Living Peace

Overview

The Risen Christ Speaks Peace

On the evening of the first Easter, the disciples were huddled behind locked doors, paralyzed by fear. They had watched Jesus die a brutal death, they carried the weight of betrayal, abandonment, and denial, and they had every reason to expect the same fate from the religious leaders and Roman authorities. Into this fear-filled room, Jesus appeared and spoke words they desperately needed to hear: "Peace be with you" John 20:19. This was no ordinary greeting. At the Last Supper, Jesus had promised, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you" John 14:27. Now the risen Christ was delivering on that promise, showing them his hands and side as physical proof that the sacrifice for sin had been accepted and that reconciliation with God was finished.

This peace is not merely the absence of conflict—it is resurrection peace, the peace of restored unity with the Lord. Jesus then commissioned his disciples: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" John 20:21. He breathed on them, giving new life by the Spirit, echoing the breath of life given to Adam in Genesis 2:7 and the breath that animated the dry bones in Ezekiel 37. With this Spirit came authority—the office of the keys—to forgive sins in his name. When we hear absolution from a pastor or a fellow believer, it is not their word but Christ's own forgiveness reaching us. There is no sin so heinous that it cannot be claimed in the blood of Jesus.

A week later, Thomas received the same gift. Often labeled the doubter, Thomas wanted what the other disciples had already received: to see the Lord for himself. When Jesus appeared and offered his wounds, Thomas did not poke and prod—he confessed, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28. Jesus then pronounced a blessing on all who would come after: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" John 20:29. This is precisely why the Scriptures were 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" John 20:31.

Look honestly at your own life and you will find chaos—in the world, in your home, even within yourself—and peace can feel distant and abstract. But Christ's peace is not reserved for a select few, and it is not external circumstances. The disciples still faced persecution; Paul and the apostles were beaten and killed. What they possessed was an inner peace, the peace of being one with God, given by the Holy Spirit. You received this peace in your baptism. You confess it every time your lips speak that Jesus is Lord. Searching the world for peace will leave you empty, but resting in the promise of the crucified and risen Savior—who took your sin and gave you his righteousness—is living peace. Breathe it in, then speak it to your neighbor, your children, your family, so they too may have the peace that only the living Christ can give. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. And he brings us peace every single day.

Transcript

If you would please open up your Bibles to the Gospel of John, the 20th chapter, that's the Gospel of John, the 20th chapter. 1s

Today we begin a sermon series, a new series entitled Encouragement and Hope. 11s

And through this series, we're going to dive into God's Word to see how throughout all the ages he has brought his word of promise and of hope to his people. 17s

The promise which was spoken first by the prophets, it was delivered in the risen Christ, and which is proclaimed still today by his church. 28s

Where we begin today, we're still in that first Easter. 41s

In the morning, Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb only to find it empty, and she wept outside the tomb, believing that someone had taken the body of Jesus. 46s

First, two angels appeared, and then Jesus appeared to her, and when she recognized that it was him, he told her to go and tell the others, and Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and she told them that he had said these things to her. 57s

And this is where we pick up in our reading this morning with verse 19. 78s

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews. 84s

Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. 93s

So this was Easter evening, the disciples were hiding out, the doors were locked, and they were hiding in fear. 98s

They were frightened for their lives. 106s

This was a group that had been connected to Jesus' ministry for the past three years. 109s

They had witnessed his brutal death upon the cross, and they feared that they would be connected with the same charges that had led to Jesus' crucifixion. 115s

They figured that they could suffer his same fate. 127s

It would not be a difficult thing for the church leaders of that day, or the Roman government to kill anyone associated with Jesus. 130s

So they were very, very scared and hit, and perhaps some of their fear might also have been in not knowing where Jesus was. 142s

Remember they had the guilt of betrayal, of abandonment, of denial. 153s

This was all hanging over their heads, and they didn't know what Jesus would say or do when they saw him for the first time. 159s

Do you remember at the last supper when Jesus was talking with his disciples? 171s

And he was telling them what was coming. He said, peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives, do I give to you? 176s

Before Jesus died, he promised peace. 189s

But there was nothing peaceful in his death. 195s

There was nothing peaceful for his friends in watching what they believed to be deliverance from political and military and social oppressors destroyed before their eyes. 199s

They saw the peace that they had expected die in a very unpeaceful way. 214s

They saw him die, and they didn't know how they could expect any sort of peace. 223s

Peace I leave with you, my peace, I give to you. 230s

This was one of the last conversations that Jesus had with his friends, and then the resurrected Jesus is standing before him, and the first words out of his mouth are peace be with you. 234s

Peace was a very common greeting, but in bringing peace at this moment, it was more significant than just a regular, how do you do sort of greeting? 251s

Let's look here again in verse 19. Jesus said peace be with you. 262s

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. 267s

Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 272s

With this greeting, he brought indeed a peace that is different than what the world was able to offer them. 275s

Jesus in his resurrected body showed them the physical proof of reconciliation with God, reconciliation with Yahweh, in showing them his hands and his side. 283s

He was showing them the reality of the accepted sacrifice for sin. 300s

This was a turning point for the disciples. 307s

They would never fear or unbelieve again because they had seen the risen Christ before them. 309s

They had seen the man who bore the scars of the crucifixion, standing alive in front of them. 317s

He was bearing witness to the accepted sacrifice for sin, for the world. 327s

And Christ's words from John 16 were fulfilled, where he said, I will see you again. 334s

And your hearts will rejoice and no one will take your joy from you. 341s

Let's continue in verse 21. 348s

Jesus said to them again, peace be with you. 350s

As the Father has sent me, so I send you. 355s

Jesus had been sent by the Father into the world at an appointed time to enter into this humanity. 360s

He was sent as the living word of God into this world. 368s

In Hebrews, the first chapter it says long ago, God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets. 373s

But in these last days, He has spoken to us by a son. 382s

He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being. 386s

Jesus was God in the flesh sent by the Father to bring the good news of salvation and good news of reconciled to God. 393s

Jesus said that just as He was sent by the Father to bring this news to the world and to be the news of salvation to the world. 405s

So He would send His disciples in the same way. 417s

Verse 22, when He said this, He breathed on them and said, receive the Holy Spirit. 422s

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. 428s

If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. 432s

This new piece that Christ brings, when He says, peace be with you. 437s

This new piece is the resurrection piece. 443s

It's the piece of restoration in unity with the Lord. 446s

Jesus is commissioning His disciples here. 451s

This is breathing upon them with His Spirit. 455s

He is giving life to them in a new way. 459s

It's like Genesis 2, when Adam had been created, the Lord God formed him out of dust of the ground. 463s

Breathe into His nostrils, the breath of life, and the man became a living being. 470s

Or when His Eekiel, the prophet was brought to the valley of the dry bones. 475s

And the Lord said, thus says the Lord God to these bones, I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live. 481s

When Jesus breathes on His disciples, He's giving them new life in the Spirit. 489s

He's equipping them and He's giving them the authority to do the work to which He had been calling them to do by His Spirit. 495s

He institutes the office of the keys here. 505s

The office of the keys is the authority that has been given to the church to forgive or retain sins. 509s

It's the authority of the church by Jesus to bring peace into this world. 517s

Verse 24, but Thomas, who is called the twin, one of the 12 was not with them when Jesus came. 525s

So the other disciples told him, we have seen the Lord, but He said to them, unless I see the mark of the nails in His hands, 532s

and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in His side, I will not believe. 541s

A week later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. 547s

Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, peace be with you. 551s

Then He said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands. 557s

Reach out your hand and put it in my side. 563s

Do not doubt, but believe. 566s

Jesus answered him, my Lord and my God. 568s

Jesus said to him, have you believed because you have seen me. 572s

Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe. 576s

When we hear this text from this gospel reading, 582s

so often we want to really focus in and hone in on Thomas doubting Thomas. 585s

We're not going to spend a lot of time on Thomas today. 594s

Other than to say that Thomas wanted proof. 600s

He did want to see, in order to know that his God had indeed been risen, that his Messiah had indeed been risen from the grave. 603s

He wanted to see the in person, the proclamation of the risen Christ. 614s

It doesn't make him a bad guy though. 621s

Does it? Doesn't it just make him human? 624s

I mean, think about this. When Mary had gone to the disciples saying, Jesus lives, they didn't believe her at first. 628s

They wanted to see for themselves as well. 635s

They were fearful and defeated until they could lay eyes on Jesus themselves. 639s

Thomas had to wait another week until he could see them, but when Jesus appeared again, offering to Thomas, his hands and his side, 647s

Thomas didn't respond with skepticism. 658s

He didn't go and poke and prod and make sure that it was real before he did anything. 661s

He made a confession of faith. 668s

My Lord and my God, this is the same Thomas who when they were going to Jerusalem and other disciples were a little fearful about heading to Jerusalem before Jesus had been crucified. 671s

Thomas was the one to say, let us go and die with him. 687s

So Thomas was not a bad guy. 691s

Thomas wanted to see, but when he saw Jesus, he made a confession. 693s

He didn't need to take it any further. 699s

He knew that Jesus was indeed Lord, that Jesus is indeed God. 701s

We are among those who are blessed by believing that we have not seen with our own eyes. 708s

But that's exactly why God has given us His Word. 717s

Let's look at verse 30. 720s

Now, Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book, 723s

but these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, 729s

and that through believing you may have life in His name. 735s

We may not see Jesus as His disciples did, but we have God's word for the very purpose of believing, 740s

and for the very purpose of believing in order to have life in Christ. 748s

The promise that we hear today is a promise of peace. 755s

Jesus promised peace. 760s

He promised a peace that the world could never offer. 762s

And He promised a peace that was confirmed in His resurrection, a peace that reaches beyond death, 766s

that reaches beyond the grave because it's found in a living Savior. 773s

No one weeps at the tomb of a crucified man, because we know that Christ is not there. 780s

We know that our Savior has been resurrected and that He lives He is living today. 788s

When Jesus said that it was finished, he meant that forgiveness for our Lord, 797s

the Son, the atonement for our sins was finished in His resurrection. 803s

Jesus proves that sins have been forgiven, that the sacrifice has been accepted, 810s

that all sins have been attoned for by His death. 817s

Hear this and have peace. 822s

His suffering. 826s

Jesus torment and His death paid the price for your sin. 827s

There are not sins lurking out there that will ambush you before you get to enter the pearly gates. 833s

You believe. 841s

You confess upon your lips that Jesus is your Lord, your God. 843s

Your sins are atoned for. 849s

When we confess our sins in the church, when we make a confession, 852s

and we hear that ab solution from our pastor, or we hear that ab solution from our Christian brother or sister, 857s

that is from the authority of Christ's forgiveness. 866s

So it is not I who forgive you. 870s

It is Jesus himself who is forgiving you. 873s

That is what brings us peace. 877s

Jesus sends his church to deliver this peace to you. 879s

There are no sins that cannot be forgiven. 885s

No sin so heinous that it cannot be claimed in the blood of Jesus Christ. 888s

So what does all this mean? 897s

Because we can look around at our lives, and we can see a lot of places where there is no peace, 899s

where there is a lot of chaos, where there is a lot of confusion, 907s

and we don't have to look just out in the world, do we? 912s

We can look in our very own homes, we can look in our very own persons. 917s

And it seems like peace is this far off, distant, unattainable, unreachable idea, abstract, 924s

for someone else, for other people in this world, but it's for you. 934s

When Christ says that he will bring his peace, he didn't mean it was for a select few. 941s

He was bringing his peace into this world. 948s

The disciples still had chaos in their life. 952s

They still had chaotic governmental issues, they still had chaotic cultural issues. 955s

Think of how many stories we have read and preached on in study where there have been a possul 962s

and his disciples who were beaten, who were hurt, who were murdered for their faith. 968s

But the peace that they had was an inner peace. 977s

It was a peace of being at one with God. 981s

It was a peace that's not external, it's internal, and it's given to you by the Holy Spirit. 984s

You've been given the peace of Christ, the peace of the risen and living Savior in your baptism. 994s

You are given that peace when you speak on your lips that Jesus is indeed your Lord and your God. 1004s

You have the peace of Christ because He has promised it to you. 1014s

So when we seek and I'm guilty of this, seek for that peace around here, seeking for world peace in what the world has to offer, we will never, ever find it. 1019s

But when we look to God's word, when we look to the promise of the resurrected Christ, the promise of the man who hung on a cross, 1035s

taking our sins upon himself in order to give us His righteousness, breathe that in, 1044s

and you will have that living peace within you, and then in that peace that you have, 1055s

and in that promise you in turn speak that to your neighbor. 1064s

You speak that to your children, your grandchildren, your nieces, your nephews, your parents, so that they too can have that same living peace. 1070s

It is only in Christ that we have peace, but we have peace that is promised from a living and risen Savior. 1083s

And so we can confess that Christ is risen, he has risen indeed, and that He brings us peace every single day. 1093s

This is the good news that we can rest in. Amen. 1106s