The gospel accounts of resurrection day record a number of things that Jesus said having been raised from the dead. Included are these words, found in John 20:19 where Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Peace be with you’.
Now the word ‘peace’ can be used in at least a couple of ways. The first is to convey a sense of calm and an absence of anxiety. And it seems entirely likely that Jesus would have wanted to reassure the disciples, as they would undoubtedly have been at least a little taken aback when the one they had supposed was dead appeared to them in what was, after all, a locked room.
And we know from elsewhere in the Bible that Jesus is all about calming fears and relieving anxiety. Previously he had told his disciples not to worry about their lives because their Father in heaven was aware of their needs and he would surely take care of them [Luke 12:22-32], a truth that was reiterated by the epistle writers who urge Christians not to be anxious about anything. Instead, by recognising that the Lord is always at hand, believers are encouraged to cast their cares on him and thereby experience the peace of God that passes all understanding. [Philippians 4:5-7, 1 Peter 5:7]
But ‘peace’ can also mean the absence of war and so, I think, Jesus also meant to announce what his dying for them had objectively achieved – that is peace with God. Which is exactly what the prophet Isaiah had predicted would be brought about some 750 years earlier when he wrote:
‘Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned’ [Isaiah 40:1-2]
These are comforting words for those of us who know how greatly we have failed to live the way that we should, for those of us who know how great our need for forgiveness is. And they must have been comforting words too for Peter who, just three days previously, had denied ever knowing Jesus. Before his abject failure to align himself with the one he’d spent three years with, Peter had considered himself a strong believer in Jesus, one who was even prepared to die for him if necessary. Put when push came to shove, Peter proved himself to be weak.
But here was Jesus proclaiming to him the same good news that is proclaimed to us today – that because of Jesus’ death on the cross our sin has been dealt with, that the penalty for our wrongdoing has been fully paid. Which means that we can not only enjoy peace with God, but at the same time look forward to eternal life with him. Because, since death only came into existence as the just punishment for sin, with our sin fully atoned for, death can no more hold those who are forgiven by God, than it was able to hold Jesus himself.
Little wonder then that Christians rejoice on Easter Day because, having been raised from the dead, Jesus is the living proof that his was a sufficient sacrifice for sin and death has therefore lost its sting. Jesus said ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me, shall never die’ [John 11:25-26]
And so, we must ask ourselves if this is what we believe. If it is, then we too can look forward with absolute certainty to one day being raised from the dead ourselves. And in our new, perfect, resurrection bodies, we will experience both fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore – in the everlasting arms of our Heavenly Father whose steadfast love never ceases and whose mercy never comes to an end.
I hope you all have a very Happy Easter, because…
‘Christ is risen! – He is risen indeed.’
Related blogs:
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 7 – ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’, click here.
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 6 – ‘It Is Finished’, click here.
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 5 – ‘I Thirst’, click here.
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 4 – ‘My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?’, click here.
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 3 – ‘Mother, behold your son! Behold your Mother!’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 2 – ‘Tomorrow, you will be with me in paradise’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 1 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’, click here.
To read ‘Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things? Rejoicing, though temporarily sorrowful, on Easter Day’, click here.
To read ‘Why do bad things happen to good people? Sorrowful yet always rejoicing on Good Friday’, click here
To read ‘What becomes of the broken hearted – sorrowful yet always rejoicing on Palm Sunday’, click here
To read ‘Easter Sunday – 2021’, click here
To read, ‘Good Friday – 2021’, click here
To read ‘The Resurrection – is it just rhubarb?’, click here
To read ‘Faith and Doubt’, click here
To read ‘Real Power’, click here
To read ‘Foolishness – Law and Gospel’, click here
To read ‘Speaking in Tongues’, click here.
To read ‘Ascension Day’, click here
To read ‘AN ADVENT CALENDAR COMPLETE’ – which includes 24 reflections on the Christmas Story, click here
To read ‘A CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN – 2024 – COMPLETE’ – which includes 24 reflections on why Jesus came to Earth on that first Christmas Day’, click here.
Some musings 