Reflection: "The Peace of God"This year, the commemoration of ANZAC Day falls very close to our celebration of Easter last weekend.
It may seem a little incongruous to talk about “peace” after these two remembrances of rather gruesome events, but we’re going to talk about God’s peace. The concept of God’s peace is not what many of us may think or expect. “Shalom” says Jesus to his disciples when he appears before them on that day, just after his resurrection. Shalom roughly translates to “Peace be with you.” Now, peace was probably the last thing the disciples were thinking about at that stage. After all, they’d just been on a huge roller coaster ride - seeing the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem only a week before, the changing of the traditional Passover Meal into the sacrament of communion, the traitorous actions of Judas Iscariot - one of their own, the arrest of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, his trial and crucifixion, death and burial, the empty tomb and now, his rising from the dead and appearing before them. Surely, they would have been really confused and scared, not knowing where to turn, or what to do. Therefore, peace was EXACTLY what they did need. To top it off, Jesus tells them that he’s sending them out into the world with something called “the Holy Spirit” to guide and protect them. All was coming to a fulfilment. Jesus had assured them earlier that he would bring them comfort and joy (John 17:12-13). He would give them an advocate, "the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father" (John 15:26). And with that Spirit, he would send them into the world to continue the work and spread the message. Using the words he used when praying to His Father, he said: "that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me" (John 17:23). Now, in their presence, Jesus breathed on them, and they were touched by the Holy Spirit. At this time, when Jesus appeared to the disciples, they were a closed, inward-looking group, but he turned them into an open team of missionaries, sent out into the world. The disciples were told to go out and forgive people’s sins, just as Jesus had forgiven sins when he was in his 3 years of ministry around Galilee and Jerusalem. He even laid it on them that if they didn’t forgive the sins of others, then their sins would not be forgiven. Quite a responsibility for a bunch of simple fishermen, tax collectors and the like. Could they do the same work as Jesus had done during his ministry on earth? Would it work, or would the people just scoff at them, or worse still, stone them for blasphemy? Speaking of scoffers, there were, and still are today, those who wouldn’t believe that Jesus and died and risen from the grave after 3 days. In fact, even one of the 12, Thomas, refuses to believe that Jesus is alive, as he wasn’t in the room when Jesus first appears to the disciples. The words he uses are: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Not an unreasonable assertion, given the circumstances and one that you and I would probably make too. Even the disciples seem unable to recognise Jesus the first time he appears before them. It wasn’t until he shows them his hands and side that they recognise him. Does that make Thomas a “doubter” - or a realist? He saw Jesus nailed to the cross and he saw him die, so, you really can't blame him for wanting a “real” encounter with a “really risen” Lord, just like the other disciples had been privilege to. When you read through the resurrection accounts of all four gospels, you quickly realise that Thomas is not alone in his doubt. In fact, doubt isn't the exception but the rule. No one - even after all the predictions - no one says, "Welcome back Jesus", or "We knew you would do it", or even "What took you so long?" No one anticipates the return of Jesus and when he shows up, everyone doubts. To make sure that he includes all of his closest followers, Jesus appears a week later, in the same room, although this time John says that the door is closed, but he doesn’t mention the word “locked”. Jesus doesn’t chide Thomas as he allows him to put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand in the gash made by the centurion’s spear. It’s then that Thomas utters those profound words “My Lord and my God!”, recognising Jesus for who he is. Then we get that lovely and poignant declaration from Jesus that: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Isn’t that what “faith” is all about? We weren’t there 2,000 years ago, yet we believe that the events occurred and were faithfully recorded and passed down through the ages. Like Thomas, we’d like to be able to have some physical signs of God’s presence, but, instead, we must rely on our faith and be part of the greater number of people who “have not seen and yet believe”. So, to all the scoffers, I say that there must have been a cataclysmic event that changed the scared, hiding disciples, into bold advocates for the Gospel – the good news about Jesus. I believe that it was this meeting with the risen Jesus, and the receiving of the Holy Spirit, that gave them the courage to go out there. Most of them ended up being killed for the words they spoke. Would they have done that if the Easter message had finished on Good Friday, with their leader being crucified? I think not. From the immortal poetic words with which John opens his gospel “In the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God” - sending the reader back to the "big bang" of the creation of the universe, to this final intimate moment of comfort and assurance, John wants us to know that we didn’t have to be there in person. We didn’t have to walk the paths with Jesus. We didn’t have to witness the miracles first-hand. We didn’t have to be in that closed room. Through the reading of John's message, and others like it, we can hear the stories and believe. And, in believing, we can have life eternal. As John says in the concluding verses of today’s reading: “these words are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” That’s pretty deep, isn’t it? Not just that we may exist, but that we may have life in his name. Be wholly devoted to him and live our lives to glorify him. And that we can live in harmony and peace with other believers. I like to think of us as Resurrection people - that is - people who don't need to have it all figured out before coming to church, or before helping a neighbour, or feeding someone who is hungry, or caring for someone in need. If we have to figure it all out ahead of time, then we'll probably never get started. Because, frankly, don't you ever wonder if your acts of mercy, or kindness, actually make a difference? We know that there are so many hungry people in the world - will the few we can help really change things? There’s so much hurt in the world - does the hand we extend, or listening ear we offer, really change that? I believe they do, but I, like you, at times wonder…..and have doubts. And yet, because we are Resurrection people, we believe, as well as doubt, and in believing, even in this more fragile way, we act, we reach out, we feed, we care, we tend, we struggle, we work, we love, all without any guarantees, just a promise from the Lord who continues to bless those who believe amid their doubts and keep the faith, amid all their uncertainties. John 14:27 tells us that Jesus brings us peace. Not the sort of earthly peace that we’re used to, but the eternal peace that only he can give. He tells us not to be afraid, he has gone to be with his Father and we should rejoice. Can you remember when there was a time that Jesus brought peace to you? Close your eyes now for a short time and see if you can feel the peace of God flowing over you. The peace of the Lord be with you…………….Pastor Rick
1 Comment
Lena Beryl Blok
22/4/2022 06:04:36 pm
Thank you, Rick for a moving sermon. We all need God's Peace in our lives. When I need God's Peace, I often repeat these words "My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid".
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