Peace be with you

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, 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. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you.’  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. John 20: 19 – 21

‘Peace be with you’ was the traditional Jewish greeting that Jesus gave to his startled disciples as he appeared in their midst unannounced and unexpected on the evening of the first day of the week after his crucifixion. They were behind locked doors fearful of the Jews wondering if they would be led off to be questioned or worst still crucified.

We know from Luke’s account of this day that the whole of Jerusalem was buzzing with the news of Jesus death and the disciples were bewildered by the women’s reports of his possible resurrection (Luke 24: 18). The women claimed to have seen Jesus but none of the Eleven had seen him.

Now Jesus appeared in their midst and they must have been very startled, so his greeting though traditional would also be necessary. Jesus then showed them his hands and side to prove to them that he was no ghost (Luke 24: 37) and that it really was him. Their fear turned to being overjoyed and Jesus again said, ‘Peace be with you.’ You can imagine the disciples might have been ready to rush out into the street to yell to anyone that Jesus really was risen from the dead and if you don’t believe us well come and see for yourselves. Just as they had needed his peace to calm their fears, they now needed Jesus’ peace to calm their overexcitement.

Jesus peace is ‘not as the world gives’ (John 14: 27) but is described as total well being and inner rest of spirit. The world’s peace will be a hopeful expression of  freedom from war or disturbance. Jesus’ peace is a reality and can calm all fears and give us that inner certainty that God is for us and will never leave or forsake us.

To live the life Jesus has called us to, we need his peace as an ongoing reality in the midst of all we do. Let Jesus breathe his peace on us right now and calm our fears and give us the strength and encouragement we need for the road ahead.

Do not worry

 When Jesus was teaching what we now call the Sermon on the Mount, he encouraged the crowd not to worry (Matthew 6:25 - 34).  Jesus was dealing very specifically in this situation with material needs but he also told them  not to worry about tomorrow which covers a lot of situations.  As humans our default setting has a tendency to be ‘worry’.  We worry when we do not know what to do in a specific situation.  Worrying feels like we are doing something. If we worry we may get a solution.   If we don’t worry it feels like we do not care, that something is not important if we don’t worry.  We feel guilty if we don’t worry. 

It was not only Jesus who told us not to worry, Paul wrote to the Philippians to not be anxious about anything – that’s comprehensive!  

The reason Jesus and Paul told people not to worry is that worry is like a cancer that eats into our souls.  It destroys our peace of mind, emotions, bodies and spirits.  As we worry we become further and further disconnected from God as we wrestle with our problem and try, often in vain, to find a solution. 

The antidote to worry is also very clear in the Bible. ‘Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you’ (I Peter 5:7) and ‘do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ Then see what happens, ‘And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6 – 7)

Worrying is the worse thing we can do in any troubling situation.  Peter says to cast it or throw it at God.  Imagine a fisherman casting his line into the water.  He doesn't place it or drop it, he casts or throws it.  It is the same with our anxiety or worry - don't just give it to God or drop it in his lap but cast it on him. Why? -  because he cares for you and he has all the answers and all the provision you need for this day.  Jesus told the crowd their loving heavenly Father knew their needs and would be their provider. 

God has everything we need – healing from sickness, deliverance from addiction, provision of all material things and my experience is that God does not just give us what we need but also some of the things we want too.  Do we need work or have a problem at work, a house, freedom from debt – our heavenly Father will provide all we need as we trust him. 

As we trust God, Paul encourages us that the peace of God will come and guard our hearts and minds.  God's peace will help us to stop worrying.  So today, stop worrying and tell God all about it, cast your cares on him and trust him to come up with the answer you need.