Peace?

Grace, mercy, and peace to you, from God our Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

On the basis of the Gospel lesson (John 20:19-31) this morning, let’s talk about Peace.

There are many thoughts out there on what “peace” is. For example, take these quotes from some famous, and some not famous, people who have expressed what they think about peace. (read list, be sure to leave White House thoughts on East Jerusalem construction plan last).

“Peace, to me, is a relatively safe and healthy individual, family, community and world. Definitely achievable by 2020.”—Random hopeful for peace in the world

“All we are saying is give peace a chance.”

John Lennon

“Doesn’t just wish for peace. He works for it.” (Dalai Lama) HOPE-Pass It On Campaign at Lambert International Airport

“Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”—Mahatma Ghandi

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

White House: Israel construction plan hinders peace

In our Gospel text for today we see a situation in which the disciples are hiding because they do not feel peace. But how could this be? Just last week we heard the glorious news of Christ’s rising from the dead, because “He is risen!” (He is risen indeed, Alleluia). Alleluia indeed! Which is what makes this story all the more confusing. Our hero has come back from the dead and appears first to the women. He tells the women to announce this good news to his disciples, and we see that men not listening to women extends thousands of years back, because the boys don’t really listen to the women and lock themselves in a house.

I really find myself wondering what must be going through the heads of the disciples. On Palm Sunday they enter the big city and the crowds chant Hosanna to Jesus. On Thursday night they have a nice big dinner for the Passover holiday but then, during that dinner, things begin to go horribly wrong. All of the sudden Jesus is telling them tonight’s the night, and he will be betrayed by one of them. And it happens in the garden after dinner. Judas betrays. One of them betrays. Jesus is hauled off and sentenced to death and all of the sudden everything has fallen a part. They scatter out of fear and go into hiding.

Then their leader dies. They are without hope and peace when they really need it most. Their hope and peace is gone. As if that wasn’t enough the third day comes and the women are saying he is alive. So Peter and John go and check out the tomb, and sure enough, Jesus’ body is gone, but it all doesn’t make any sense. So they assemble together. They hide. They fear. And from what seems like out of nowhere, Jesus appears and says, “Peace to you.” Peace? Really? What peace? It’s so ridiculous that even Thomas, one of them, refuses to believe it until he has actually touched Jesus’ hands and side himself.

So here they are in Jerusalem, their shining city on a hill, where peace has never been. Sound familiar? As I mentioned before, in Israel today, in Jerusalem today, they still search for peace. And if that wasn’t enough in some sick joke of irony if we look at the Hebrew to understand what Jerusalem means we find the name itself suggests it is “the city of peace,” “the city of wholeness.”

How’s attaining peace and wholeness going for you in your life? Do you have economic peace? If you’re in between jobs or living by a financial thread do you know peace? Maybe someone has just died in your life and you feel a hole instead of feeling whole. Where’s the peace in your life? Did you just graduate and now have absolutely no idea what to do with yourself? Did you just graduate at another point in life, namely retirement, and you're not quite sure what to do? Maybe you’re a teenager and in school you struggle with grades, or you just can’t quite fit in and are wondering when your peace will come. Consider this tragedy from my hometown, where a beautiful, young, 17 year old soccer star took her own life a few weeks ago because she couldn’t find her peace. And if the quest for peace in our own lives weren’t enough forget turning on the news because we will become overwhelmed by the lack of peace. Another war, another shooting, another life claimed by drugs, another lying politician, another Christian minister harms a child. It seems we have anything but peace. It seems all we have is disruption.

These disruptions of peace in our lives are brought about by sin. And we know the ultimate disruption of peace because of sin is death. Death is so cold. Death is so dark. Death is so final. Where is the hope and peace found in that? Life literally seems like a dead end. So how ridiculous is it that Jesus just pops in the door and tells his disciples, “Peace to you.” Remember the disciples are about to embark on a journey that brings them anything but peace. Of the remaining twelve, all but one of them, will be killed for their faith. The writer of today’s Gospel gets lucky. He gets to be persecuted, tortured, and exiled to live out his life alone. What a reward. What peace.

Yet, as ridiculous as it may seem that Jesus says, “Peace to you,” the disciple’s response sparks our interest. “The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” They were glad. As quickly as their peace was taken from them, that’s how quickly it was restored. Jesus’ words actually mean something. As much as the world breaks its promises, that’s how much Jesus keeps his. The burden that sin creates in our life is lifted by the Son of Man, who is lifted up on the cross. Now they remember Jesus’ words on Thursday night when he said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.” And even more crucial these words, “Not as the world gives peace, do I give peace to you.”

Not as the world gives peace. See the world does a lot of talking about peace, and promising peace, and working towards peace, but there has only been One who has overcome the troubles of this world to give peace. This is not to say that your problems are of little matter, or that they will disappear, but consider the disciples response to Jesus here and beyond. They now know what lies ahead. This peace is granting them wholeness. For that is what Jesus’ peace literally means. When Jesus gives his peace it is to make things whole. Peace is not an abstract concept of supposed comfort. Peace is not what John Lennon says, peace is not what Ralph Waldo Emerson says, peace is not what politicians, rock stars, or poets say. Peace is far greater. True peace is found in Jesus Christ. True peace is given to you because Jesus releases you from knowing no peace and makes you whole.

In your baptism, the still waters of peace washed away your sins and granted you that wholeness in Jesus. Through that you were brought into a community that although a collection of broken sinners, together as baptized believers, are made whole. It’s a peace and wholeness that pushes beyond even our gravest fears and doubts. So just as Thomas demanded to see the risen Jesus, we too come to this table, in faith, demanding to see the risen Jesus. Reach out your hands and touch Jesus, receive him in his body and blood and do not disbelieve, but believe. This meal is a foretaste, of not only the feast, but the peace to come. Notice the words we use in our liturgy right after the words of institution, “The peace of the Lord be with you always.” This is not some flippant nicety that we say because we need to use these words. Rather, this is a proclamation, which embodies the very meaning of what it is to receive the forgiveness of sins and experience peace in Christ.

The reason Jesus’ actions are baffling is because he simply bucks the trend. When the world brings emptiness, brokenness, and sadness, Jesus brings wholeness, completeness, and gladness. On the cross of Calvary Jesus completed the work of the Father, and in his resurrection he defeated sin, death, and the devil. And in some twisted, beautiful sense of irony we look fondly upon the meaning of the city Jerusalem. It really is “the city of peace,” “the city of wholeness.” Jesus makes it whole. Even though the disciples die, they will be made whole. And my brothers and sisters, this wholeness extends beyond even the soul resting in heaven. No, this wholeness, this peace means the disciples will rise just as Jesus rises. This peace, this wholeness means your loved ones, the saints departed of this community, will rise from the dead and be made whole. This peace, this wholeness means that even we, though we may die, will be brought back to life at the sound of trumpets blaring and Jesus declaring, “It is over! Sin and death reign no more. Your wholeness has come. Peace is here!” This is not a distant concept. This is not an empty promise. This is complete reality. This is wholeness. This is peace. Jesus is peace.

And now may the peace, the wholeness, of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus until life everlasting. Amen.