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Far More – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19-31

19 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.” 20 When 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.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.” 

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! 
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Imagine you were building a house. You wouldn’t start by arranging the furniture or painting interior walls because there aren’t any rooms or walls to paint. You’d begin with the foundation – a foundation that is solid and will stand firm in the midst of wind, rain, snow, and all the other things our northern climate could throw at it because the prettiest walls and nicest furniture won’t save a house from collapsing.

Our faith has a foundation that can withstand all the things that the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh can and will throw at it. John wrote to give that foundation. He clearly states that he doesn’t record all the signs Jesus did – there were far more. In fact, John says that even if he tried to write everything Jesus did, the whole world wouldn’t be able to contain the books that would be written (Jn. 21:25). But the signs John does record provide a solid foundation for eternal life (Jn. 20:30-31). John says that he chose his signs to reveal Jesus’ identity as the Christ and Son of God. But each of those signs are rightly read and understood only when we consider the ultimate sign – the eighth sign – which is Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.

As I was considering what to preach from this text, I thought it would be fun to preach on the last two verses because preaching on them meant skimming through and summarizing the entire Gospel of John with all the signs that it contains. So, here we go.

The first sign John records is Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana (Jn. 2:1-12), which reveals that Jesus has authority over creation. Jesus uses His authority to provide not just what is good, but what is extravagant and delightful. The sign invites us to see that, In an empty world, Jesus fills our lives with His abundant joy.

The second sign John recorded was Jesus healing the royal official’s son (Jn. 4:46-54). Jesus simply speaks a word while He’s about sixteen miles away from where that boy lay dying, and the child was healed in the same moment. This sign shows Jesus’ boundless authority over both distance and death.

The third sign is when Jesus heals a crippled man who lay by a pool in Jerusalem (Jn. 5:1-14). Because Jesus does this sign on the Sabbath, it reveals that Jesus is the One who brings true rest by making the broken whole. That sign shows that in a world paralyzed by sin and pain, Jesus restores.

We heard the fourth sign a few weeks ago – the feeding of the 5,000 men, plus women and children with five loaves and two fish (Jn. 6:1-13). That sign recalled how God had fed His people in the wilderness with manna, but Jesus says He has come to do far more. The sign shows that He is the very Bread of Life from heaven (Jn. 6:35) who nourishes us for eternity.

The fifth sign immediately follows that when Jesus walks on water (Jn. 6:16-24). As the disciples battle a storm, Jesus walks to them on the sea, and when He gets into the boat, they immediately arrive at their destination. This sign also reveals Jesus’ dominion and authority over creation. But here, Jesus also invokes the divine name – Yahweh, “I am” – on Himself (Jn. 6:20). This sign shows that Jesus is the God who safely brings the troubled to their desired haven (Ps. 107:28-30).

The sixth sign is when Jesus heals a man who had been blind from birth (Jn. 9). This sign confirms Jesus’ claim that He is the Light of the World (John 9:5). Jesus has come to give us more than simple sight. In a dark world, Jesus opens our eyes to the light of His truth.

The seventh sign is Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:1-45). Lazarus had been dead four days, but Jesus simply calls him out the grave. This sign reveals that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (Jn. 11:25). This sign shows that Jesus is the Author of Life (Act. 3:15).

These seven signs show Jesus is the gracious Creator, the mighty Healer, the generous Provider, and the Lord over death. John chose these seven signs, and again, he admits that he could have written far more. Those seven signs point to the fact that Jesus was sent by God. And yet, do they really prove that Jesus is God’s Son? Other prophets who had been sent by God had done similar signs. Moses had turned water into blood (Ex. 7:14-25). Elijah and Elisha had healed and raised people from the dead (1 Kgs. 17:17-24; 2 Kgs. 4:18-37). Elisha also miraculously fed a crowd with a tiny amount of food and had some left over (2 Kgs. 4:42-44).

However, Jesus is more than a prophet. He’s the Christ and Son of God who brings life to all who believe in Him. When John wrote this Gospel, he wasn’t out to prove that Jesus was a powerful individual. John wants far more than that. He wants you to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and Savior so that you would have life in His name (Jn. 20:31).

That’s why John doesn’t say what all the signs are pointing to until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Those seven signs point to the most important, eighth sign – Jesus’ dying and rising. On the cross, Jesus’ glory shines brightest (Jn. 12:23-24). He takes your sin and your shame. And the empty tomb is what seals the deal. Christ died and raised Himself to life (Jn. 10:17-18) so you can know that all sickness, sin, death, and fear; all pain, sorrow, and sadness; all trouble, toil, and tribulation will be done away with forever. That’s the solid foundation.

Mary Magdalene sees the risen Jesus and worships (Jn. 20:11-18). The fearful disciples see and rejoice (Jn. 20:19-20). Unbelieving Thomas has his disbelief melt into the declaration, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn. 20:28). Christ’s resurrection proves more than every other sign because it shows that Jesus is where you find far more than temporary blessings. Jesus is where God gives you grace upon grace (Jn. 1:16) and manifests God’s saving love for you (Jn. 1:18).

The signs John writes down to strengthen and encourage your faith weren’t tricks. They aren’t fables or nice stories. They’re evidence. Faith in Christ isn’t a blind leap. John’s signs are rooted in history, witnessed by real people. Their initial doubts actually bolster our faith. Most of the eyewitnesses of Jesus chose to die rather than denying Him and the things He did because Jesus proved that He is the Son of God.

Believe, and have life in Jesus’ name (Jn. 20:31). Jesus has defeated sin, death, and the devil. He is the sure, sturdy foundation on which you can build your entire life. Jesus is the Christ. In a crumbling world, you have a Savior who has come to restore all things and make them new (Rev. 21:5).

You can build your entire life on the foundation of Christ. The cross and resurrection are the sure cornerstone. A life built on that is no flimsy shed. It’s a fortress. Trust Jesus because, in Him and in Him alone, you have life – eternal, abundant life in His almighty name. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! 
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Unlocked – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19–31

19 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.” 20 When 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.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.” 

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Normally, I try to have one main theme or point in my sermons. Today, I’m throwing that out the window, and you’re going to get three mini-sermons. Yes, each of them is mini.

Sermon #1 – Jesus unlocks the New Creation. When God the Father created the world, He formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living creature (Gen. 2:7). Now in our Gospel text here, the resurrected Son of God stands among His disciples the very evening He rose, and He breathes on them saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any it is withheld” (Jn. 20:22-23).

The way the Holy Spirit inspired this to be written, we are supposed to see those two things – Jesus’ breathing on the disciples and also what He says about the Holy Spirit and forgiveness – as one action. In other words, Jesus’ statement is how Jesus breathes on the disciples. With the breathing of those words, Jesus is unlocking the new creation to you, believer. You who are in Christ through faith, you are a new creation; the old has passed away and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17).

Sermon #2 – Locked doors don’t matter to Jesus. This text drops us into the room with the disciples Easter evening, so 1,991 years and seven days ago. It had been a chaotic day. Angels were appearing and talking to people. The resurrected Jesus has been popping up all over the place. Even with all of that going on throughout the day, the disciples and the women are gathered together in a house with the doors locked because they were afraid.

Luke in his Gospel also tells us about that evening (Lk. 24:36-49), and the way Luke records it, it seems like there is a disagreement between them all. It seems like some of them believe Jesus is raised, but some of them think something else is going on because Luke says that even when they see Jesus they think He is a ghost (Lk. 24:26-27). 

The way John words things here in v. 19, it makes it seem like Jesus invisibly goes through the locked door, but once He’s through He is suddenly visible. But listen to how Luke records it (Lk. 24:36): “As they were talking about these things, Jesus Himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’” The way that is worded makes it seem like Jesus was right there the whole time, and He suddenly appears – He makes Himself visible – while they are all confused and trying to make sense of everything that had been going on that day.

Then, Jesus asks for some food, and He eats a piece of broiled fish because, of course, ghosts wouldn’t be able to eat food. Then Jesus shows them His hands, feet, and side (just like He does here). The disciples touch Jesus. Not only do they see Him, they also feel Him hug Him. Who knows? Maybe they even gave Him high fives and fist bumps.

Now, here’s the point of mini sermon #2: Just because you can’t see Jesus with your eyes, that does not mean that He isn’t here. Jesus promised, at least a few months before His crucifixion, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Mt. 18:20). Dear saints, Jesus is really, truly, actually here with us this morning. If He wanted to, He could appear and ask for something to eat. Anyone carrying a can of sardines? But even better, He is here and will give you His Body to eat and His Blood to drink. Jesus is here. So, believe.

Sermon #3 – Jesus has some unlocking for you to do. When Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, He gives Christians the authority to forgive and to bind sin (Jn. 20:22-23). Remember when the lame man was lowered through the roof to be before Jesus (Mt. 9:1-8; Mk. 2:1-12; Lk. 5:17-26); what did Jesus say to him? “Your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees grumbled because they rightly said that only God can forgive sins. Then, Jesus proves He is God and has authority to forgive sins by healing the man. Well, the one who has the authority to forgive sins extends that authority to His Church the same day He rose from the dead.

I’ve used this analogy about absolution before, but it’s helpful and worth hearing it again. Imagine you are found guilty of a crime and locked in prison. As you sit in your cell, a judge looks over your case and rules that you are innocent. He sends an order to the guard of your prison to set you free. The guard comes to your cell with the keys, unlocks the door, walks you out of the prison, and releases you back into society. Now who set you free – the judge or the guard? Honestly, the answer is both. The judge uses his authority to free you, and the guard uses his hands and feet to free you. Both things work together – the judge’s authority and the guard’s releasing because of that authority. 

When we gather together as God’s people here in God’s house, it is right for us to confess our sins together. And it is right for the man you have called to be your pastor – which is me – to proclaim God’s absolution and forgiveness for those sins. In the church, the pastors are the guys with the keys (Mt. 16:18-19). And please know that I wouldn’t have the guts to declare that forgiveness if Scripture didn’t clearly say that is what I, as the pastor, am to do. That is why the absolution is “by Christ’s command and authority.”

And this authority isn’t only given to pastors to announce over congregations. Jesus gives all believers this authority. You can announce this forgiveness. If someone comes to you and tells you about their sin and guilt and shame, point them to Jesus. Tell them that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And tell them, “I forgive you of your sins because of what Jesus has done. And I do that because that’s what Jesus Himself would do.”

Dear saints, Jesus is way better at forgiving than you are at sinning. The absolution is a great gift that Jesus has given to the Church. That is the message Jesus has sent us into the world to announce (Jn. 20:21). That is the peace that Jesus gives when He says, “Peace to you.” It is the peace that declares those sins are gone. As far as the east is from the west, so far has Jesus removed our transgressions from us (Ps. 103:12).

Dear Ava, that brings me to you. Ava, today you are Baptized. Today, Jesus has joined you to Himself by placing His name upon you (Mt. 28:19) and clothed you with Himself (Gal. 3:27). In your Baptism, Jesus joined you to His death so that you have a Jesus-kind of death – in other words, a death that doesn’t last long and ends in resurrection (Ro. 6:3-11). Ava, you have been born of God; stay in the faith which overcomes the world (1 Jn. 5:4).

Our service today opened with 1 Pet. 2:2, “Like newborn infants long for the pure spiritual milk of the Word.” May all of us continually be fed and nourished by that Word that unlocks our sin and opens the way to eternal life. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Sidewalk of Faith – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19–31

19 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.” 20 When 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.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.” 

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The Bible says our faith depends on Jesus’ resurrection. If it was proven that Jesus did not rise from the dead, Scripture says that you can forget everything else in the Bible. In 1 Cor. 15:14, Paul writes, “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.”

The work of the Holy Spirit is not to convert reasonable, sensible people to believe wild stories. Instead, the Holy Spirit converts stubborn, obstinate hearts to believe reasonable things. The resurrection of Jesus is completely reasonable and historical. If you find it reasonable that Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet – even though you didn’t see him write it with your own eyes – there is just as much evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. If Jesus rose from the dead, which He did, then you have to take Him seriously. And if you take Jesus seriously, you have to take the entire Bible seriously because Jesus took the Bible seriously.

To demonstrate that the Holy Spirit works on stubborn hearts to believe reasonable things, consider Thomas here. Our text starts the evening of Jesus’ resurrection. The ten disciples (minus Thomas) are sitting in a locked room in Jerusalem because they were afraid (Jn. 20:19), and Jesus appears to them. He forgives them of their sinful fear by saying, “Peace be with you.” And Christ restores them by sending them out with the authority to forgive sins. Then, Jesus leaves. Thomas arrives and hears the ten tell him about seeing Jesus, but he refuses to believe. There is no reason whatsoever for the ten to lie about this, and yet Thomas refuses to believe what they tell him. Unless he can thrust his fingers and hand in Jesus’ hands and side, he’s not going to believe. Thomas was being stubborn – sinfully, hard-heartedly stubborn. He doesn’t believe what is perfectly reasonable to believe.

The same can be said about those who refuse to believe in Jesus’ resurrection today. Christ’s resurrection is one of the most verifiable historical facts. Still, some make excuses to not believe. They will say the disciples just wanted to become rich and famous. Sure, they’re famous today, but they weren’t during their lives. The disciples had nothing to gain from lying about the resurrection. In fact, their lives would have been better if they had gone back to their fishing businesses or tax collecting. Through their entire lives, they were poor, arrested, persecuted, beaten, and all of them, except John, died for preaching that Jesus had risen. You don’t die for something you know is a lie. A modern atheist philosopher has said that when you consider the disciples’ lives after the resurrection, something must have happened for them to live the way they did. I don’t know what his conclusion ultimately is, but he admits there is no doubt that they had nothing to gain for what they preached.

Some doubters will say that the Gospel accounts are too different to be reliable. One gospel says two angels are at the tomb, another only has one, another doesn’t mention any. The number and names of the women vary between the Gospels. Well, the response to that is that each Gospel was written by different individuals to different audiences for different reasons. Certain details are more important to each writer, and each author doesn’t have to mention every detail. When you consider the resurrection accounts of the four Gospels, the details all fit together. And the differences are, actually, further evidence that the accounts are not made up or fabricated. A doctor of law, who teaches lawyers how to evaluate witness testimony, says that slight differences between the four Gospels are actually further evidence to their reliability. Perfectly harmonized testimony indicates that witnesses are trying to hide or distort something. But that is not what we have in the Gospels. We have varied but consistent, compatible testimony to the resurrection.

Beyond all that, there is evidence outside the Bible that points to the resurrection. A Roman emperor talks about how surprised he is that the first Christians all testified to Jesus’ resurrection and would rather die than deny it. A reliable Jewish historian, who wasn’t a Christian that lived shortly after Christ’s resurrection, says the same. All of this is to say that believing in the resurrection of Jesus is perfectly reasonable and sensible. Again, Christianity is not believing in myths or fairy tales. Christianity is believing that the Son of God came into human history to save and forgive sinners. If someone doesn’t believe that, it is only because of their own stubborn hard-heartedness, and the Holy Spirit must come and remove that heart of stone.

Faith in Jesus is always a work of the Holy Spirit. But what we believe is completely reasonable. The Christian faith isn’t a thoughtless dependence on something unknowable. Faith is grounded in Jesus’ death and resurrection. Another thing about this is that the Holy Spirit uses the fact of Christ’s resurrection to help us fight against sin because sin is nothing more than unbelief. Romans 14:23 says, “whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.”

Let’s use an analogy to get this across. When was the last time you had to concentrate to walk on a sidewalk? A normal sidewalk – clear, clean, flat, straight, no cracks or bumps. It’s three feet across – maybe wider – so it isn’t like walking on a tightrope. You’ve probably never had to think about it. You just walk straight. Almost everyone can do that successfully. Congratulations, you can all pat yourselves on the back. 

 Now, let’s change one thing. What if that sidewalk was suspended between two skyscrapers hundreds of feet in the air.[1] Everything else about that sidewalk is exactly the same. Completely firm, straight, and level. There’s no wind. (I know that’s hard to imagine living here in the Red River Valley, but the air is perfectly still.) There are still no guardrails, and you don’t have a harness that connects you to anything. If you fall off that sidewalk, you will plummet to your death. In that situation, you’d probably be stressed about taking that stroll. Your pace might be cut in half. You might be crawling on your belly. You might not be willing to take one step out on that sidewalk – even though you know you’re perfectly capable of doing it. You can walk straight, but being way up in the air like that is going to make it a completely different, terrifying experience. You would have to fight your doubts to believe you can do it because the consequences of not doing it right are fatal.

This is how it is living the Christian faith. The Holy Spirit persuades you about the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, and because Jesus is risen from the dead, everything He says is true – both Law and Gospel. What He says is sinful is sinful and separates you from God. What He promises is also true – that His death delivers you from sin, that He forgives you, that He is coming back for you. And because Jesus’ resurrection is so historically verifiable, none of that hard to believe intellectually. It’s as simple as walking on a normal sidewalk on the ground. But some still refuse to do it because the stakes are high. There are times when believing in Jesus is like walking on that sidewalk hung hundreds of feet in the air. There’s no question we can do it, but we have to fight against our fears and actually do it.

For example, you are tempted to twist the truth so your reputation isn’t ruined. You are tempted to get something without working for it and earning it. You are tempted to have an inappropriate relationship with someone who isn’t your spouse. Whatever sin it is, it doesn’t matter. In each of those moments, it’s like the sidewalk has been suspended between those skyscrapers and faith begins to waver and falter. In those moments of temptation, you realize that what the Bible says is inconvenient to what your sinful nature wants to do. You just need to keep walking straight and stay on the sidewalk. And it is precisely in those moments you need to remember that Jesus is risen, and everything He has said and done matters. And your faith needs to fight against those sinful urges and desires.

It isn’t that you need to be stronger in your own discipline and strength. Instead, you need to be stronger in your faith that Christ is risen, and the fact that Christ is risen changes everything. When you face temptations, ask yourself, “Is Jesus risen?” Because the answer is, “Yes,” you need to fight against those temptations and continue to believe that Jesus forgives you even though it is difficult. That’s when the Holy Spirit will come and continue to strengthen and encourage you to resist falling into those sins, whatever they are.

Like Thomas in this text, you have no good reason to disbelieve. Yet, our faith is often weak and shallow. To you, Jesus says what He said to Thomas, “Do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Get over yourself and believe what is obviously true. Jesus is risen from the dead and loves you. He has forgiven you of your sins and will return to bring you to Himself. And be encouraged because Jesus was thinking of you when He blessed you and spoke of you one week after His resurrection. You are in the Bible from Jesus’ own lips. Jesus says of you, “Blessed are those who have not seen,” and that’s you, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

You have everything you need to fight against the temptations that you face (1 Cor. 10:13). The Holy Spirit continues to work on you, strengthening your faith about the facts of Jesus’ resurrection. And when you sin and fail and falter, Jesus’ death and resurrection has you covered. Because of what Jesus has done, you are forgiven, redeemed, and equipped to live in a fallen, broken world. And, dear saints, through that Holy Spirit-wrought faith, you overcome the world (1 Jn. 5:4).

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] This analogy is borrowed and adapted from Pr. Jared Melius from Denver, CO.

Forgiven & Blessed – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

John 20:19-31

19 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.” 20 When 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. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.” 

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The evening of the Resurrection, Jesus seeks out the disciples just like He sought Adam and Eve when they hid themselves behind some fig leaves in the Garden. Fear had reduced those ten disciples to a bunch of dead bones (Ezk. 37:1-14). It was only ten of them because Judas had betrayed Jesus, and Thomas wasn’t there. Where was Thomas? The text doesn’t specifically say, but we do have some clues from Scripture. So, put on your Sherlock Holmes hats, and let’s do some deductive reasoning together.

Early that morning, Peter and John saw the empty tomb and the neatly folded burial cloths (Jn. 20:1-10). And throughout the day, Jesus had been appearing to all sorts of people. First, to Mary Magdalene (Jn. 20:11-18), and shortly after that, to the other women who had gone to the tomb (Mt. 28:9-10). At some point, Jesus appears to Peter privately (Lk. 24:34) and to two other disciples, who were not part of the twelve, on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24:13-35). So, Jesus is popping up all over the place, but the disciples have locked and imprisoned themselves in that upper room afraid for their lives.

They knew that the Pharisees had Pilate set a guard at the tomb to keep the disciples from trying to fake a resurrection (Mt. 27:62-66). These ten disciples are afraid that a bunch of soldiers are out looking for them to kill them just like they had killed Jesus. So, again, why isn’t Thomas there? The Gospel of John seems to suggest that Thomas wasn’t afraid. Thomas has been given the unfortunate nickname ‘doubting Thomas,’ but he may have been bolder and more fearless than the other disciples. Back in John 11, which was probably just a few weeks before the crucifixion, Thomas was ready to die with Christ. In John 11, Jesus suggests that they all go to Judea where He will raise Lazarus. Eleven of the disciples aren’t too keen on the idea because Jesus was almost stoned there twice (Jn. 8:59, 10:31), but Thomas speaks up, “Let’s go with Him that we may die with Him” (Jn. 11:16).

So, back to the day of Jesus’ resurrection: Peter and John tell the other disciples that they had found the tomb empty. Mary Magdalene reports that she has seen and talked with Jesus (Jn. 20:18). The other women tell the disciples that they have seen and talked with angels and with Jesus (Lk. 24:10-11). The two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus and Peter all say that they have seen Jesus (Lk. 24:33-35). All these reports of Jesus’ resurrection are coming in, which might have made Thomas curious. Now, Scripture doesn’t say explicitly, but it isn’t a stretch to imagine that Thomas isn’t behind those locked doors because he is out trying to find Jesus. If he gets caught by the soldiers and killed, so what? He is ready to die with Jesus.

But while Thomas is away, Jesus appears to the ten, speaks peace to them, shows them His wounds, breathes the Holy Spirit on them, and sends them out to with the authority to forgive sins. Then, Jesus leaves. At some point, Thomas comes back and the ten say, “Jesus was here, and you just missed Him.” Thomas is frustrated, and he doesn’t respond well at all. He defiantly says, “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.”

It ends up, all eleven disciples had locked themselves up, just in different ways. Ten had locked themselves in the prison of the fear of death, but Thomas has locked himself in the prison of unbelief because he hasn’t seen what the others have seen. Well, those prison bars and doors aren’t a problem for Jesus. Christ appears through the locked doors of fear to forgive the sin of the ten. And Jesus gives the disciples the authority to forgive sins saying, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Then, one week later, Jesus will appear to Thomas and unlock the doors of unbelief. But let’s consider for just a minute how Jesus gives the ten the authority to forgive sins.

Think back to when Jesus healed the paralytic who was lowered through the roof (Mt. 9:1-8; Mk. 2:1-12; Lk. 5:17-26). Instead of healing the guy right away, Jesus says to him, “Your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees grumbled at this saying that only God could forgive sins. So, Jesus heals the paralytic proving that He has the authority to forgive sin. Now, on Easter evening, Jesus passes that authority on to the disciples and, ultimately, all Christians.

Sin has put all humanity behind bars in the prison of death. But Jesus has come to give release to everyone who is in captivity to sin (Lk. 4:18; Is. 61:1). Because God has called me to be the pastor here, I am called to give that same release of sin. It is why, after we have confessed our sins and receive the absolution, I say, “As a called and ordained servant of Christ and by His command and authority, I declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins.” Because Jesus has the authority to forgive and passed this authority to all Christians, it is as though Jesus is doing it Himself. Think of it this way.

Imagine you are guilty of a crime and in jail. As you sit there in prison, a judge across town rules that you are innocent. That ruling doesn’t do you any good until that judge sends an order to the guard of your prison to set you free. Then, the guard comes with the keys, unlocks your cell, and releases you back into society. Now, in that scenario, who set you free, the judge or the guard? Honestly, the answer is both.

If the judge declares you innocent but the guard doesn’t go to your cell and open the door, you are still behind bars. On the other hand, if the guard lets you out without any order or declaration from the judge, you are free, but you will live the rest of your life waiting to be arrested because you haven’t been justly declared innocent.

Now, non-Christians live as though the guard has let them out, but the judge hasn’t issued the ruling that they are set free. They are like Thomas on the evening of the resurrection. Jesus has taken the punishment they deserve and forgiven them of all their sins, but that freedom doesn’t do them any good because they don’t believe that they are really, truly free.

Christian, that is where you come in. You can announce this forgiveness to others. If someone comes to you and tells you about their sin and guilt and shame, you can tell them of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Tell them that Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, and His resurrection shows that God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice. And tell them, “I forgive you of your sins because of what Jesus has done.”

There is another side to this. Some Christians are like the ten disciples. They live as though the judge has issued the ruling, but they stay in their cell as though the guard hasn’t let them out. So, they remain in prison fearing that that freedom will get them in trouble. Dear saints, when you hear the absolution, it is nothing more than the guard letting you out of the prison of sin and death by Jesus’ ruling that you are forgiven. You really are free, and your sins are removed from you as far as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12).

That is the Gospel message. That is the authority Jesus has given to the Church. That is the message Jesus has sent us into the world to announce. That is the peace that Jesus gives when He says, “Peace to you.” It is the peace that, because He died and rose again, sins are forgiven. They are gone.

I want to close with Jesus’ response to Thomas’ confession, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus replies, “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus is speaking about you there. The risen Jesus had you in mind when He spoke those words. You have not seen Your resurrected Savior in the flesh. You don’t see the marks in Jesus’ hands and side. Instead, you see crosses that remind you of the death that Christ died for you. You see the Font where Jesus delivers to you His mercy and forgiveness and washes away your sins. You see an altar on which nothing has ever been sacrificed but which Jesus uses as His table to feed you bread and wine which Jesus says is His risen Body and Blood.

You do not see, but you hear the same proclamation of Jesus, “Peace to you.” That peace is yours because Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity is crucified, died, and was buried. He is risen again to give you His peace and the forgiveness of all your sins now and for all eternity. Dear saints, you are forgiven and blessed by your crucified and risen Lord and Savior.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A Strange Congregation – Sermon on Ezekiel 37:1-14 for the Second Sunday of Easter

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Ezekiel 37:1-14

1 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.” 

7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. 

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Ezekiel had an odd call to preach to a strange congregation. God brought Ezekiel out by the Spirit into the middle of a valley. It was full of bones, lots of bones. And these bones were dry – very dry. This congregation, maybe we could call it Dry Bones Lutheran, they weren’t loving their neighbor. They weren’t shining the love of Christ to the world. They weren’t improving day by day. They were just lying there, dead and dry.

Then God asks Ezekiel the question: “Son of man, can these bones live?” What kind of question is that? When God asks something like that, what answer can you give? Ezekiel goes the safe route, “O Lord God, You know.” That’s as secure of a reply as you can give.

Well, God gives Ezekiel a call to preach to this strange congregation. “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’” It’s an odd call. How many times did Jesus say after His sermons, “He who has ears, let him hear”? But here, God calls Ezekiel to preach to a congregation of bare bones that don’t even have ears.

“O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

The sermon is preached. And God’s little sermon appears to be working. There is a rattling. The toe bone connected to foot bone to ankle bone to shin bone to knee bone to leg bone to hip bone to back bone to rib bone to shoulder bone to neck bone to head bone. Now hear the Word of the Lord!

But wait a second. Bones are connected, sinews hold together, muscles have grown, and skin covers. But there is still no breath, no spirit, no life. Wasn’t the sermon supposed to be done? Well, not yet. God has more for Ezekiel to preach. “Prophesy to the breath.”

Now, pause here for just a second. In Hebrew, the word for ‘wind’ and ‘breath’ and ‘spirit’ is all the same word. Ten times in this text, that word comes up. Seven times, it is translated as ‘breath.’ In v. 9, it’s translated as ‘wind.’ But back in v. 1 and again in v. 14, it is translated as ‘Spirit’ referring to the Holy Spirit. But, again, it’s all the same word. And I think, I could be wrong, but I think there is a sense here that God is calling Ezekiel to preach a sermon to the Holy Spirit. “Prophesy, son of man, and say to the Spirit, ‘Come from the four winds and breathe on these slain that they may live.’” In other words, it could be something like, “Holy Spirit, come from the four winds and spirit (as a verb) on these slain, that they may live.”

Ezekiel preaches, and after this second sermon is preached, what do you know? God’s Word works. The Spirit comes into these lifeless bodies that just a couple moments before had been bones, dry bones. Now, they live, and they are an exceedingly great army.

Finally, God tells Ezekiel exactly what was going on. The army is the entirety of God’s people. They were complaining that their bones are dried up and they are cut off. But God promises that He will open their graves and raise them up causing life to come into them. He will bring them into their own land. He will put His Spirit into them, they will live, and they will know that God is the Lord. He promises to do this. He is faithful, and He will do it (1 Thes. 5:24).

Now, this lesson from Ezekiel is fulfilled in our Gospel lesson (Jn. 20:19-31). That first Easter evening, the disciples are all huddled together. They aren’t in a valley, but in the upper room. Sure, they aren’t dry, dead bones, but they are as good as dead because of their fear.

We know they were already afraid of suffering the same fate that Jesus suffered because Jesus said that if they persecuted Him they would be persecuted as well (Jn. 15:20). They know that Pilate had Jesus’ tomb sealed because the religious leaders were worried that the disicples would steal Christ’s body and claim that He had risen (Mt. 27:62-66; Jn. 20:19). But even worse, they have heard that Jesus is alive. That might have been their biggest cause of fear because they had all abandoned Jesus when He was betrayed. They weren’t with Him during His trial and crucifixion. They don’t know what a resurrected Jesus means for them. Maybe He’s mad and is coming after them for their failure. You don’t want a Guy who can walk out of the grave as your enemy.

But then, Jesus enters the room even though the doors were locked. And what does He do for this little congregation dead in fear? He shows them His hands and side as He preaches, “Peace be with you.” That little band of dry, dead disciples come together to see Christ’s wounds and become glad. But at this point, they’re still like those bones, muscles, sinews, and skin that come together in Ezekiel. But they still have no life, no spirit.

So, Jesus has more to preach to them. And the second sermon starts the same as the first, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” Jesus breathes on them. Christ spirits them. He gives them the Holy Spirit, just like in Ezekiel’s second sermon. But we have to pause a moment first. When Jesus says He is sending the disciples just like God the Father had sent Him, what does He mean? What are they to do?

Because God sent Jesus to do a lot of things. God sent Jesus to earth to be both God and Man. God sent Jesus to live a perfect life of obedience. God sent Jesus to preach and teach. God sent Jesus to do miracles. And most importantly, God sent Jesus to be the once-for-all sacrifice for sins. God sent Christ to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). God sent Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin (2 Cor. 5:21). God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sin and rise again for our justification (Ro. 4:25). God sent Jesus to do all of that, but Jesus isn’t saying that He is sending the disciples to do any of those things. 

That’s why Jesus gets very specific after He tells the disciples that He is sending them just as the Father had sent Him. These disciples are sent, just as Jesus had been sent, to do something very specific. Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any it is withheld.”

God had sent Jesus to proclaim God’s mercy and forgiveness, and that is what Jesus is saying that He is sending the disciples to do. Jesus sends them out with the Holy Spirit to forgive sins. And this call is given, in the first place to these apostles (‘apostle’ is the term Jesus uses when He says, “I am sending you,” it’s lit.“I’m ‘apostle-ing’ you.”). And this call is extended to pastors who carry on the apostolic ministry. But this call even extends to all Christians who have been given the Holy Spirit and confess the name of Jesus.

So, what does this all mean? When we consider this Old Testament lesson and its fulfillment in our Gospel reading, what do we learn?

First off, as a pastor, that text from Ezekiel has always been comforting to me. It shows that God’s Word will always accomplish what God sends it to do. No matter how dead a congregation seems to be, God will work through His Word to bring about more than you or I could ever imagine. And just to be clear: I haven’t ever thought you are just a valley of dry bones. You were served well and faithfully by those who came before me. But even if you were nothing more than a bunch of dry bones, God’s Word working through the power of the Holy Spirit is effective to breathe life into you.

But let’s go even beyond that. Know that God has caused you to live. God has come and proclaimed the peace of Christ’s forgiveness to you. When Jesus preaches twice to the disciples, “Peace be with you,” I think the peace that we should think of is the peace of Christ’s forgiveness because that is the peace that Christ gives to all of us dry-bones sinners. Christ has given you the Holy Spirit. And Christ has also called you to be forgivers and proclaimers of that same peace in this world.

So, when people come to you and tell you about their problems, when they complain because they feel the weight of their sin, give them Christ’s peace. Proclaim that same peace to them. It doesn’t matter if they are worried about their kids, their health, their finances, their marriage, the state of the country, whatever it is, you can proclaim, “Peace be with you.” And point them to the cross. Point them to what Jesus has done to forgive them of their sins. You can do this because Jesus has called you to do so.

You see, Jesus Himself is part of the army that God has raised up. Christ became a member of those bones that seemed defeated. He went to the grave defeated. But, of course, He was raised alive, victorious over the death. And Christ has gone before you proclaiming peace to this fallen world full of sin. So, follow after Him proclaiming that same peace and forgiveness in His name.

Then watch as God raises dead, dry bones. Watch as God puts His Spirit within those who were dead in sin and know that He is the Lord. He has spoken and He will do it.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Reunion – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the 2nd Sunday of Easter

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John 20:19-31

19 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.” 20 When 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. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.”

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Easter evening found ten of Jesus’ disciples huddled together behind locked doors. Earlier that morning, Peter and John had seen the empty tomb (Jn. 20:3-8). Mary Magdalene and some of the other women saw Jesus (Mt. 28:9-10). Two other disciples, who are not part of the Twelve, see Jesus on the road to Emmaus and have dinner with Him. At some point, Jesus appears to Peter privately (Lk. 24:34). Jesus is popping up all over the place, but the disciples are scared. They figure they are toast. Since Jesus had been killed, they must be next. At the direction of the religious leaders, Pilate had set a guard at the tomb to make sure they didn’t steal Jesus’ body. Now that He isn’t in the tomb anymore, the disciples expect soldiers can appear at any moment to drag them off to be executed.

And the interesting thing is that when Jesus appears and is reunited with them, He doesn’t promise that they won’t be killed for being His disciples. As it turns out, they will all eventually be executed for their faith in Jesus (all of them except for John). Jesus doesn’t take away the end that they are all afraid of, but Jesus does give them the courage to leave the room.

Jesus does not promise them that He won’t let them be harmed for being His disciples. He does not promise that He has taken care of the threats. Jesus does not give them superpowers to keep them safe from their enemies. Christ does not promise to protect them from dying a martyr’s death.

No, Jesus has this reunion with His disciples to give them courage to simply leave the room. And because of that courage Jesus gives them, you are saved today. How does Jesus deliver this courage? He does it through the peace and the purpose the only Jesus can give.

First, peace. When Jesus is reunited with His disciples, He says, “Peace be with you.” He says it again after He shows them His hands and side, “Peace be with you.” He’ll even say it a third time when He appears the next week when they are still in the same room with the same locked doors and Thomas is with them, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus speaks that peace to them and shows them His wounds. The reason Jesus shows them His hands and side is not only to prove that it really is Him – the one who was crucified and rose again. He shows them His wounds because it was from those very wounds that He shed His holy and precious blood which delivers peace.

Whatever you are afraid of, the answer to your fear is found in the wounds of Jesus. Christ says to you in the face of all your fears, “I died for you. Your sins are forgiven. I have overcome death and the grave for you.” Whenever your courage falters, whenever you cower in fear, Jesus gives you a glimpse of His wounds in the preaching of the Gospel. Those wounds preach to you that God is not mad at you because of your sin. Those wounds preach to you that there is no judgment, no condemnation for you who are in Christ (Ro. 8:1). And this preaching of peace gives you courage. Because of the wounds of Jesus, you can face anything that threatens you now because God is on your side. The worst thing that could ever happen to you is that you die and go to be with Jesus your Savior who conquered and defeated death for you. And in that knowledge, you have peace – peace that surpasses all understanding.

So, first, Jesus gives His disciples peace, then, second, He gives them and you purpose.

A lot of people look for purpose in life. People have always been asking, “Why am I here? What am I to do? What is the meaning of it all?” I would guess that these types of questions are running through your mind even more in these days when our community, our society, our country, and our whole world is threatened by something so small as a virus. What’s the reason to keep going?

Well, dear saints, Jesus has a reason and a purpose for you to keep on. Jesus says, “As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” Then, Jesus breaths on them and says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus gives you the peace you need, and the purpose you need. Christian, you have a specific purpose. Your purpose is to go and give out the forgiveness of sins. As a Christian, your life is set apart to be forgiven by Christ and to share that forgiveness with others for the sake of Christ. You are to know and make known the death and resurrection of Jesus.

And in this time of pandemic full of anxiety and fear – when you can’t go to work or school or sporting tournaments or visit relatives and friends – God is giving you the perfect opportunity to share that forgiveness and peace with the people that God has put closest to you, your immediate family. I would encourage you to spend this time rejoicing as a family in the forgiveness of Jesus. Being cooped up together in your house is the perfect time to learn and practice loving and forgiving one another. It will make you better at loving and forgiving others when God sees fit for that to happen again.

This is why you are still here. This is why God is keeping you in this world. Jesus has you here so that He can love you and forgive all your sins. And Jesus keeps you here, in this life, so you can love Him and the people He puts into your life.

Dear saints, Jesus is out of the tomb. The One who defeated death is alive and reunited with you so that you can have a reunion with God. And until the day that you are reunited with God, be reunited with one another. Share the peace and purpose that only comes through Jesus’ forgiveness.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Milk of Peace – Sermon on John 20:19-31 for the Second Sunday of Easter

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John 20:19-31

19 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.” 20 When he had said this, Thomas Sees Jesushe 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.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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.”

26 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.” 27 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.” 28 Thomas 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.”

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

The first words of Scripture you heard in today’s service came from 1 Pet. 2:2, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk [of the Word].” Hear that again, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk [of the Word].” A newborn child, when placed on her mother’s abdomen, will push herself up to nurse from her mother’s breast. This is such a beautiful testimony to the fact that God has created and designed us so that even from the moment we are born, we know what we need and where to get it.

And then, we grow up… and think we know better.

As kids get older, their sinful nature becomes more and more evident. Kids don’t know what they need and they chafe under the direction and discipline of their parents. When I was a teenager, I would beg my parents to give me more freedom and let me stay out late. God be praised that they knew better than I did and loved me enough to not allow it. When I moved away for college and had the freedom to make my own decisions about when to be home, I quickly realized that freedoms came with responsibility. Just because I could stay out until all hours of the night didn’t mean actually doing it was a good idea. The need to study, pay attention during lectures, and function at work didn’t go away just because I exercised my freedom to start another round of Mahjong with my friends at 2:00 AM.

Christian, God knows better than you do. God has begun a good work in you, and He will complete it. But it isn’t complete yet. God knows that you need to be nurtured and fed, and God knows exactly what food you need – the pure spiritual milk of His Word and specifically the Gospel. Which is why Scripture tells us to continue longing for the pure spiritual milk of the Word as a newborn infant.

1 Peter 2_2 Pure Spiritual MilkListen carefully: You don’t outgrow your need for the Gospel. Ever. There are many things that Scripture teaches that are important about how to live and function in this world, and all of us need to heed that instruction from the Word. But you don’t graduate from the pure spiritual milk of the Gospel. You never mature past the point of needing to hear about the peace that Jesus has won for you on the cross and which He preaches to His disciples in this text.

That is why Jesus preaches the same little sermon three times in this text, “Peace be with you.”He proclaims it to them twice the on evening of His resurrection, and again one week later.

The day of Christ’s resurrection was a day of both joy and fear all mixed together. Jesus appears first to Mary Magdalene (Mk. 16:9; Jn. 20:11-17). Then, Jesus appears to all the women who had gone to the tomb (Mt. 28:8-10). Jesus appears to the two disciples who were on their way to Emmaus (Lk. 24:14-32). Shortly after that, Jesus appears to Peter (Lk. 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5). And now, all the disciples are gathered together in Jerusalem minus Thomas. They are wondering what might happen to them because they knew that the chief priests were concerned about them stealing Jesus’ body which is why the stone had been sealed and the Roman soldiers kept watch at the grave (Mt. 27:62-66; 28:11-15).

So, imagine the ten disciples (again minus Judas and Thomas) gathered in that room terrified of any sounds outside. At any moment, soldiers could arrive to arrest or kill them. But instead of soldiers banging on the locked door, Jesus suddenly appears in the room. It is possible that they were even more afraid of Jesus than of the soldiers. Jesus could have shown up angry and mad. Jesus might ask them, “Where were you guys? Why did you all abandon Me?” Or they might have been afraid of Jesus because it was, after all, their sins (and ours) that He died for.

But Jesus doesn’t do any of that. Instead, Jesus is almost giddy (if you’ll allow that description of our risen Lord). He stills and removes their fears with His word, “Peace. Peace be with you.”And He shows them His wounds. In other words, Jesus is saying, “All of My suffering, My being forsaken by My Father, My death, and My burial is all so that you can have the peace which I have secured for you.”And He preaches to them once again comforting them with the same sermon, “Peace be with you.”

Jesus tells them that He is sending them out into the world with the Holy Spirit to forgive sins in His name. Keep this in mind for a minute: Jesus breathes on them, giving them the Holy Spirit, and commissioning them with the message of forgiveness.

Eventually, Thomas meets up with the disciples, and Thomas doesn’t just doubt, he is disbelieving. We have inherited the bad habit of calling him ‘doubting Thomas,’ but Jesus will call him ‘disbelieving Thomas.’ He refuses to believe until he sees what the other disciples have seen.

Now, fast forward to the following Sunday (Easter 2, if you will). Remember, the disciples have been given the Holy Spirit. They have been sent by Jesus with His authority to forgive sin. But where are they? Not out forgiving sins in Jesus’ name! They are in the same room, behind the same locked doors. If I was their pastor, I’d be irate. Time to give them some Law. Time to preach a new strategy – Four Steps to Being a Better Apostle. But what does Jesus preach? Literally, the exact sermon: “Peace be with you.”Jesus gives them the same pure spiritual milk of the Word – the same milk of peace. Jesus knows how to preach better than I or anyone else.

Christian, according to Scripture, you need this constant milk of peace. Paul writes, (1 Cor. 1:22-24), “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

Jesus, with His same preaching of peace, also removes Thomas’ disbelief and calls him to faith,“Do not disbelieve, but believe.”And, of course, Thomas does.

Now, I could spend a lot of time on Thomas, his disbelief, and his conversion, but I have in the past. Instead, I want to close with Jesus’ response to Thomas’ conversion. “Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Blood and Water from JohnJesus is speaking about you. Christian, Jesus had you in mind when He spoke those words. You have not seen Your resurrected Savior in the flesh. You don’t see the marks in Jesus’ hands and side. Instead, you see crosses that remind you of the death that Christ died for you. You see the font where Jesus delivers to you His mercy and forgiveness and washes away your sins. You see an altar on which nothing has ever been sacrificed but which Jesus uses as His table to feed you His risen Body and Blood.

You do not see, but you hear the same proclamation of Jesus, “Peace be with you.”That peace is yours because Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity was crucified, died, and was buried. He is risen again to give you the milk of peace, the forgiveness of your sins now and for all eternity. And, according to Jesus, because of what He has done, you are blessed. Christian, nurse on that, now and forever.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.