This evening gives us another opportunity to reflect on the good news of Easter. And, because it’s a praise service, we get to lift our praise to our risen and glorified King Jesus. But the first Easter evening wasn’t just as relaxed and enjoyable for the disciples.
As they gathered together, they didn’t have a chiming bell to invite any and all who would come in. There was no loud, rousing music and triumphant hymn singing. In fact, they didn’t really want anyone to join them. The door wasn’t open. It was closed. Locked. Bolted. Danger outside, fear within.
Our readings today are keeping track with the events of the first Easter Day. This morning we heard of what Mary Magdalene, Peter and John saw - Mary saw the stone rolled away from the tomb. Peter and John saw the strips of linen still lying where the body of Jesus had been. John saw and believed that Jesus was alive.
Mary (in the passage we’ll look at next Sunday morning) then meets with Jesus, and goes to the disciples with the news ‘I have seen the Lord.’ Even with that eyewitness report, the disciples are still afraid. Perhaps even more afraid now than before.
Before, they might have been scared that they would be next to be arrested, tried, beaten and crucified. Now with Jesus’ body missing, the Jews might be even angrier. They might come after the disciples to get their own back.
And so the disciples are together, on the evening of that first day of the week. They have the doors locked for fear of the Jews. They’re fearful. It’s as if they’re listening out for the march of soldiers; the arrival of unwelcome visitors.
Then suddenly, in the midst of their fear, even with the locked doors, a visitor appears. A very welcome visitor. ‘Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
To the fearful and frightened, Jesus speaks a word of peace. Now, this greeting of peace was one that was common - indeed, still is to this day among Jews - they’ll often say ‘Shalom.’ But this is far from a customary greeting. Rather, it’s a bit like the Passover meal itself.
Jesus was celebrating Passover with his disciples, using familiar words, the same words used for hundreds of years, when suddenly he gave them new meaning, with new words added in. This is my body. This is my blood. So it is here, that Jesus takes this regular greeting of peace, but invests it with a new understanding of what peace means.
What is peace all about? Perhaps you’re looking forward to a couple of days of peace and quiet. An absence of fighting or stress or noise. But peace isn’t just the absence of war, it’s a positive, blessed life under God’s kingdom. And Jesus shows us what peace is all about.
‘After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.‘ Peace is possible only through the nail-marked hand and spear-pierced side. Jesus shows them the ‘wounds of love’ - the scars of the cross, the only basis for peace with God, and with one another.
And what a difference it makes to the disciples, knowing that Jesus is with them, that Jesus is alive, that Jesus has triumphed through the scars of the cross. ‘The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.’
They weren’t just a wee bit happy. Not just a tiny bit more thrilled than they had been before. They were overjoyed. An overabundance of joy as they see the risen Lord.
Are you like the first disciples this evening? Are you fearful, for whatever reason? Are you locked away, present, but still remote, reserved, trying to keep yourself safe and free from harm. Even behind your locked doors, Jesus appears. He is with you on the inside of your fear. And he speaks those same words to you tonight. ‘Peace be with you.’ Jesus has conquered. Jesus longs to give you joy, even to make you overjoyed. Because he is with you. He is alive.
Now, maybe the disciples thought that that would be enough for one evening. Jesus speaking peace and bringing transformation to them. That’s grand. Let’s sing up and go home. We’ve experienced that peace for ourselves. But Jesus isn’t finished with disciples who are just transformed. So he again speaks peace to them - peace to be shared.
‘Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”’ (21) On Tuesday evening we thought about the domino effect of God’s love - the Father loves the Son, who loves the disciples, who are to love one another. In the same way, just as the Father had sent Jesus, so now he sends the disciples.
The message of peace isn’t to stop with the eleven in the room. It’s a message to be shared far and wide, as the disciples are sent out to bring peace wherever they go. And once again, it’s peace with God that is front and centre.
As Jesus breathes on them, he promises the gift of the Holy Spirit. And with the action, comes the words: ‘If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ (23)
As the disciples bring the gospel of peace, they bring the offer of sins forgiven. And we still bring the possibility of sins forgiven, if we know the gospel of peace. Just as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus has sent us to bring this good news to everyone we meet. So that they know they have a Father who loves them, that they can have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
In a matter of minutes, the disciples were transformed by the peace Jesus offered, but they were also commissioned by the peace Jesus still offers. Have you experienced that peace yourself? If not, Jesus offers it to you tonight. And if you have, why would you not want others to share in it? Peace isn’t something to be kept to yourself. It’s something to be shared, far and wide. Jesus says, ‘Peace be with you.’ And you. And everyone. Amen.
This sermon was preached in St Matthew's Church, Richhill on Easter Sunday evening 1st April 2018.
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