every thing bad that happens. And it’s found in the Lord. We don’t know what the future holds, but for the believer in Christ we know who holds the future. And we don’t have to be casualty or a victim of it. Jesus Christ can speak peace into our future.
To illustrate I’d like to close by telling you this story. There was women who was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer, which is a pretty terminal condition. Her Doctor tried treating it with radiation, that didn’t work. So the tried Chemotherapy, and that didn’t work. The women was distraught knowing that she faced imminent death. So she asked the Doctor if there was anything else she could do. He suggested that she seek an alternative method of treatment that entailed immersing in a natural hot springs 3 times a day and then mud packing her entire body with mud. She was overjoyed with hope and said to the Doctor, "Do you think this will really help, could this be the cure?" The Doctor responded, "At this point you have nothing to loose; the hot baths will feel good, and if nothing else the mud packs will help you get used to the dirt.!" How quickly her joy turned to grief! (Pastor Bob nearly assaulted from congregation, laughs however, prevail.)
The morale of the story is this: You don’t have to get used to the dirt! The grave is not your home. As believers in Christ we have a glorious hope given to us in the resurrection. That one day, we too, shall experience it and be raised incorruptable and have resurrected bodies. In a twinkling of an eye we will be changed! And when we see Him we will be like him, for we’ll see Him as He is.
Christianity offers what no other religion does, and that is hope in the future. Jesus Christ can speak peace into your future. You don’t have to live in fear. When Jesus passed through the doors and spoke these words, He gave the disciples a glorious future. To them He said, "as the father sent me so I am sending you." And from there they went out and spread the word. And literally turned the world upside. They were given a future mission beyond their wildest dreams. Jesus gave them a future! He gave them a part in a mission that really matters. Jesus commanded them to go, go into all the world teaching and preaching the good news to every creature. And they had success beyond anyone’s expectations.
What He did for them, he’ll do for us. The risen Christ is still speaking. He’s alive and well, and His words are living and active. They can affect and impact every segment of our life. They help us overcome our past, deal with our present, and believe in the future.
Are you interested in this? Do you want to receive this into your life? Do you want to know the difference that resurrection peace can make? It’s yours for the asking, simply open the door of your heart, and say Yes to Jesus. In Rev. 3:20 Jesus is speaking and He says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and have fellowship with Him." So let me ask you, "Is Christ knocking on the door to your heart? Then why don’t you let Him come in? Let’s pray about that right now:
Let’s bow our heads tis morning have a moment of truth. I’m going to say a prayer and you just repeat it after me silently or even outloud if you would like and Lord will respond. Let’s pray
Lord, I welcome you into my life, I open the door to my heart,
I turn away from my sins, and receive your forgiveness,
I want to follow you from this day forward, thank you for your words of peace.
Now, with heads still bowed I want you to fill out a yellow card marking the box that says, "I want to become a Christian." Drop the card in the offering boxes at the rear exit door. We want to help you this week get started on your journey. Now let’s pray
Gracious God, I pray for each one that made a new decision today to follow you, I pray for the ones that recommitted their life to follow you. Most of all, God we thank you for Jesus who came to bring us life and bring it more abundantly. Let us not leave here the same, but different, better, more mature and more christlike. Amen and Amen.
Benediction (standing congregation)
Now, May the Lord bless you and keep you
May the Lord, Make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
May He turn His face to you and give you everlasting PEACE. Amen.
Turn to the person next to you and say "The resurrection rocks!" You are dismissed, Go in Peace…
