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.” ²⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²²And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” ²⁴Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So 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.” ²⁶Eight 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.” ²⁷Then 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.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹but 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.

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While Jesus was with them, the disciples were not afraid. They believed that Jesus was the promised Savior, “the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). However, their fears crowded in on them when Jesus was taken by force and crucified.

After hearing about His resurrection that Easter morning, the disciples should have been rejoicing, but instead, they hid behind locked doors fearing the religious leaders. “Jesus came and stood among them” (19) to ease their fears. To assure them He was the one who lived and died on the cross and now lives again, Jesus showed them His hands and side. When the Risen Savior enters a room locked by fear, He gives His peace, and bestows faith and the Holy Spirit, which removes fears and fills hearts with joy.

That is the power our risen Savior has in our lives. When He enters our hearts that are locked by worldly fears, He assures us God loves us, is taking care of us, and will make everything come out for our good.  Jesus also assures us, His disciples, that through God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will direct our lives and give us purpose. Jesus said to His disciples: “As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you. . . . If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld” (21-23). God sent His only Son to work before the night comes when no one can work, to preach the Gospel to the poor, and to save us from our sins. Now Jesus sends us to do the same thing before it is too late. No, we cannot save people from their sins, but we can tell them that Jesus saves them from their sins.

With the risen Savior dwelling in our hearts, we have the most wonderful purpose in our lives, echoing the words of peace and forgiveness proclaimed in the closing verse of our text: “these things 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” (31). When you speak a word of God’s forgiveness to those locked behind doors of fear, sin, sickness, and even death itself, the love and the power of the risen, living Savior, reaches them and gives them the “peace of God which surpasses all understanding.

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

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