The Peace and Joy of a Risen Jesus
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together,
with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,
Jesus came and stood among them and said “Peace be with you!”.
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the lord.
John 20:19-20
I love the beauty of the spring flowers and chicks and bunnies and baskets of candy at Easter time. But when I read what the resurrection day of Jesus was like in the Bible, my attention is drawn to the raw reality of what the resurrection of Jesus means for us in our not so beautiful world.
It doesn’t take much to imagine how the disciples felt as they huddled in fear behind locked doors. We all have our own places of fear.
No one else could come into the reality of violent persecution by political and religious leaders that the disciples had witnessed and say – “Peace be with you!”
If anyone else said it….it would be as empty as an easter egg after all the candy is gone.
But it wasn’t anyone else. It was the very God Man that had been crucified.
The Son of God came into that room of shocked and frightened people who couldn’t imagine their Messiah had died.
Because he could.
Because he had risen from the dead as he showed them his crucifixion scars.
And because he wanted to.
Because what nailed him to the cross was not the power of wicked men,
But the power of his perfect love for the world.
For every person.
God wanted to do much more than make heaven on earth for them and us.
By dying to take the punishment of our sins in our place and rising from the dead, Jesus made a way for us to also rise from the dead.
To live with him now and forever. Because being with us is his true delight. The love Jesus has for every one of us is evident by the scars on his body.
And that truth gave those disciples true joy even though they still faced persecution.
That truth is what gives us true joy also.
If the last thing your family looks like is the perfect religious family than you are the people that Jesus comes to.
Right now.
With the same words for you that he spoke to his disciples.
Whatever causes your fear…guilt, sickness, debt, addiction, broken relationships.
Whatever. There is nothing that is more powerful than the love of Jesus for you.
He comes to you and looks into the eyes of your heart and tells you:
“Peace be with you.”
FAMILY CONVERSATION STARTER on John 20:19-20
How did the disciples feel when they were hiding behind locked doors? How do we sometimes feel afraid or unsure, just like they did?
Why could Jesus say, "Peace be with you" when He appeared to them? How does Jesus bring peace to our hearts today?
What does it show about Jesus' love that He appeared to the disciples even after they abandoned Him before he was crucified? How does this remind us of God’s love for us?
Why did Jesus show them His hands and side? How do His scars help us understand the depth of His sacrifice and love for us?
How did the disciples' emotions change from fear to joy when they saw Jesus? How does knowing Jesus is alive bring us joy today?
What does this passage teach us about trusting Jesus, even when we don’t see Him? How can we help each other remember His love and presence in our daily lives?
How can we share the peace and joy Jesus gives with others in our family, school, or community?