Have you ever noticed how we preachers often promote the early church as if it were the ideal? "Why, they did a miracle a day in the early church." "When they had a prayer meeting, everyone came!" " They spoke in Greek then!" (As if it were some sort of superior language!) On and on we can go browbeating ourselves by comparison.

Yet, when one really studies the Bible, he discovers that early believers weren't perfect either. Moses had his temper. Noah got drunk. David fell into adultery. Peter couldn't keep his vows and Paul and Barnabas split up over a disagreement.

With all of this in mind, I'd like us to turn to the text for today and see how the first disciples celebrated Pentecost. To approach this text I'd like to do it twofold.

Journey Inward

The first part of the text is the journey inward. It represents the disciples' personal need to comprehend the resurrection, the Holy Spirit, and its application in their own lives.

The text tells us that the events in this first portion of narrative take place "on the evening of that day, the first day of the week." This means the early church was having a Sunday evening fellowship meeting. And what would you find should you enter that church? Let's suppose you're searching for a church home and you go visit the early first church. What sort of group would you find?

The text tells us there was a pervasive atmosphere of fear in the meeting. Not joy, not love, not teaching - but fear. You see, Jesus had been crucified within the past week, and the disciples did not know but what they would be next. So, they were afraid.

The text also tells us that it was particularly hard to even get into the fellowship. That's because the doors were locked. This was no bold, open, evangelizing body of believers reaching out. It was, rather, a cowering, closed little band of disciples who'd forgotten everything Jesus ever said to them.

A further feature of this first resurrection and Pentecost Sunday celebration is the conspicuous absence of so many of their members. "Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them." And neither were dozens of others! Why, Judas had even killed himself.

Then, too, there is no mention of singing, no Lord's Supper observed, no preaching, no passing of the peace - why, the disciples seem to be doing little more than wallowing in their fears. The fact was, they'd denied Christ, abandoned him to the cross, and all run away. Now they felt guilty. They missed him. And they sure didn't feel like singing.

And one final note: There seems to be precious little faith, if any, in the room. Why, when Jesus came he had to show them "his hands and his side" to convince them he was really the risen Christ.

So, these are the disciples we like to brag about. This was church on that first night. But that's not all! This may be the picture of the disciples we get in the text. But just look at the picture of God we get!

First off, Jesus Christ is alive. After man has done his worst, God has done his best. After scourging, mockery, crucifixion, and a hasty burial, Jesus is risen from the dead. No power of man can kill the life of God! He is risen forever to be the vanquisher of both sin and of death.

The text says, "Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.' " When he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet. See the grace of God here? Into this imperfect fellowship he came. The risen Lord was to be found right in the middle of this fearful, doubting, half-attended church meeting behind locked doors. He doesn't wait till they've gotten their act together. He comes to them just as they are.

And note, too, how Jesus does not come angrily upbraiding them for their weaknesses. He stands right in the middle of them and says, "Peace be with you." Then he shows them his hands and his feet. he provides the credible evidence that he is who he says he is - the risen Christ, their Savior!

One of the often-overlooked portions of this Easter story is the humor of Christ. I personally think this is one of the funniest episodes in the Bible, yet the fact that you're not laughing is proof you don't get it. So, let me explain ...

In the South, the typical greeting is "Hey!" In south Texas, it's "Howdy partner!" In Ireland, people say, "Top o' the morning to you!" In Australia, "Good day mate!" In New York City, "Stick 'em up!" No, seriously, we say, "Hello." But in Israel, the typical greeting is the Hebrew word, "Shalom!" which translates as, "Peace be with you!"

So, Jesus is arrested, tried, crucified, dead, and buried away for three whole days. The frightened band of disciples is meeting upstairs behind locked doors, and Jesus strides in alive and well, grins, and says, "Hey!" "Yo!" "Hello!" Isn't that hysterical!?

Now, notice, if you will, the disciples' response to God's ministry to their misery that day. The text says, "Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord." Their doubts, their fears, their guilt, began to melt away, replaced by peace and gladness. Easter came slowly to them. But it did come.

Often we limp into a service the same way today, do we not? We come with great gaping wounds of guilt, our fears, our doubts, are here with us even today. And still, in every church, there are the conspicuously absent, those for whom Jesus didn't live up to their expectations, those for whom crucifixion is too high a price to pay for any religion.

And still, as of old, the risen Lord comes to us. Right in the midst of all of our fallen humanity he takes his stand and ministers his peace and gladness, his proof, and his own brand of humor.

Journey Outward

That's the first part of the text, the journey inward to Easter. Now this, the second part of the text, the journey outward with Pentecost.

In the text for the second time Jesus ministers, saying, "Peace be with you." Why did he do this twice? Wasn't once enough? Is he trying to use the same joke twice? Of a truth, we can be so ill, that the medicine we require must be taken in repeated doses. And the same with our trust in God. Once is not enough. Our ministry from God is a daily necessity. It can even be such that we require His continued ministry to us throughout the day ... even to the point of two Peace-be-with-you's in the same hour!

It's interesting to note that the Hebrew concept which the word "peace" points to is the word "Shalom." Christ could have said "Love be with you!" or "Faith" or "Prosperity" or "The Holy Spirit" be with you. But, of all things, Jesus says, "Peace be with you ... Shalom be with you."

Now, "Shalom" means more than a cessation of hostilities. It also means the presence of everything required for your full development as a human being. For example, take a greenhouse. Inside a hothouse is the absence of all things which might harm a plant. There is no frost, no drought, no disease, no busy feet to step on them. But there is one thing more. There is the presence of all things vital to a plant's development. Water, sunshine, a gardener's careful pruning, fertilizer, and warmth.

This is what Jesus is saying is with the disciples. "Peace! Shalom!" "The absence of everything harmful, the presence of everything helpful be with you." And not once but twice does he tell us this!

Now he goes on to say, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." This is his commission to the church. He wants those he has ministered to go out and minister.

All too often we limp into church, limp into God's presence, with some gaping need in our lives, and God and his people are there to listen, to care, to heal, to counsel, teach, and train. But so often once our needs are met and the hurt is gone we are gone, too! We came to get help but we don't want to become a helper. We came to take, but don't ask me to give. We came to be served, but we won't serve. We came to know God, but don't ask me to make him known.

And the text tells us that Jesus would have none of this with his disciples that first Easter. And I can assure you he'll have none of it here this most recent Easter! "As the Father has sent me, so send I you!" "I've come, now you go! I've ministered to you, now go and I shall minister through you!"

Bible translator J. B. Phillips said that the early church could be symbolized by a group of Christians holding hands in a circle all facing outward. However, today's church, he pointed out, is best symbolized by a group of Christians all holding hands and facing inward. And the text here proves the remedy for this backwardness.

In Christ we must make a journey inward and journey outward. We must maintain contact with God and one another so as to be fed and cared for. But we must also look outward to the world, be eager to provide ministry for others. This is what Jesus commissioned his disciples to do in the text.

Now go on with the text. It says that Jesus, after commissioning the church to go out to the world with the gospel, "He breathed on them and said 'Receive the Holy Spirit.' "

"He breathed on them." Why? What is the meaning of this? A key to interpreting the scriptures is to come upon a word or a situation and, to discover its meaning, go back to the first place in the Bible where such is mentioned. So, when did God first breathe in scripture? You'll find it in early Genesis where God breathed into clay and man became a living soul. There it was the breath of God that invigorated. And here Jesus is saying as he breathes again that it is the Holy Spirit who makes us new creations, who causes us to come alive and go forth to minister.

See the grace of God here? He not only tells us what to do, he gives us the power to do it!

Such was the first Pentecost service in church. It started off slowly, but ended fast. It began with the heaviness of guilt, fear, and doubt, but ended with assurance, gladness, and peace.

Now the lectionary reading stops there, but it's worth reading on a bit, for a sad note follows. Jesus has come and ministered. Now he is gone. And who should walk in the door next but Thomas, one of the twelve!

"Where have you been, Thomas?" the disciples ask in frustration. "We have seen the Lord! He has come. He is risen! He has ministered to us his peace and gladness and commissioned us to go in his name!"

And Thomas would have none of it. Grouchily he says, "Unless I see, unless I touch him, I won't believe!"

It's still that way today, isn't it? There are those who continually absent themselves from the gatherings of the body here who later pay us a visit and then wonder what on earth is going on. "Why are you so glad when I'm so glum?" "Why are you so bent on world missions when I can't even get over my guilt?" "Why do you seem to have in your life the absence of those things harmful and the presence of those things helpful?"

And the answer is forever that the risen Lord Jesus has come and stopped in our midst and ministered his peace, his presence, his proof, and we are full of gladness. And you missed it!

Where do you think Thomas was? Visiting on Sunday? Traveling? Pouting? Shopping at some flea market? Or, perhaps it was raining and it wasn't worth getting wet for him to be in church. Or, maybe he was just too tired to come and was home sleeping.

Never mind. The text says the church met on the next Sunday and this time Thomas was with them. He'd missed once. But now he had learned his lesson. He wouldn't miss again. And Oh! The grace of God! Jesus came and stood among them again, and for the third time he said "Peace be with you!" And Thomas, the doubting straggler, was ushered into the circle of believers.

Yes, this is how Easter and Pentecost came to the early church that first Sunday so long ago. It came slowly. But it came sure.

It came to the fearful, the doubtful, songless saints hiding behind locked doors. It came not with one, or two, but three "peace-be-with-yous."

And what of us this day? What of your life and mine?

Are you here today having denied Christ and run away? Is your life made complicated by guilt and fear and doubts?

Have you been away pouting, having had some bad experience with church? Has a cross proven too high a price to pay for your religion? Has God, too, not lived up to your expectations?

Have you missed church so much that you've missed Christ as he's given others the peace that passes all understanding?

Whatever, you are here this Easter, this Pentecost. And so is the risen Lord.

"Peace be with you!"

"Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."

"Receive the Holy Spirit!"

"As the Father has sent me, so send I you!"

Suggested Prayer: O God, Thou who make all things new again, make me new. Cause me to know your presence, your peace, and proof, and gladness and ministry. For Christ's sake. Amen.