The Shalom Peace of the Risen Christ

The Second Sunday of Easter
(aka Quasimotogeniti Sunday)
April 12, 2015



GOSPEL LESSON: John 20:19–31 [Jesus appears to Thomas.]
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 anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, 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.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Hallelujah!

Christ had risen, but on the evening of that first Easter, the Disciples were afraid of the Jews. Perhaps they would be captured and crucified like Jesus had been because they were his followers. Perhaps they would be charged with stealing the Body of Jesus. And some of the group had met with the Risen Lord. Their fear was mixed with joy and uncertainty and hope. Just to be sure, just to be safe, they locked the doors where they were. But Jesus entered the room in a miraculous way and stood before them. He was not a ghost, not an imposter; he was the real Lord Jesus!

And to fearful, yet excited group of disciples, Jesus said, “Peace be with you.” In those words of peace, Jesus gave peace. He gave faith and trust. When Jesus spoke to the Disciples he would speak in the Hebrew word, “Shalom.” “Shalom” means “peace,” and as a greeting it is like the Hawaiian word “aloha.” It is a word that gives peace, relief from anxiety, a sense of well-being, and happiness. This is especially true when the Lord Jesus says “Shalom” because he has the power to give what he says. The Disciples needed to hear that word, because they were afraid of the Jews. Also, they were confused about the resurrection and what that meant from now on for them. A week later after Easter, the Disciple Thomas needed both to hear the word of “peace” and he also needed to see the marks of the nails and the spear which would prove that Jesus really had died on the cross　and had risen, and that is what would give him complete peace and the faith which he proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!”

The Disciples feared the Jews. It was a real fear for their lives. Most of us have never feared for our lives because we are followers of Christ. But some places in the world it is dangerous to be a Christian. Just one recent example: Recently in the African country of Kenya, Muslim militants killed 147 Christian university students after separating out the muslim students. In many countries with an Islamic government, it is a crime to be a Christian, punishable by execution. 400 years ago in Japan it was a crime to a Christian, and many believers were executed, often by crucifixion. The church in Japan went underground, behind locked doors. These so-called “hidden Christians” survived for over 300 years until missionaries came back to Japan and religious freedom was granted to Japanese citizens. It is a sort of a half-joke or criticism today that there are still “hidden Christians” in Japan. These people are afraid to proclaim their faith publicly. There are many family and social reasons for this, but it is a real fear. It is a fear that only the Risen Lord can remove by giving his “Shalom-Peace.”

Even if there is no threat of death, many Christians live behind locked doors. Sometimes we do, too. It is not that we stay in our houses, but that when we go out no one knows that we are Christians. We fear people who might make fun of us, or not trust us, or might discriminate against us because we are Christians. They might challenge our faith. They might confuse us. They might entice us to do something against our Christians values. These things are uncomfortable. It is not that we might physically die or be hurt, but we might have to die to the things of this world. We have to die to sin and hate and revenge and greed. It can be scary to live by love and non-violence and charity and peace and trusting in God.

And so the Risen Christ has to come into our locked hearts and into our closed lives. But he comes in peace. He broke out of the grave; he broke the bonds of death and hell. But when he comes into our hearts, it is different. He comes in peace. And so we trust him and love him and relax in his grace and mercy.

Our greatest fear is death and hell. So Jesus gives the Shalom that calms that fear. He showed Thomas and the other disciples his hands and side. He showed them the scars of death. He showed them that death and hell had been overcome. And so sin, death and hell have no power over us, because we too shall rise like Jesus did.

And so, with that greatest human fear removed, we can live our lives without fear. In the midst of daily little problems and sometimes very huge problems too, we believe in Jesus, we trust Jesus, and we rely on Jesus. That is the source of our Christian peace. It is the peace that knows that our sins are forgiven. It knows that God loves us and cares about us. And a wonderful thing about that peace is that we can share it other people. Because we have been forgiven through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we forgive other people who have done wrong to us, and that makes peace between us. That is why the cross is a sign of peace. The cross is where sin is forgiven. We have peace with God. And as we forgive other people, we have peace in our lives, too. Shalom.

Amen.

Michael Nearhood, Pastor
Okinawa Lutheran Church


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