Jesus Gives Us Peace – April 24, 2022

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
John 20:19,20

Jesus Gives Us Peace

When the disciples were gathered behind locked doors on that first Easter Sunday, they were very afraid. They were afraid for their lives. They truly thought that those who killed Jesus were now going to come after them and kill them, too. The bottom line is that they had no peace, and they lacked a faith that believed Jesus would rise from the dead.

What is it that scares you? Studies show that people are most often scared by spiders, snakes, and other creepy-crawly things. Does that hold true for you as well?

Perhaps you’ve outgrown that fear. Yet as we grow older, we face a new set of fears. Will our health hold up? Will our children be okay when they leave the house? Will we have enough money to support ourselves? All of these “fears” are out of our control. They, too, rob us of peace—which is where faith in Jesus comes in.

Just as the disciples could not control the enemies of Jesus, we can’t control the economy, disease, or people who wish to cause harm. Oh, if only Jesus would appear to us and say, “Peace be with you!”

But don’t be fooled. This “peace” Jesus gives is not intended to make all the bad things in life go away. The peace Jesus gives strengthens us as we endure the many difficult challenges of life. The peace Jesus gives also lifts our eyes from the temporary things of this world to the eternal things of heaven. The peace Jesus gives is the assurance that our sins are forgiven, and we will be in heaven forever with him.

Truly, there is nothing to fear. Cancer, thieves, storms cannot take away the eternal promises Jesus has made to you. Trust in him and his words, and you will have the peace Jesus gives.

Prayer:
Dear Jesus, fill me with the peace of knowing you are alive and well, ruling this world on behalf of your people. Amen.