The Gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter is John 20:19-31. In it, the risen Christ appears to ten apostles, and then a week later the appears to them and Thomas. When He comes, Jesus blesses the disciples with divine peace. Even after the first reports of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were fearful and timid. So the risen Lord came to where they were locked in. He came to change them. He brought greetings in the common Jewish manner, saying “Peace be with you,” in Hebrew shalom alechem.
In the Bible, this greeting is more than a hello. It is always an implied prayer for God’s peace. Now in light of Christ’s resurrection, the greeting becomes a specific blessing from the risen Lord. Jesus is the embodiment of God’s peace. He has established a new and lasting relationship with the heavenly Father for all who truly believe in Him. After everything that has happened, the disciples need peace. They need Jesus' assurance that He has not returned to judge them for their weakness. Yet, Jesus does not stop there. After comforting them, Jesus adds a commission or a call to action. As the heavenly Father has sent Him, likewise Christ sends the apostles and through them, His whole Church. Jesus shares His resurrection victory over sin and spiritual death with His disciples. He gives the apostles the authority and the mission to proclaim His forgiveness and peace. Christ's followers are to share the message with others. Jesus Christ is risen and alive, and His peace is to be spread. His followers are to continue His work in the world by calling people to repentance and faith.
In Scripture, peace has many implications, but ultimately peace is about relationships between God and human beings. The resurrection of Jesus is the high point of scriptural teachings about peace. Although faith in the risen Lord can contribute to other types of peace, it is basically an offer of peace with God. Christ's peace removes our estrangement from God; it offers us new eternal life in God’s holy and merciful presence.
Christ’s words to His followers also point us to our mission in this world. The peace of His resurrection is not some private possession. It is not a secret that we are to keep to ourselves. The risen Christ comes to His apostles in peace so that they can share the joy of His spiritual peace with others. He commissions them to share the peace brought by His victory over sin and death.
In Lutheran thought, pastors have a special role in sharing this divine peace in Word and Sacrament. Nevertheless, we must not confine our thoughts of sharing peace to the pastoral office. The risen Lord’s commission to the apostles is also to the whole Body of Christ, to the entire membership of Christ’s Church. All believers ought to affirm in word and deed that Jesus Christ has brought us spiritual peace through His resurrection. He is also ready, able, and willing to overcome evil in the lives of all who have faith. All of us are called to witness to God’s peace in Christ Jesus. Despite our human failures, by grace, we can all become greater channels of Christ’s peace to the people around us.
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