Loving God, you come to us at our times of greatest need, bringing peace through Jesus.  Fill our hearts with that peace today, and with the gift of your love, through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

           One would think that there were all kinds of emotions swirling around as the disciples gathered together on that Easter evening.  Fear was obviously there among them behind those locked doors – fear that they, too, might be arrested and crucified; fear of an unknown future without Jesus; and perhaps even fear of judgment – from their family and friends, or even from God.  After all, they had spent the past three years traveling around with Rabbi Jesus.  Had all of that time been wasted?

         And so, some of them might have been feeling guilt and shame.  In Peter’s case, the guilt was over denying that he even knew Jesus, and then failing to do anything to save him from his fate.  Most of them had abandoned Jesus on the cross and had watched helplessly as it had all happened.  They each had their own private guilt and shame and grief.

         And then there was Mary Magdalene, who had seen the risen Jesus, and had told the others what happened, only for them to dismiss it all as wishful thinking.  Add to that the obviously empty tomb, and there had to be some confusion among them as they tried to make sense of it all.  Was Jesus really not who he said he was?  Was this the way it was all going to end?  How did it all go so wrong, when they thought they had found the long-awaited Messiah?

         It is into this mess of human emotions that Jesus comes, showing up unannounced behind locked doors, and saying, not once, but twice, “Peace be with you” (Jn. 20:19, 21).  Of course, not being an English speaker, it was more likely “shalom, shalom” – not just peace, but the deepest and most complete peace and well-being that you can imagine – and boy, did they need it!  And boy, do we need it!

         We need it when we are grieving and losing hope.  We need it when we are facing an uncertain future.  We need it in the midst of our guilt and shame over things that we either did or should have done, but failed to do.  We need it when we are confused over who to believe and what is really true.  We need it in the midst of our fear – for there are so many things in this world that are outside of our control and have the capacity to fill us with fear.

         Into the midst of our mess of human emotions, Jesus stands in the midst of us and says, “Peace be with you.”  And most of us would love to stay here with Jesus, filled with the peace that passes all understanding, and be healed in the midst of our grief and fear.  However, just as with those first disciples, God’s shalom is not meant to remain only with us.

         Jesus breathes on us and says to us, “Receive the Holy Spirit” – “as the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn. 20:21-22).  Into this world that is still filled with fear, and guilt, and grief, we, too, are sent out – carrying the peace of Christ with us, and empowered by the Spirit.  However, sometimes people are not ready to hear about forgiveness or peace or salvation through Jesus – even those who are closest to us.  Sometimes they – like Thomas – need to encounter the risen Jesus for themselves.

         In Thomas’ case, he was no different from any of the other disciples, for none of them believed Mary Magdalene, or anybody else for that matter, until they had seen Jesus with their own eyes.  Thomas just wants the same confirmation given to the other disciples, that the same Jesus who was crucified, died and was buried, has now been raised from the dead.  After all, this is not something that happens every day.

         And so, Jesus obliges, returning the following week so that Thomas can see him and touch him, and know that he is risen.  Once again, Jesus comes with greetings of peace, for they still have need of God’s shalom, and Thomas immediately confesses that Jesus is both his Lord and his God.  While some might read the next part as if Jesus is scolding Thomas for not believing, it seems more likely that it is intended for us and for all those who would follow: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn. 20:29).  After all, there were only a finite number of eye-witnesses who spent time with the risen Jesus before he ascended into heaven.

         It is their testimony that we read in the Scriptures and that continues to speak to us and to others to this day.  As we heard today in John, “these [things] are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name” (20:31).  It is not just about believing or not believing, but having life through Jesus.

         May each one of us experience the abundant life that only Jesus brings, and the gift of shalom that only comes from God.  For, Jesus continues to breathe into us the gift of the Holy Spirit, who gives us faith, hope and love, and sends us out to share God’s love with all people.  For, Christ is risen.  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!  Amen.

Easter 2(A)                                        John 20:19-31

April 16, 2023

St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church

Pastor Lynne Hutchison

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