Easter has happened. Jesus, crucified on Friday is risen from the dead, and from that time-shattering event he sets out. To do what? What shall be the first item on his agenda? We don't know what our Lord did between the early morning appearance to Mary Magdalene and the evening, but we do know that revealing himself to the disciples was high on his list of priorities. One question which could be asked is this one: Knowing what we do about Jesus' arrest, trial, sentencing, and the behavior of his followers, including people like Judas and Peter, what would you expect that Jesus would say to them? And a similar question: Aware of the way in which the disciples abandoned their Lord, what do you suppose they expected to hear?
In our imagination, let us transport ourselves to Jerusalem on the evening of the day of resurrection. Ten of the 11 disciples move nervously about in the too small room. Their palms are wet with the sweat of anxiety and they are caught up in a violent storm of emotions. The death of Jesus had been a cruel blow. Not only did they lose the loving presence of the One who was above all an understanding friend, but they were leaderless as well. With Jesus' humiliating defeat, all they had lived for and hoped for had crumbled beneath them. There in the dust lay their ruined goals, the ridiculous remains of their grand dreams. Oh, they had heard the rumors rumbling through the city streets, the story of some women that Jesus had risen from the dead, but "it seemed to them an idle tale." A couple of the disciples had verified that the tomb was empty, but that only unnerved them all the more. As remote as a resurrection would be, if Jesus had risen he would have certainly have contacted them by now. As it was, there was no evidence of Jesus' body, dead or alive.
To make matters worse, there were stories being spread throughout the land that the Jewish leaders had ordered the arrest and death of all the disciples, in order that this religious menace might be put to an end, once and for all. So each man in turn, as he paces the floor, mindlessly checks the lock on the door and the latches of the windows, just to be sure they are secure.
It is an eerie atmosphere; no one speaks. Each is imprisoned in his private thoughts; each involved in an inner war. One part of them prays that the rumors are true, that the resurrection of Jesus is not just wishful thinking, that somehow he has survived the ordeal. Another part of them is filled with the fear that he might be risen. Fear, because they did not look forward to meeting him. Indeed, would they dare to look him in the eyes again after they had failed him so miserably? What would he say? What would he do? They had shamefully abandoned him. Would he return to them or would he go out to find other disciples, disciples who would believe in him, who would stand by him? They were filled with self-reproach and despair hung heavy about them. What thoughts must have tormented them at that dreadful time?
Suddenly, without announcement, without fanfare, silently, forcefully, Jesus appears in the middle of the room, in spite of the locked doors. He utters four words, "Peace be with you." Peace be with you. No words could have meant more to those disciples, no words packed with more power for healing, and wholeness. There were many reasons for the despondency and anxiety of the disciples, numerous reasons why they stood paralyzed in that moment. But Jesus' invocation of peace was a word for all their reasons. Those four words went to the heart of the matter and ministered to their insecurity and loneliness, their overwhelming guilt, their sense of despair and the great fears which had immobilized them.
Consider that the disciples had good cause to be frightened on that Easter evening. At that point in time they were not sure of many things, but they were absolutely convinced of one thing: Jesus had died. At least he had been dead. Then, as out of a whirlwind, a figure appears and immediately their sense of security is blown away and they realize how very vulnerable they are. Who is this specter and what does he want from them? Already they feared for their lives at the hands of the Hebrew soldiers and now this. That the disciples quaked with fear is a gross understatement. To that fear, that trepidation, Jesus spoke his word of peace. It wasn't just the fact that he spoke it, I believe it was the way in which he said it that brought life back into the spirits of those disciples.
That powerful word of Christ spoke also to the enormous burden of guilt they bore. They had not only deserted their Lord and Master, but had denied him, failed him. Not only had their faith proved inept and powerless and their resources of courage been woefully inadequate, but they had shown themselves to be utterly shameless. Consider. If it had not been for Joseph of Arimathea, what would have happened to the body of the crucified Christ? Like the bodies of all criminals it would have been ruthlessly torn from the cross and carelessly thrown on the garbage dump, fair prey for the creatures of carrion. By nightfall, birds would have pecked out his eyes and the scavenger animals would have torn all the flesh from his bones. The thought is grotesque and repulsive. But that is what made the disciples' cowardice and inaction so scandalous, and their guilt so overwhelming. They had, in faithless fear, abandoned the Lord's body to be mutilated, desecrated. All this Jesus takes into account when he utters those incredible words of grace and forgiveness, "Peace be with you." It was for good reason that the disciples felt guilty and only Jesus' word of peace could bring forgiveness and restoration.
It's a small wonder that the Bible says, "Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord." Glad? I'll bet they were ecstatic! What incredible power was at work here. Out of mourning there blossomed rejoicing. Where once ambitions and visions lay crushed, now exciting new possibilities had been born. Out of fear and depression sprang happiness and hope, creating at atmosphere of glory and joy. Guilt and remorse were forgotten in forgiveness and the disciples reveled in the warmth of reconciliation. With a simple word from Jesus' lips, stomachs which had been turned inside out were calmed, and minds which were raw with remorse were soothed. It happened because Jesus did not come with angry words of judgment or criticism, or disappointment (although the situation would certainly have warranted it). Indeed, there were many reasons why this initial meeting of Jesus and his disciples could have been disastrous, many reasons why they could have walked away demoralized and beaten. But Jesus came with a word of peace. A word for all reasons.
It's amazing isn't it, how, with a remarkable economy of words, Jesus was able to transfigure the situation and put his rag-tag corps of apostles back on the track again? The reconciliation had been successful and Jesus' peace began to take control, except for Thomas who had missed Jesus' dramatic, post-resurrection appearance.
When the other disciples finally located him, they tried to convince him that Jesus had risen and had met their pain with his balm of peace. Why Thomas had such difficulty in believing is not hard to understand. Crucified and buried people just don't get up and start living again. The other disciples may have been suckered in by some clever deception, but not Thomas. Oh no! He was a realist. And furthermore, if Jesus had returned, his words certainly would not have been kind, not after the way they had behaved. They deserved judgment and Thomas knew it. Perhaps that is one reason why he remained unconvinced in spite of the united testimony of the other apostles.
In any case Thomas also suffered from fear and a sense of failure. He knew the same guilt and shame which had plagued the other disciples, and his rejection of the so called "resurrection" only added to his anguish. His friends seemed to be living in a state of denial, refusing to accept the fact that Jesus was dead, that he no longer would be with them. But he was still tormented by it.
Something, however, stirred within Thomas. Previously he had been content to be off by himself. Since the day of the apparition of Jesus, however, the disciples seemed to be dramatically changed and Thomas sought their company more and more. Then one day, when Thomas was with the disciples, Jesus once again appeared in the room without warning. There was a moment of shocked silence as the Lord turned, his eyes locked on those of Thomas. The "doubting disciple" must have cowered beneath Christ's piercing gaze, yet there radiated no condemnation but compassion, not judgment, but love. Then Jesus spoke the words, "Peace be with you." There is no doubt that they are aimed directly at Thomas. These four words reached out to embrace him with an absolutely awesome affection. At that moment he experienced the wonder of forgiveness, just as the other disciples had eight days earlier. All the shortcomings, the sins and the failures of Thomas put together were incapable of stemming the flood of God's grace. All of the reasons why Jesus should reject him and condemn him came tumbling down. Even his persistent doubt was not held against him. His faithlessness was more than conquered by Christ's word of peace. Though he was faithless God remained faithful for God cannot deny himself (2 Timothy 2:13). So it was true for Thomas as well, that Christ's word of peace was a word for all reasons.
That is the good news. Jesus still comes with his word of grace. He still comes to woo us, to forgive us, to enthrall us with his love. No matter how many reasons we may have for holding him at arm's length, for shutting him out of our lives, they are as nothing when he speaks his words for all reasons, "Peace be with you." Those potent, piercing words slice through all our pretenses, surmount all our weaknesses, forgive all our sinfulness, abolish all our guilt, and overcome all our fears and our faithlessness. Not even our worst doubts can keep him from claiming our hearts. And he will not stop speaking his word until it can be said of us, as it was said of the disciples, "They were glad when they saw the Lord."
"Peace be with you." That is God's word, that is our Lord's gift to you this morning, as you face this week, as you struggle with your daily problems and cope with the endless routines of everyday life. They are words which briefly but eloquently capture and express the hope of Easter, that God is alive, that our Lord is with you, that the Spirit comes to bless you with this incredible, all-purpose word of grace. So great and vivid is it, that it radiates an atmosphere of Easter upon all your days; all your days and weeks and years. Even at the moment of your death, even then, that message will be sufficient, as it is spoken by someone who shares with you the word of the Lord, a word for all reasons, "Peace be with you." Amen.