Sermon Notes April 7 – The Second Sunday of Easter -  John 20:19-31

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I often try to imagine what Jesus looked like, how he walked and the sound of his voice. He was a Jewish man of first century Palestine so he was most likely of brownish-olive complexion with dark hair and eyes. He was by all accounts a carpenter or stone mason, so I imagine his hands were those of a laborer. He was familiar with the scriptures of his time, our Old Testament. He was, I imagine charismatic, confident, healthy and with a voice that was firm and yet gentle and non-judgmental most of the time.  He spoke about the things many people yearned for then and now – a promise of God’s love, a caring heart, compassion, justice for the outcast, those living on the margins of society and the weak and of God’s Kingdom. He was open to all who approached him. Imagine you are one of those who traveled with him, watched him, and heard him. You are in a tight group. And then he is taken away, brutally executed like many thousands of others over the course of the life of the Empire.

The story from John’s Gospel tells us that the disciples, all but Thomas (so, where was he?) had gathered in a locked room on the evening of that first day. Were they there to worship, to pray and sing praises?  No, they were afraid for their lives. They had just heard Mary Magdalene tell them she had seen the Lord. Yeah right (cynically) some of them might have said or thought. This is nonsense.   

 And then suddenly Jesus came and stood among them. Peace be with you, he tells them.  They are excited and filled with joy. But, in disbelief too. How can this be? You are dead!!  Aren’t you?  OK, so now what?!  They may be asking themselves.

But, in a few moments they hear Jesus say again – Peace be with you.  And he continues - As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.  Oh, OK. This is great, we see you, hear you, and it is all quite unbelievable! Yet, our questions and disbelief are still the same, –so, Now What?!  What are you sending me, us to do?  We cannot do what you did?! Can we?  And what do you mean – Peace be with us? We are frightened to death.

Then he breathed on them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” he says to them. 

There are four things that strike me in John’s story.  1) The initial disbelief of all the disciples, not just Thomas, 2) three times Jesus says to them – peace be with you; 3) He breathed the Holy Spirit on them, and 4) Jesus says he is sending the disciples out as the Father had sent him.

1)   The initial disbelief of all of the disciples, not just Thomas is quite evident. Imagine you are there the first time Jesus enters the room. Whoa!  You might say. This is quite something, but I need to know more. I am hiding in this room with my friends and colleagues because I am afraid for my life. Today, you and I, we all have our moments of fear, disbelief and uncertainty.  And we ask – what now!?

2)   Peace be with you. On Sunday mornings we often pass the “Peace of Christ” before worship begins. Many of us greet one another with a handshake, a hug and a how are you, good to see you and maybe make plans to get together, etc. and that is great – it is a recognition of one’s presence in worship in fellowship. It is a joy to see you here.

But, the time is called “Passing the Peace of Christ”.  “Good morning, I greet you with the peace of Christ.”  – Peace be with you.  

In ancient Greek and Hebrew, the languages spoken and written at the time – Peace in the sense that Jesus spoke it is Shalom in Hebrew. In the ancient Greek, which the Gospels are written peace is in this context is eirene (ee-ray-na). Both the Hebrew and Greek words connote wholeness and well-being, especially through restoring individual and corporate relationships with God and relationships between people.  

In that locked room Jesus is saying to his followers – May Wholeness and well-being be with you. May your soul be well with God and with your fellow human beings.  When we pass the peace of Christ to one another, this is what we are saying –I wish for you to be whole, to be enriched by a relationship with God and with your fellow human beings.  I honor the God within you.

3)    Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit on them. In the first few verses of Genesis the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the waters. At the very beginning of the formation and ordering the universe and life we hear of the presence and the work of the Holy Spirit. A Divine energy and presence. The Hebrew word for this spirit and presence is ruakh.  In ancient Greek word is pneuma.  Wind and breath. An energy source.  God’s wind, God’s breath.  It is a difficult concept to grasp. We tend to think linear, in blocks with boundaries. God’s Spirit is boundless.  God’s breath pulls everything together and adds life to the void. It comes alive with a soul.  

I believe the Holy Spirit teaches us how to find our path to God. The Holy Spirit moves in us, around us and through us. It is an unseen force of pure love and energy. We know it when we feel it. It makes us move with God in the world. We may sense the Holy Spirit move within us when we pray – in solitude or in community such as worship together. When we are in loving and caring service to others we may sense this unseen, unheard power of God’s Spirit.  

4)   Jesus says he is sending the disciples out as the God, the Father had sent him. This is where it all comes together I believe. It is in the activity, the doing of the words of God through Jesus that brings it to fruition. Jesus is clearly sending us, his disciples today to walk with him. Even in our moments of doubt and uncertainty we look to God who walked the earth and breathed life and a soul into people and into the world. When we work to do justice, to walk humbly, and to practice kindness the Peace of the Christ, the wholeness of life begins to take hold in us and in our community.  Jesus commissions the faithful to continue the work God sent him to do.

I am reminded of a saying by John Wesley, one of the founders of Methodism – he writes – “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”   

Amen.