April 28
“The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you,’” John 20:19-21.
On the first Easter evening, the risen Lord Jesus made an appearance to ten of the disciples, who were hiding behind locked doors somewhere in Jerusalem because they were afraid of what the Jews might do to them. After all, they had persuaded Pontius Pilate to sentence Jesus to death by crucifixion, so what might they do to His disciples? Would they become victims of the hatred which the religious leaders and other people had for Jesus and His disciples?
Suddenly, without unlocking the doors, the Lord Jesus stood in their midst, and He greeted them with a word of peace! Walls and locked doors are not a barrier to the risen Jesus! The risen Jesus has removed the wall of sin that separated God and man. By His suffering, death, and resurrection, Jesus has gained for all people the message of peace and pardon. God is not angry with us. He has declared us forgiven for Jesus’ sake. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation . . . (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21.
Jesus showed the ten disciples His nail-marked hands and His spear-scarred side as visible evidence that He was indeed the Jesus who had been crucified and that He was alive! Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord! The post-Easter season is a season of gladness. We are reminded of the Easter hymn written by Paul Gerhardt in the year 1648:
“Awake, my heart, with gladness,
See what today is done;
Now, after gloom and sadness,
Comes forth the glorious Sun.
My Savior there was laid,
Where our bed must be made;
When to the realms of light,
Our spirit wings its flight.
The Foe in triumph shouted,
When Christ lay in the tomb;
But, look, he now is routed,
His boast is turned to gloom!
For Christ again is free,
In glorious victory;
He who is strong to save,
Has triumphed o’er the grave!”
Yes, God is at peace with us and we are at peace with God through faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is indeed a time to sing praises and give all glory to God for having sent His Son to save us from sin, death, and the devil. The risen Savior also says, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” He has sent us to be His witnesses, as He said prior to His ascension: “You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth,” Acts 1:8.
We should be so glad to share this Good News with all the people with whom we come into contact. May the Holy Spirit touch our hearts and open our mouths to say: “He is risen! He is risen indeed! He who once was dead is alive!”
Dear heavenly Father, move us to go and tell! Amen.