Messages from our Resurrected Lord

Messages from our Resurrected Lord

Fortifying the Foundation # 45

John 20:19-31[1]

8-29-04

Come with me this morning to a small house in the city of Jerusalem 2000 years ago. The sun is setting as the first Easter day is coming to a close[2]. Some of Jesus’ closest followers have huddled together in this place trying to make sense of all that has been going on—afraid of what may happen next. They have securely locked[3] the doors out of fear for what the Jewish leaders may do. The news of the empty tomb has already reached the temple priests. The response of those Jewish leaders was predictable. They have hatched a lie that served their purposes and bribed the guards to say that the disciples have stolen Jesus’ body (Matt. 28:11-15). It is a fearful time. But it is also a time filled with unexpected, exciting news. Mary Magdalene and other women have reported seeing Jesus alive. Even Peter has seen him. Everyone has an opinion as to what it all means. Suddenly there is a knock at the door. I think every heart pounded a little faster when they heard that knock. Was it the authorities coming to arrest them? What would happen next? Everyone is relieved as Cleopas and another disciple enter the room. They seem excited and begin sharing what had just happened to them in Emmaus. As they were walking to that village a stranger had joined them and began to ask questions. They told him about the events surrounding Jesus’ death. They told him about strange reports coming from women who had seen him alive. For the rest of the journey this stranger explained all kinds of scriptures concerning the suffering and glory that the Messiah would experience. By the time they got to Emmaus a friendship had developed so they invited the man to join them for supper. It was there at the supper table as the stranger began breaking the bread and blessing the meal that they suddenly realized that this was Jesus himself. They are still telling their story when suddenly right there with them is Jesus![4]

What will Jesus say to them?


1st he says to them, “Peace be with you”.

That was a common greeting and probably one he had spoken to them many times. But in this situation it was more than a greeting. It was a message!

Luke tells us that when Jesus appeared they thought he was a ghost and were terrified—freaked out by someone suddenly appearing in the room when all the doors were locked. They had already been plenty jumpy over what the Jewish leaders might do to them. That’s why the doors were locked in the first place. Suddenly Jesus appears and they are scared out of their wits.[5]

What does Jesus do? He calms their fears. “Peace be with you.” That was certainly something they needed. “God has not given us the spirit of fear but of love and of power and of a sound mind.”[6] Fear has torment and these disciples were being tormented by thoughts and vain imaginations. Have you ever been fearful of what might happen next in your life? In recent months I have had times when I would suddenly feel my gut tighten with fear. I couldn’t even associate it with an event. But I did know where it was coming from. “God has not given us the spirit of fear...” That’s what the devil wants to give us. And it is a spirit we are authorized to resist.

What a strange thing is happening in that room. The Prince