To My Flock at Marion:
Peace Be With You
Are you struggling to find peace in these trying times? It’s kind of an odd question given the circumstances in which we find ourselves. When we think of peace the next word that usually comes to mind is quiet. How many times have we heard someone say or maybe exclaimed ourselves; I wish that I could have some peace and quiet? I don’t know about you but in my house these days it is very quiet, more so than I can ever remember. There is a stillness, the pace of life has slowed to a grinding halt, and the atmosphere for peacefulness seems to be perfect. The problem is not external but internal. We have what we many times hope for, the quiet and the time to feel God’s peace but we find that our hearts and our minds are troubled. It turns out that the peace that we often seek has nothing to do with our surroundings or our schedules; what we are really looking for is tranquility, serenity. Inner peace, calmness of spirit is not easy to find. Sometimes having too much time on our hands can have the opposite effect on our minds; when we slow our body’s down our minds speed up. We have time to think about and dwell on our troubles and that can leave us in a very unpeaceful place.
Our scripture for this second Sunday of Easter comes from the gospel of John, chapter 20, verses 19 – 31. After the death and resurrection of Jesus the disciples are afraid. They are gathered together in fear of the Jewish leaders, probably afraid that they would be crucified next. The door is locked. I am sure that they were being as quiet as possible. They were listening to hear what was taking place in the streets outside. I’m sure if they had had TV back then they would have gathered around it to hear the latest news. If you have any peace in this life and want to lose it just turn on the news. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” This is important for us to grasp today. Jesus is not offering them physical peace, He is not there to protect them from the Jewish leaders and the persecution that they are about to face; He shows them His hands and side, the proof of His crucifixion and resurrection and He repeats, “Peace be with you!” The peace that Jesus offers to His disciples is an inward peace, a confidence to know that no matter what happens we are secure in Him. We need to focus on that peace in these trying times because that is a peace that we can have no matter what happens around us.
Doubting Thomas, when told of Jesus’ visit responds like many of us have responded to the peace that Jesus offers. Unless I see Him with my own eyes, see the nail marks in His hands and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. One week later, on the second Sunday of Easter, Jesus shows up again and reveals to Thomas the nail marks and His pierced side. My Lord and my God Thomas exclaims; Jesus says, “Because you have seen me you believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
This blessing is echoed in 1 Peter 1: 3-9. Peter speaks of our great hope: our living hope because of the resurrection of Jesus; of the inheritance that awaits those who believe in Jesus the Christ. Listen to the words starting in verse 6: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Now listen: Verse 8: “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
I keep hearing on the news that people are anxious, nervous, worried. They keep saying that all of this time off is causing mental health problems and that the rate of suicide is up. The unsaved of this world look around and they see their finances disappearing and their lives crumbling; they don’t know where to turn because they have always trusted in their possessions. They feel helpless because they are no longer able to be self-sufficient; they have put all of their trust and faith in the world and their ability, and now none of that can help. I hope and pray that as Christians we can see clearly now that our faith in Jesus is the only thing that we can depend on. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. The words from that hymn ring loud and clear in a time such as this. Jesus stands with us, among us, and says, “Peace be with you!” Remember, faith and fear are opposites; if you trust in Jesus you can have peace; you just have to claim it. “Peace be with you!”
In Christ’s Love and Peace
Pastor Bob
19 April 2020
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