Easter Reflections

What a blessing this past week has been, entering the upper room where Jesus established the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday, standing among the scoffers on Good Friday, reliving the story of God’s faithfulness throughout all time at the Easter Vigil, and finally celebrating the victory that our Lord holds over sin and death forever on Easter morning! Let’s return to the gospel of John to continue in the good news that the Lord offers so not to forget that the story continues.

“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.” John 20:19-22

John 20 begins with Mary Magdalene, Peter, and another disciple (likely John) discovering the empty tomb. After Peter and the other disciple return home, Jesus the resurrected Lord greets Mary who in turn, runs to tell the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” It is here that we enter yet again into a room with the disciples, yet this time without Jesus. We are not told what the disciples are feeling or thinking. Are they exhausted from the events of this past weekend? Are their hearts tired from weeping? Did they believe that Mary truly saw him? We are not given insight at this point into anything except that their door is locked “for fear of the Jews.” All the same, Jesus enters the barricaded room of fear, revealing himself for the first time since his resurrection to these disciples, saying “Peace be with you.”

Now in this statement Jesus is not just telling the disciples that they have no need to fear the Jews. This PEACE is far greater than protection from a group of people! This is a peace that surpasses all understanding. A peace that means we have no need to fear the consequences of sin, no need to fear the power of death because our Lord has proven victorious over the powers of this world!

As Jesus’ resurrection begins to make sense of all the “Easter eggs” Jesus laid out for the disciples throughout the Gospels, I believe his words “Peace be with you” would have dawned a light on an earlier conversation they had with him. Just a few chapters back, after he had washed the disciples’ feet, Jesus told the disciples that he would send a Helper to be with them (and all believers). Immediately afterwards he says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (Jn 14:27).

The peace that Jesus foretold then is now at hand because he has delivered his people from the chaos and bondage of evil. It is like he is reiterating what he already declared on the cross, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). And it is so appropriate that at that moment, Jesus breathes on the disciples and gives them the Holy Spirit—the Helper he promised!

As the excitement and anticipation of our yearly Easter gatherings begin to fade, don’t let the true joy and peace that the Lord offers be clouded over by the distractions of this world. Jesus Christ has truly saved us from sin and death and not just that but has offered us a life that is guided by his Spirit! Live in this peace!

-Tori