SERMON BY TIM KELLER: Hope in Times of Fear @ The Gospel Coalition
Sunday, April 19, 2020 John 20:19-31
ON THE EVENING of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Thought for the Day
It is the evening of Easter Sunday when Jesus comes to his disciples in the Upper Room. The doors were locked but then there he was in the midst of them and the first thing to do is to show them his hands, feet, and side. By doing this he is saying, "Yes, this really is me - the man who died by crucifixion on Friday is the same man standing among you this evening. Perhaps their mouths were hanging open as realized he really had risen from the dead, something further emphasized a week later when the absent Thomas was given the same opportunity. Then he said to them, "Peace be with you." These words should not be separated from the act of showing his crucifixion wounds. What Jesus is saying is "God's peace is with you because of these wounds and the death that followed them. I truly died that you might be at peace with God, and I rose again to affirm that God's peace is with you. What does this mean? The peace of God, SHALOM in Hebrew, is talked about from early in the Old Testament to the end of the New Testament. In the OT the peace of God is often associated with the coming of the Messiah - and Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. The righteous, sinless Messiah had come and died and risen again so that his followers down through the centuries could know his grace through the Holy Spirit's presence. It is no accident that after this Jesus breathes on them he says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." Be made righteous before the Father by the risen Christ dwelling in you through the presence of the third person of the Trinity. It is not anything we do, neither is receiving the Holy Spirit a transaction of some kind - Shalom is given to us through Jesus who died and rose again. Jesus becomes our peace, our shalom, and we become his disciples, his sheep, through his death which was followed by his resurrection from the dead. The cross and resurrection are the start of the process of God reconciling all things to himself and restoring the world. His resurrection from the dead is a demonstration that Jesus is the Lord of all. Here's what the letter to the Hebrews says about all this: "Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." Ponder on these words in the light of our gospel reading. Thanksgiving for the Day We praise and give thanks to the God of grace who brought Jesus from the dead assuring us of his righteousness and peace.
Intercession for the Day
Shalom is a word with a rich meaning and in this devotional we have barely scratched the surface of this. However, let us pray that God in Christ will show us what living in shalom means for our lives. We pray for Africa as it begins to experience the agony of Covid-19, and for their woefully inadequate medical systems as they seek to care for their people.
Collect for the Day
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Collect for the Second Sunday in the Easter Season)
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