A peace that beckons us to place our worries, anxieties, and fear at the feet of our Father. It’s as if they saw Jesus in a whole new way. So, upon hearing, “Peace Be with you,” and showing them His pierced hands and side, the scared little sheep immediately became overcome with joy. Jesus already knew each of their fears personally. Yet, Jesus’ response to them tells us everything. The sheer astonishment of His sudden appearance could have also caused a great fright. Then there’s the part where Jesus just showed up, as if out of nowhere. While it is merely speculation, maybe the guilt of their choices filled them with regret and shame. But was that the only reason they could have been afraid?Ĭould they have also been afraid of Jesus? After all, they deserted Him, denied Him, and doubted Him the week leading up to His crucifixion. It’s obvious they were taken aback by fear.īased on the passage, they were most likely concerned that the Jewish leaders were on a manhunt and could potentially decide their fate. When Jesus appeared to the disciples, they were behind closed and locked doors. Peace Be with You Offers Freedom from Fear There within lies the significance of this phrase, but let’s take a closer look at what those words conveyed to the disciples and, essentially, to us. There is an assurance of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and promises wrapped up in the words, “Peace Be with You.” Jesus was the source of peace then, and He is our source of peace now. Yet, He chose four words that He knew would offer them great comfort in their time of distress. Of all the ways Jesus could have greeted His disciples. Bringing His gentleness, easing all concerns with His presence and the precious sound of His voice. Why? Because they allowed the fear of their circumstance to hold them hostage. However, upon hearing the news, did they go out rejoicing, proclaiming Jesus was alive? No. When Mary Magdalene saw the tomb was empty and then recognized her “teacher,” she ran to tell the disciples ( John 20:18). When Sunday arrived and ended up being a fulfillment of prophecy and a gracious gift of salvation to all mankind, the people of that time were completely unaware.
Yet, during these times, the people were lost, broken, and in desperate need of peace. We know what is coming - Sunday!įrom the moment Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey to the Last Supper that He shared with His disciples, we begin to see the love story for all humanity. Why was this day good? Because we know the history. The Friday where the world shattered and fell apart as an innocent man was ridiculed, beaten, and chastised.Ī humble man that carried a rugged dogwood cross upon His back, all the while knowing His fate. If we continue, it leads us to the story of Easter. We see Jesus’ ministry and, in essence, the “heart” of the Bible - Jesus is the Son of God and the way to everlasting life. If we flip through the Gospel of John, also known as “the disciple Jesus loved,” we see this beautiful imagery of Jesus. However, as long as we live in broken bodies in a messy world riddled with war, crime, and famine, we are going to encounter unsettling times. Our current state of affairs proves our world is groaning for peace. And sadly, it has caused a restlessness in our hearts, mourning what has been lost and growing concerned for what is to come. In each of these cases, it has appeared to make the world tainted, dismal, and dark. Over the course of history, we’ve observed nations rise among nations, countries crumble, people groups slowly wither away, crowds demonstrate animosity toward one another, and rulers ruthlessly seek to gain more power.
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