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“Peace Be With You” x2
The Message for Easter Sunday (John 20:19-23)
Mari Ikeda
A. Peace between us and Jesus
1. Peace in the midst of fear (19)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
2. The one who conquered death (20a)
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.
3. The one who offers love and forgiveness of sins (20b)
The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
B. Peace between us and other people
1. Rebirth through the Holy Spirit (22-23)
And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.
2. We have a mission in this world (21)
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Summary
Even if we find ourselves stuck at home, Jesus comes to us, replacing fear with hope and bringing peace. Even if our hearts are closed off by fear and sadness, Jesus meets us where we are. He forgives every sin and loves us as we are. Jesus’ body bears the scars of his suffering. Just as Jesus died but came back to life, we can also triumph over death and live life anew. In every situation, we can forgive as we have been forgiven and love as we are loved. Jesus came into the world so that we can live as he lived.
For Discussion
- What can we do when our hearts are not filled with peace?
- What, specifically, is our mission in the world during this state of emergency?