Rev. Debbie Cato
John 20:19-31
Fairfield Community Church
April 16 , 2023
God of
sacred texts, speak powerfully to us today through what is written in your holy
scripture. Help us hear the witnesses to Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, and
to the promises of life and peace in his name.
Peace
Just last Sunday, we celebrated Easter –
the resurrection of our Lord. Mary
Magdalene went to the tomb early that Sunday morning to mourn the death of
Jesus. She went to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. Her grief deepens and she becomes greatly
disturbed to find the stone removed from the opening of the tomb. Mary followed Jesus all the way to the
cross. She witnessed His
crucifixion. She saw him suffer and die
on the cross. And now his tomb was
empty. Where was his body? Had someone
stolen it?
The disciples, John the Beloved and Peter
dare to look inside the tomb and find no proof of tomb robbing. Rather, they find everything calm and
orderly. Jesus' grave clothes are folded
and left behind. Puzzled and frightened,
John and Peter run away. They go back to
the others. Back to the room where
everyone is huddled together behind locked doors.
But Mary stays behind. Though she heard Jesus explain about his
suffering; explain about his death and resurrection, she did not understand;
she did not believe. That is until the risen Christ appeared and spoke to her;
until he called her name. With the sound
of her name that morning, she recognizes her Lord’s voice. Mary runs and filled with joy, she shares the
good news with the other disciples! “I
have seen the Lord!” she tells them. “I
have seen the Lord!” But, they dismiss
her words as foolishness. How can it
be?! They have not seen for themselves
and, after all, she is just an hysterical woman. They stay locked in a room, hiding.
It's easy for us to question their faith. Three times Jesus’ told them what was going to happen in Jerusalem. Yet, scared and confused they lock themselves in a room. It’s easy to criticize them for not getting it! But, think about their circumstances. The Roman government was powerful. The disciples saw first-hand the harsh crudeness of the punishment they handed out. They were traumatized. Their leader had just suffered unimaginable pain and suffering. Their teacher had been crucified. The man they believed was the Messiah, died on the cross. They were recognized as his followers. Were soldiers looking for them too? Would the soldiers find them and torture and crucify them too? You bet they were scared.
The depth to which the disciples’ spirits must have fallen is easy to understate. But I think they also felt guilty. They knew that Judas was not the only one who had betrayed Jesus. Three times, Peter denied that he even knew Jesus. The rest of the disciples had run away when Jesus needed them. Only John stood near the cross with the women. The others watched from a distance – where no one would see them. They must have felt like cowards; like traitors.
Adam Hamilton, a United Methodist pastor said, “Fear and guilt weren’t the only emotions weighing heavy on the hearts of the disciples. They left everything to follow Jesus. They believed that He was the Messiah. They believed that he would restore Israel. They believed that God was with him in powerful ways. They felt in their hearts that he had the “Words of Life.” Their hopes and dreams, even their faith, was crucified with Jesus. They must have sunk into utter despair.”
We know about utter despair, don't we? Those dark times that paralyze us. Those times when fear overtakes reality. Those times we feel completely isolated and hopeless. Those times we want to hide behind locked doors.
Have you ever been paralyzed by bad news? Perhaps the Freeman school shooting left you in utter despair; paralyzed in darkness. Perhaps it’s a lay-off notice from a job. Or maybe it’s the news that your partner no longer loves you. Or perhaps it’s a medical diagnosis. Or a child who’s in trouble and you don’t know what to do.
I don’t know about you, but I find the world we live in pretty over-whelming these days. School shootings, children being killed. Mass shootings in grocery stores, shopping malls, churches, places we think are safe. People losing healthcare, unable to get lifesaving treatments. The fast pace of rising housing costs resulting in an increase in homelessness in our communities. The high cost of groceries and gasoline. O.K., I need to stop now! My blood pressure is rising!
Do you feel overwhelmed like I do? Fearful? Do you sink into despair? Do you feel hopeless at times? Do you want to lock your doors and draw your blinds and hide?
Friends, it is into through these closed doors that the risen Christ enters.
To his frightened disciples, paralyzed in utter despair, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.”
To those stunned and scared, holding a lay-off notice, Jesus says, “Peace be with you.”
To those reeling from a break-up or devastated by a divorce, Jesus steps into your heart and says, “Peace be with you.”
As you sit in a doctor’s office hearing the dreaded word “cancer”, Jesus is there. “Peace be with you.”
And in the midst of what seems like a violent, hate-filled, world, stands Jesus. “Peace be with you,” he says. Peace be with you.
Smack, dab in the middle of our despair; in the middle of our confusion and our fear; in the middle of our hopelessness, stands our risen Lord and Savior. Peace be with you.
These are the same words Jesus’ spoke to his disciples the night of His arrest; as they shared supper together.
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” Jesus told them. “I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
And now, after all the drama; after all the pain and suffering; after all the confusion and all the darkness; after all the anger and guilt; after all the fear and grief; Jesus offers his weary band of followers His perfect peace.
Can it be? Is the Lord really alive? Can we believe it? These disillusioned, frightened disciples finally rejoice when Jesus’ proves it with his hands and his side. These followers of Jesus’ see for themselves, and then they believe. It's true! I believe! The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen, indeed!
What is really amazing, is that The One offering the words of peace to the ones locked behind closed doors, is the very One who endured the brutality of the chaos and hatred. Jesus was arrested and mocked and beaten and nailed to a cross, dying naked in plain sight. Jesus stands among them knowing what it means to suffer; knowing what it means to be humiliated; knowing what it means to be falsely accused. “Peace be with you,” He says.
Jesus offers peace that comes from the personal knowledge that, in spite of all the hurt and harm the world inflicts; in spite of all the darkness we walk through, God’s compassion and care is Jesus constant presence. His peace is with us always in all things. It applies at every point where we fear that God’s plan for the world’s well-being is out of touch with the chaos and hatred of everyday life.
Jesus does not promise that we will not suffer. He does not say that bad things will not happen. He does not promise we will always be happy. What he does promise is that His peace will always be with us. That His peace will always be with you.
If you are the one holding that lay-off notice, not knowing how you are going to put food on the table for your family, Jesus says to you, “Peace be with you. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”
To those trying to figure out how you can go on after the love of your life is gone, Jesus is there. “I am with you. Do not be afraid. I am with you,” He whispers.
When you stop breathing after hearing that horrible diagnosis and yet somehow, mysteriously, you feel a deep stillness, that is Jesus. “Do not be afraid. I am with you. My perfect peace is right here.”
And when you feel the world spinning out of control, remember what Jesus said to his closest friends the night of His arrest, knowing that He was going to be arrested, beaten, and then crucified. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.”
No comments:
Post a Comment