The Peace in Life

Introduction

One Easter morning, a woman was on her way to church when her car broke down. Not wanting to be late for the special service, she ordered an Uber to pick her up. The car arrived, and she quickly jumped in the back.

Halfway through the ride, she asked the driver a question, but the driver didn’t respond. So she leaned forward and tapped the driver on the arm. The driver let out a loud scream, swerved into the other lane, almost hit another car, slammed on the brakes, and skidded over to the shoulder. The woman and driver sat in silence for a minute, still in shock from what had just happened. Finally, she said apologetically, “Wow, I’m so sorry. I had no idea that tapping your shoulder would alarm you like that.”

“No, you really didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just that it’s my first day driving an Uber. You see, for the past 25 years, I’ve been driving a hearse.”

It’s often scary or uncomfortable to discuss death, but as Christians, we have the hope and joy of knowing that Jesus has overcome death and conquered the grave. Because of his victory, we have nothing to fear!

Today is Resurrection Sunday. We are celebrating Christ's resurrection and the victory He provides us. It's also our final message in the series "The Last Words of Christ." We've been looking at some of Jesus' final words during His earthly ministry. Last week, as we observed communion, we talked about Jesus' dying words on the cross: It is finished.

We’re all striving for certain things in life. Our top goals are security, love, happiness, purpose, success, and peace. We live our lives trying to find peace. But we live in a world where no one or nothing seems to have peace. It's a world at war and on fire. We feel like our world is being torn apart. Like bridges being hit by barges, the world feels on the verge of collapse. It seems there is no peace on earth because of all this causes great fear and anxiety in our lives.

In a world of social, political, and religious turmoil, peace feels impossible to obtain.  And that's just the external conflict. There's very little peace inside of us. It seems our minds and hearts live in constant conflict. When we look at the mental state of our world, we can quickly see there is very little internal peace. Even for us who seem to have a grip on life, we know internal peace is ever elusive. Life will never be 100 percent perfect and easy. So, how do we journey through the world and life yet feel peace at the same time? The world tells us that peace can be felt only when there isn’t any conflict. But that isn’t true!

Some of Jesus' last words, which were some of His first post-resurrection, can point us to peace. As elusive as it feels, peace can be yours. Bible Passage John 20:19-31

John 20:19–31 ESV

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.

Scriptural Analysis Verses 19-20 It was now Sunday evening. The disciples had almost been arrested with Jesus.  They remained under the fear of death at the hands of the Jews, so they met in secret at night, behind locked doors. Suddenly, they saw Jesus standing in the  midst, and they heard His voice saying, “Peace.” The fact that Jesus could appear or disappear quickly does not diminish his humanity but enhances it. It reveals that,  while the post-resurrection body has unique powers, it is not less than physical.  That is, it did not cease to be a material body, even if, by resurrection, it gained powers beyond mere physical bodies. They saw the print of the nails and the wound caused by the spear. Joy filled their hearts to realize it was truly the Lord. He had done as He said He would. He had risen from the dead.

Verses 21-23 Verse 21 is very beautiful. Believers are not meant to enjoy His peace selfishly.  They are to share it with others. So Jesus sends the disciples into the world, as the  Father had sent Him. The disciples are to carry on the work by going out with the  Good News.

In verse 22, we read that Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the  Holy Spirit.” The disciples experienced numerous moments of overwhelming glory as the Spirit touched and transformed them, and it all began the moment Jesus returned. They would be empowered again, in a different way, on Pentecost.

The disciples go out preaching the gospel. Some people repent of their sins and receive the Lord Jesus. The disciples are authorized to tell them that their sins have been forgiven. Others refuse to repent and will not believe in Christ. The disciples tell them that they are still in their sins and that if they die, they will perish eternally.

Verses 24-25 We should not jump to the conclusion that Thomas should be blamed for not being present. Thomas is to be blamed for his unbelieving attitude, which is based on fear.  He must have visible, tangible proof of the Lord’s resurrection; otherwise, he will not believe. This is the attitude of many today. Only the evidence of his senses could persuade Thomas that the other disciples had not seen merely a phantom or apparition, a ghost or spiritual vision. Thomas does not doubt that his friends think they saw something; he doubts only the nature of their experience.

Verses 26-28 One week later, the Lord appeared to His disciples again. They are still fearful and worried. This time, Thomas was with them. Again, the Lord Jesus entered the room  in a miraculous way and greeted them with “Peace to you!” The Lord dealt gently and patiently with His doubting follower. He invited him to prove the reality of His resurrection by putting his hand into the spear wound in His side. Thomas was convinced. He acknowledged the divinity he did not see by the wounds he did see. Thomas’ response, My Lord and My God! is the high point of the Gospel. If  Thomas said “My Lord and My God” as a gesture of surprise, Jesus would have rebuked him for taking God’s name in vain. Instead of rebuking Thomas, Jesus  commended him for recognizing his true identity as “Lord” and “God.” There was a fearful, skeptical man confronted by the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. He announced that Jesus, the Man of Galilee, is God.

Verses 29-31 The important thing to notice is that Jesus accepted worship as God. If He were only a Jewish man, He would have refused it. Thomas’ faith was not the kind that was most pleasing to the Lord. It was belief based on sight. More blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Not all the miracles performed by Jesus are recorded in John’s Gospel. The Holy  Spirit selected those signs that would best serve His purpose. Here, we have  John’s object in writing the book. It was so that his readers may believe that Jesus is the true Messiah and the Son of God. Believing they will have eternal life in His name.

TODAY'S KEY TRUTH Peace in life is found in the Defeat of Death Application Eric Barker was a missionary from Great Britain who had spent over forty years in Portugal preaching the gospel, often under adverse conditions. During World War II, the situation became so critical that he took the advice to send his wife and eight children to England for safety. His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship. Barker remained behind to conclude some mission matters. The Sunday after Barker’s loved ones had left, he stood before the congregation and said, “I’ve just received word that all my family have arrived safely home.” He then proceeded with the service as usual. Later, the full meaning of his words became known to his people. He had been handed a wire just before the meeting, informing him that a submarine had torpedoed the ship, and everyone on board had drowned. Barker knew that his family were believers, and the knowledge that his family was enjoying the bliss of heaven enabled him to live above his circumstances in spite of his overwhelming grief. Where does that peace come from? How does one face that amount of grief and death and stay intact? How do some people face their own death with peace?

What does the Bible say about peace? We just read a theologically thick text. The Bible says peace is confidence and trust in Jesus. The opposite of peace is anxiety, which these disciples were filled with at this moment. The opposite of peace is not hopelessness or despair. The opposite of peace is fear or anxiety. Peace, therefore, has to do with confidence in Jesus. The Bible says, “Do not be anxious about anything." Where do you get that peace from? At the moment of the resurrection, as Jesus’ body came to life, fear and anxiety died.  The disciples were consumed with fear. They hid in fear of death. Thomas was so consumed with his fear that he doubted the men he had spent three years of his life with following Jesus. Fear and anxiety had consumed them all.

But soon, the disciples went from men filled with fear to men who refused to deny the resurrected Christ even when they were persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, and martyred. They went from defeated men at the crucifixion to deeply committed believers. They went from cowards to martyrs.

Their fears died because of the resurrection. At the resurrection, not only were death and the grave conquered, but all fear and anxiety were defeated. If we no longer are held in the grip of death, if the grave can no longer hold us, then what does fear hold over us? And if death no longer holds us in fear, what can man, what can life do to me? That is true, lasting, eternal peace. That is peace the world can't take away.

Fear is based upon one thing: the unknown. We fear what we don’t know. You’re not sure if you will survive another day. You’re not sure if your health will remain good. You’re not sure if you are being accepted by others. You’re not sure what life holds for you as you are growing older. You are not sure about what could happen to your children. You're not 100% sure what comes with death?

While you might not know what tomorrow holds for you as an individual, you do know who holds tomorrow in His hands. You do know the one who created the vast universe out of nothing. You do know the one who resurrected Christ. You do know the one who conquered your ultimate enemy, death. And you  know the promises He has made to you concerning what we face: Isaiah 12 - Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Psalm 118 - The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. Psalm 3 - I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. Psalm 46 - Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.

Most of the world’s behavior, and a lot of ours as well, is based on fear.  Fear of the unknown, fear of change, and fear of death can all cause us to do and say things that are damaging, destructive, and divisive. Fear has ripped apart many lives, families, and even churches. But the resurrection destroyed fear’s power over us. The resurrection of Christ frees us from all fear. The unknown, change, and especially death should no longer strike fear within our hearts. If Christ conquered death, there is nothing He cannot overcome, and there is nothing we should fear. That is true, lasting, eternal peace.

Peace in life is found in the Defeat of Death Conclusion Christianity is defined by the resurrection. It is the Resurrection that changed everything. If Jesus died on a cross carrying your sins and then He was resurrected from that sin carrying death, then you can inherit His righteousness. That’s the beauty of all this: A sinless savior takes your sins, and you receive His righteous standing before God so that you can be forgiven and enter into Heaven to be reunited with your Creator, and all of this brings glory to Him. The resurrection proved the validity of Christ’s claims about Himself and the truth of all that He said. Our trust is not in myths or self-diluted beliefs but in the true and proven facts in the gospel. Jesus can radically transform your life today and set you free from fear’s grip. His resurrection can liberate you from fear, anxiety, and, most importantly, sin. The resurrection is the death of fear and the beginning of eternal life for all who will believe in Him.

Everything in life we fear is ultimately based upon our fear of death. Everything. Pause and reflect. Trace every fear you currently suffer from. Every fear we have goes back to death. Because if we don't fear death, what can life throw at you? That fear and anxiety of what is going on with your family, your finances, or your health died when Jesus conquered death. That is the source of peace. And that source never goes away.

Peace in life is found in the Defeat of Death

I've said before you can't connect the dots of life looking forward. You can only connect the dots looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will connect someday. Which means you have to trust in something beyond yourself. You have to believe that God has a plan for your life, even if it has played out differently than you expected. Believing the dots will connect down the road will give you peace during the uncertainty on the path before you. Life only makes sense in the reverse. In eternity, the dots will all connect. Knowing that is knowing peace. God raising Jesus from the dead was His offer of peace with you and to you. It's a peace that makes no sense to the world. It's a peace that will protect you, like Jesus when he slept on a ship being tossed about by a storm. God will give you peace like Jesus had when he was suffering the pain and agony of a physical death while carrying the weight of the world's sin on his shoulder. It's a peace that transcends all understanding because it is peace from Jesus, who conquered death for you. Jesus vanquished your biggest fear.

Peace in life is found in the Defeat of Death

Hear the first words of Jesus resurrected to the disciples spoken anew and afresh to you this morning: “Peace be with you.” With those words, the risen Christ imparts the peace of eternity into your present world. He speaks peace to your fears and anxiety. With those words, our hearts and minds are calmed and eased because the resurrected Christ frees us from all fear. Peace in life is found in the Defeat of Death