This Gospel reading is filled with
great sermons that can go in so many different directions. We have the section
where Thomas won’t believe unless he “places his hands in the wounds,” Jesus
saying “blessed are those who believe but have not seen.” Today is one of those
days where we focus on something else. Something that might seem so small that
it could escape our observations.
The part of the story that I am
focusing on this morning is “the door.” Look at your bulletins. In the
background is the door. Why is it so important? Because it is locked…from the
inside! No one can get in because that door is shut and locked. It doesn’t seem
like a sturdy lock but it was the lock at the time. When I read this story I
think of them coming into the door, putting the bar across it and then hoisting
furniture in front of the door, maybe a chest of drawers, or whatever is heavy
enough that no one will be able to get through that door no matter how hard
they try.
It would make sense. Scripture tells
us that these disciples feared the Jews. Remember in our Passion Story that
Peter is accused of being with that…that…Jesus! Once that accusation is made,
who knows what would have happened if Peter said, “Yeah, that is who I was
with, great guy, good teacher, and my best friend.” I am not thinking it would
have ended well. So, they are afraid and that makes a lot of sense.
Despite this locked door that is
locked from the inside, “Jesus came and stood among them.” The mind can wonder
as to how he came and stood among them, but there is Jesus! His first word to
them was “Peace.” That is an interesting word as the first word to be spoken
out of Jesus’ mouth right after rising. Peace, he says. What do we know about
this word, peace? I actually looked it up and I found these definitions:
- 1
: a state of tranquillity or quiet: asa : freedom from
civil disturbanceb : a state of security or order within a
community provided for by law or custom <a breach of the peace>
- 2
: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
- 3
: harmony in personal relations
This 3rd
definition really got me thinking about this word “peace.” Harmony in personal
relations. What was so “out of harmony” about this relationship with Jesus and
his disciples? Was it the fact that they scattered, most of them did when he
was arrested? Was it that Peter denied him three times, as Jesus said he would?
Was there guilt…not just fear of the Jews…that caused them to be locked in this
room? Was it the guilt of leaving this one that they loved so much, who spent
so much time with them, and taught them. Was it guilt over fleeing from the
person that showed them and the crowds how God provides food for thousands or
how this Son of God healed, made clean, and raised from the dead?
The answer could be “yes.” Maybe
there was some guilt on their part. Maybe that door was closed because of the
fear of being next AND knowing that, in some ways, they fled. I cannot
guarantee that is how they felt, but I know there are times when we have felt
like that. After all, we are all human and I am sure that at some point in our
lives we have felt some form of guilt for something done or…as our confession
says, “something left undone.”
So Jesus comes in and stands among
them. It doesn’t matter how he gets in. The important part is that Jesus goes
into that room where the others are and says, “peace.” Jesus brings harmony
back into the relationship with his disciples, with the people who have been
with Jesus and, to be honest, with whom Jesus has invested so much time in. He
brings those words of “Peace be with you.” Now, Jesus is getting specific. He
is telling the disciples individually the relationship is back in harmony with
each and every one of them. Jesus’ words are important because he says the
exact same thing when Thomas finally shows up. He is making sure that they all
know that the relationship is restored; that there is once again harmony.
There is a reason why that is so
important to us on this first Sunday after Easter. I believe it is because
Jesus is showing us what divine healing really looks like. Jesus is the first person
to show the disciples what healing looks like. Through his message of “peace”
he says that their relationship with God is good again! He shows that he still
has the marks of the pains that he felt. Jesus is not saying that those wounds
are no longer there. They are there and still visible AND REAL! What Jesus is
telling the disciples is that they are forgiven.
I believe that because Jesus could
have appeared to anyone he or God chose. Jesus appeared to those who fled. He
appeared to the one who denied him three times. He came, again, to the one who
doubted the resurrection story. Jesus wanted to show them that the resurrection
was real AND that they were still loved by God…loved by Jesus. So much so, that
Jesus made sure to bring peace…a harmonious relationship back to the disciples.
If you haven’t been able to tell,
yet, this service is all about healing. It is the day when Jesus brought peace
AND healing to those who were locked in the room; where the door was shut so no
one could get in. Through Jesus’ presence and peace Jesus restored the
relationship with his disciples so that they could go on to spread the Good
News of Jesus Christ…that Jesus has risen and that God’s love lives on through
Jesus and ourselves spreading the Good News, as well.
So what does that have to do with
us. As I said earlier, I am sure we have all done things that may have strained
relationships with family and/or friends. I am confident that at one time or
another we have caused or been part of a relationship that became dis-harmonious;
it may have gotten to the point where the relationship ended or became
strained. It might be in our everyday lives or it might have been here in the
church. We are not immune simply because we attend worship. It happens to all
of us.
But today and this Gospel reading is
more important now, I believe, than any other Gospel reading. It is so
important because Jesus shows us what is more important. It is the healing of
our relationships together as the body of Christ. The important thing to hear
this morning is Jesus’ words “Peace be with each and every one of you…and me.”
Jesus is speaking to us to bring relationships with God and one another back
into harmony!
I have got some bad news for us all.
We are human and we make mistakes! We will disappoint one another at some point
in our lives, we might not be able to keep a promise, say something we
shouldn’t, do something that affects others, or sometimes just be careless and
not think about what we have said or done. It happens to us all! Through Jesus
words of “Peace be with you.” Jesus shows us that healing is possible…may not
be easy…but it is possible!
What does it mean for us? It means
Jesus calls us this day to witness healing from the Son of God; to see the
risen Christ appearing to the disciples as a sign of God’s continued love in
desiring a relationship with us and with one another as the body of Christ. God
calls us to the opportunity to restore relationships whenever and wherever
possible. It can take many different forms and it can begin with Jesus’ words,
“Peace be with you.”
AMEN!
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