Peace In the Journey

Introduction

Scars (ditching school, surgery, ?) they prove something: commitment, things did happen, tell stories as object lessons.

We’ll see this morning that scars, the wounds, that Jesus still bears speak to us today.

Please turn in your Bibles, or on your devices, to the Gospel of John 20:19-31. If you are able would you stand with me as I read our text this morning.

This is the word of the Lord. Praise be to God.

Let us pray. Amen

Thank you… you may be seated.

Peace be with you (vss. 19-23)

Last week we saw how Mary Magdalene, in her anguish, lingered at the tomb of Jesus. As she lingered, Jesus met her, calling her by name. In being assuaged of anguish and heartache, Jesus sends Mary on a mission to tell others about His resurrection. Mary is the first apostle (sent one) to the apostles. The early church fathers wrote about this moment and saw this as a possible redemptive act, a reversal of Eve’s role in the garden.

Mary had seen Jesus and went and shared the good news of His resurrection. Our text this morning takes place that evening as no doubt they are still processing all that they saw (the empty tomb) and what Mary had told them (that Jesus was in fact alive)!

Jesus appears to them and says, “Peace be with you.”

You may remember earlier that Jesus’ peace is different...

John 14:27 ““Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.”

1 Corinthians 14:33a “since God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”

Have you ever experienced this sort of peace? You are afraid, there is legitimate reason to be afraid, and then peace enters in.

There is a lot of angst I can feel.

Vocationally: Am I called, am I doing it right, what is success? (I’m being vulnerable and not looking for affirmation… but these are real feelings)

Personally: Provisionally for my family, my role as a husband, as a dad, as a friend, as a child of God… God am I pleasing you in these roles?

Emotionally/Mentally: How much do I carry of stress, weight, burden of my spouse, family, friends, church, community? Am I making myself appropriately available in each of those roles?

When it looks like failure to yourself, what do you do with that? How do you navigate the disappointment, the sadness, the difficulty… maybe you have felt that?

In each of these scenarios… as I bring it before Jesus (in that moment), there is peace. There is full assurance as I think about who I know Him to be, I remind myself of who He is and who He says He is. Peace comes. Maybe for the moment. It’s a journey, it’s a process, when I’m empty of peace, He fills me up. He sometimes uses the quiet time, He uses others (safe people), He uses His Word and promises I can stand on.

Where there is fear and angst in accomplishing a task or walking through a situation, peace is often available and present when we realize that the one who is accomplishing the task is more than capable of doing the task well.

John is intentional in his description of what is taking place. We see that Jesus stands in their midst which is appropriate and what we see when there is Revelation taking place (Rev 1:13; 2:1; 5:6; 7:17).

Jesus says to them twice, “Peace be with you.”

Then there is a commissioning. As Jesus was sent by the Father, so He is sending them. This is just what happened between Mary and Jesus… now Jesus is revealing Himself to the disciples and saying now you go!

Jesus breathed on his disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit. There is no doubt that, when John spoke in this way, he was thinking back to the old story of the creation. There the writer says: ‘Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being’ (Genesis 2:7). This was the same picture as Ezekiel saw in the valley of dead, dry bones, when he heard God say to the wind: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live’ (Ezekiel 37:9). The coming of the Holy Spirit is like the wakening of life from the dead. When he comes upon the Church, it is re-created for its task.

Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Vol. 2, p. 319). Edinburgh.

Jesus said to the disciples: ‘If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’ It is essential we not misunderstand this. One thing is certain—no one can forgive anyone else’s sins. But another thing is equally certain—it is the great privilege of the Church to convey the message of God’s forgiveness to men and women.

This sentence does not mean that the power to forgive sins was ever entrusted to any individual or group; it means that the power to proclaim that forgiveness was so entrusted, along with the power to warn that forgiveness is not open to the hard hearted and unrepentant. This sentence lays down the duty of the Church to convey forgiveness to the penitent in heart and to warn the impenitent that they are forfeiting the mercy of God.

This is forgiveness of sin is the implication of the gospel. Because Jesus has come in the flesh, because Jesus lived, died, rose again, ascended to the right hand of the Father, sent the Holy Spirit, and is coming again, His satisfaction of the wrath of God towards sin means that those who believe on Him, allegiant to Him above all things, it is by grace we are saved through faith. This is how our sin is forgiven. This is the message Jesus is sending them out to proclaim… this is the message we are to proclaim.

Peace in the pain (vss. 24-29)

The previous verses did not dwell on what we are about to see here in the next few verses. John lets us know that Thomas was not in the room that afternoon.

One of the things about pain and sorrow is that it causes us to withdrawal from community. I don’t know if this is exactly what Thomas was going through, but we do know that Thomas wasn’t in the room when Jesus appeared. We have to fight those desires to flee from community and seek isolation. We ought to be, or look for, that community where we can be together and bear with one another.

When my family suffered from a health crisis, I was given permission to take a couple months to focus on our family. Always will be grateful for that. I was given the option to go to another church during this time (this was suggested with the best heart and intentions), however this is my church, this is my community, this is what my family and I needed. Where there might be a tendency to withdrawal because of shame, sorrow, or hurt, we are created for community, and it is in the right community we find support during our healing.

Some of your stories are around how this church has rallied around families and people that are apart of this community… that was something you witnessed and drew you in.

Many of you were and have been instrumental in setting up houses to become homes. For complete strangers, the love of God in you compelled you to bless others who are going through some of the most difficult times of their lives… we need community.

The disciples tell Thomas what just happened.

Can you imagine what Thomas must have thought in that moment.

Thomas! Jesus is alive… He was here… you missed it! Oh it was so great, we know it is him.

What a cruel joke.

Either by them or by God. Why was he excluded?

Often times in our hurt we can feel isolated and alone. That those who are well meaning to encourage us, their encouragement is repelling.

Whether Thomas felt hurt or that he missed out, either are as devastating.

Thomas replies, “Unless I can put my hand in his wounds, I will not believe.”

Another grace happens. Just as Mary lingered and Jesus revealed himself to her, just as the disciples were behind locked doors and Jesus revealed himself to them, so too Thomas who is in disbelief Jesus appears to and shows himself to Thomas.

Not with rebuke. Not with shame. Not with anger. But with grace, compassion, kindness, and love.

Oh that we would be kind and gracious to the doubters. Oh that we would be kind and gracious with those who are fearful. Oh that we would be kind and gracious with those who are grieving. Oh that we would be kind and gracious with ourselves as we walk in and out of those states of mind. We should because Jesus is.

The NET Bible translates vs 27 as “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and examine my hands. Extend your hand and put it into my side. Do not continue in your unbelief, but believe.”

Such grace and kindness.

Thomas responds to what he is experiencing and cries out, John 20:28 “Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!””

This is what happens when we are confronted with the living God and recognize what the scars he still bears means for you and me.

It was the scars that pointed to His fulfilment of the promise He made long ago… that the serpent would bruise His heal, but that He would crush his head.

It is the scars that we look to that tell us of His great, unending, unrelenting love for you and for me.

Revelation 5:1-7 “Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.”

Standing in the midst, the Lion, the King… one like a slaughtered lamb… it’s His scars that tells us its true.

Let me say too that doubt and faith are the two faces of the same coin. They are both necessary. This is where Thomas’ integrity and honesty are demonstrated. He absolutely refused to say that he understood what he did not understand, or that he believed what he did not believe. There is an uncompromising honesty about him.

I’ve heard from many as they navigate high school, college, life after, that doubts arise. God is not insecure about your doubt. Just as I am confident of the love of this congregation for you, so too the love of God is greater and more steadfast… my encouragement is don’t run away from community, lean in, linger, ask God to show you, ask God to open your eyes to see Him, ask God for opportunities to know and see His heart. He shows up, He always does. It’s out of doubt that faith comes.

Thomas’ other great virtue was that when he was sure, he went the whole way. ‘My Lord and my God!’

Jesus then says, John 20:29 “Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.””

This would be us… and all those after the disciples and that generation… blessed are you who have not seen and yet believe.

Purpose is peace with God (vss. 30-31)

John the Apostle ends his gospel in verse 30 and 31

John 20:30-31 “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Many believe that John initially ended it here and then later came back and tacked on the 21st chapter. This shouldn’t bother us. The apostles would not have any issue with this. Just because he had finished the initial part of the gospel account, doesn’t mean he couldn’t come back later and add onto it. We should be able to give him this grace to be able to do so and still find it credible and good.

But John tells us that the point of this book is not about all the signs and miracles (for there were many of them), but this account was written purposefully that we who read it might believe that Jesus is King (promised one from long ago), that He is God the Son, and in believing in Him you have life (eternal and true) in His name.

There are two ways to look at this purpose of his book. Evangelical in nature or written with the heart for the believer to persevere.

Is it evangelical? John no doubt wanted people to read it and believe that Jesus is King the messiah. That he wanted people to read his testimony and believe.

Or is it for the believers who needed to be encouraged to press on

It can be both… but it seems that what John is saying here But the Gospel itself suggests the same. Throughout the Gospel, many people become initial believers, but their initial faith proves insufficient without perseverance (2:23–25; 8:30, 59). John’s goal is not simply initial faith but persevering faith, discipleship (8:30–32; 15:4–7). John’s purpose is to address believers at a lesser stage of discipleship and to invite them to persevere as true disciples.

The immediate context of how John is writing this is in the present context to believers. When John was writing this it was the church that was reading it and going out from the church into the world. Thomas provides the climax immediately preceding the conclusion and offers a paradigm for the sort of faith John seeks to elicit.

“Thomas had been a disciple; he was prepared to die for Jesus (11:16) and to follow where he led (14:5); but his faith was insufficient (20:29). Only when Thomas embraced the full testimony of the resurrection and offered the climactic christological confession that Jesus was Lord and God (20:28) had he become a developed model of faith for John’s audience. John is calling his audience to a full confession of resurrection faith: Jesus is God in the flesh, and therefore his claims cannot be compromised, for synagogue or for Caesar. John will settle for no faith less secure than this. Further, while Thomas’s faith by sight is accepted, the faith without sight expected of John’s audience is greater (20:29; cf. 2 Cor 5:6–7; 1 Pet 1:8). It is grounded in the beloved disciple’s testimony sampled in the Gospel (20:30–31), confirmed to hearers by the Paraclete (15:26–16:15).

Keener, C. S. (2012). The Gospel of John: A Commentary & 2 (Vol. 1, p. 1216). Baker Academic.

The rock that was struck that gives living water need only be spoken to in order to receive the living water.

That God has provided his one and only son of promise to fulfill the covenant of promise.

That Jesus is the passover lamb who was sacrificed that to those who believe in him, whose lives are marked by him, might be saved from sin and eternal death.

That Jesus spent three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth to then proclaim liberty to the those dead in their trespasses and sin.

1 Peter 1:8 “Though you have not seen him, you love him; though not seeing him now, you believe in him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy,”

He has the scars to prove it. He bears them still today. May it encourage us to persevere. May it cause us to be reminded, and therefore inspired to live for Him in what he has put before us this week.

May we know and believe that wherever we are… school, at home, at play, with friends, coworkers, significant others… that we have been entrusted with a beautiful and precious gift. The gospel brings life to those in whom God is drawing unto Jesus. Let us take the good news, embodying with our lives, and as we have opportunity sharing it with those who will listen. All the while being encouraged ourselves that God is for us.