Easter Sunday: Meeting The Risen Jesus

Jesus’ disciples were totally derailed by the events of the crucifixion. Most were consumed with grief over Jesus’ death. They had left everything to follow him and now there was no Jesus. Their hopes had died with him. Most were filled with fear, thinking that because they were aligned with Jesus, the Jews might do to them what they did to Jesus. And then there was Mary. Mary had been the first to tell them that the tomb was empty, and Peter and John confirmed this was true. Jesus body was missing. So now added to their grief, fear and dashed hopes, they are confused and full of doubts. Then to top it all off, Mary comes a second time telling them this crazy story about seeing angels and that she had actually seen Jesus. This was all too much. So here they were: anxious, fearful, bewildered and confused. That is, until they met the Risen Jesus.

That’s where I want to invite you to join me in the story of the Resurrection of Jesus and discover with me how meeting the risen Jesus changes everything.

1) The first thing the disciples experience in meeting the Risen Jesus is Peace      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!” John 20:19

Shalom alekem! “Peace be with you.” How significant that these are the very first word Jesus speaks to his friends. Just a few evenings prior to this Jesus had broke bread with them and gave them this promise: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Jesus had just entered a room that was full of anxious, fearful and bewildered followers. But when Jesus appears He brings peace.   His words “peace be with you” is a standard Hebrew greeting still used in the Middle East today. It is a greeting of hope and the blessing of God on you for a complete peace: a peace filled with contentment, harmony and prosperity. It’s a blessing expressing the hope that you might experience life as God intended it to be; at the same time acknowledging that this kind of peace only comes from God.

So when Jesus entered the room with these words, he announces that everything has changed. Now with Jesus you are safe. Now with Jesus life the way God intended it has come. Every hope and dream of knowing God and experiencing His favor is a present reality. And that reality, this shalom is with them, because Jesus is with them.

This is what happens when you meet the risen Jesus. His presence drives out fear and confusion and brings a complete contentment and wholeness to us that says “all is well.” Life the way God intended has come, and this life is found in Jesus. The risen Jesus changes everything because He brings to us peace with God. So let me ask you: Have you met the risen Jesus? Do you know the peace He gives?…

Now, when we return to this room where the disciples are gathered, Jesus’ greeting doesn’t initially bring peace to Jesus’ disciples. We know this because Luke tells us in his gospel that after Jesus said this they were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. So you can imagine their shock. It’s not everyday that someone you think is dead suddenly appears. So Jesus knowing that they are shocked to see him stops and address their unbelief and gives them what they need to believe that he is indeed risen.

2) So He gives them Proof:  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. John 20:20   Jesus showed them his hands, which had been pierced by nails, and His side, which had been pierced by the lance. There was no mistaking him. This was the Jesus that had been crucified. And when they realized he was really Jesus everything changed. The grief that had a grip on them vanished and it’s place joy came flooding in. The reality that Jesus was alive was shockingly good news, and they were overcome with joy!

You just can’t fake joy. Joy is a by-product of belief. That’s what meeting the risen Jesus gives you. Meeting the risen Jesus produces joy. And for most of us here today this is an unspeakable, indescribable joy: death has been defeated, sin is banished and Jesus is alive! That is the good news of Easter.

But you ask, how does that work? We can’t meet the risen Jesus like these disciples met Jesus. They had visible, tangible proof. They got to see Jesus personally. What proof do we have? Well, that answer is found in the story of Thomas that follows in verses 24-29:  Now, we know from this passage that one of the Disciples, Thomas, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “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.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”   Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So how can we believe in what we have not seen? God’s Word says this: Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Romans 10:17 This is our proof. We believe in what God’s Word declares about Jesus: We believe Jesus lived a sinless life. We believe His sacrifice took away our sin once for all. We believe He was buried as the Scriptures declare. And we believe that He rose from the dead on the third day and is alive today. We have met the risen Jesus by faith and the proof of meeting Jesus is our joy.

Because He lives we have joy! Because He has given us His peace we have joy! Because He gave His life for us, took away our sin on the cross, we have joy! This is what changes in you when you meet the risen Jesus. Have you met this Jesus? Do you have this joy?

Now, you would think that’s the end of the story. Jesus is alive. He’s back with them. All is well. They are full of joy and ready to celebrate with Jesus. And that’s often where our Easter celebrations end.   But that’s not how this story ends. Now having realized that Jesus is truly risen, Jesus is about to change everything in how they live.

For now Jesus gives them a new Purpose in life: Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:21  Jesus repeats his greeting: “Peace be with you!” Life the way God intended has arrived. His resurrection means a new day has dawned. His rising from the dead means that the Kingdom has come. The good news of Jesus resurrection is that the Shalom of God is now available to anyone who believes in the risen Jesus. Eternal life is available to anyone who believes in the risen Jesus. Forgiveness and reconciliation with God is available to anyone who believes in the risen Jesus. This is why Jesus was sent. This is the good news of the Kingdom. And now He sends His disciples to bring this message of good news to all.

And if you’ve met the risen Jesus you have this same purpose. You have the same mission as Jesus. This is why everything changes when you meet the risen Jesus.

What I love about this encounter on the very evening Jesus rose from the dead, is that he wasted no time to get to what our lives are to be about each and every day – that we are to bring the good news of the risen Jesus wherever we go.   We are now the bearers of Shalom! God’s peace, the good life is now available in Jesus. We have the good news that can free people of guilt, worry, fear and confusion. We have a hope that cannot be defeated. And we have a joy in knowing Jesus is alive. And with this knowledge Jesus says, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” We are not simply forgiven sinners, but we are Jesus’ sent ones. This is the new life we are called to this side of the cross.

And with this calling, Jesus wants us to succeed, so He gives us what we need to be the good news to our world. What does He give us? Power  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22

This is why everything changes when you meet the risen Jesus. Because when you meet Him and believe in Him, He changes you forever. He breathes His new life into you. He gives you His Spirit, the Holy Spirit. His Holy Spirit comes to indwell in you, to guide you, help you, and empower you to live as His sent one. And this changes everything. For when the Spirit of Christ lives in you, He will help you begin to live like Jesus. And when you begin to live like Jesus you will want to obey the Father like Jesus did, you will want to serve others like Jesus did, and you will want others to know the good news of forgiveness of sins that Jesus has provided.

First Jesus gives us His power, then He gives us His message: If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”Jn 20:23 In other words, as we are sent with the good news that Jesus is alive. And because He rose from the dead forgiveness of sin is now possible for anyone who believes. For when Jesus hung on the cross and said, “It is finished,” Jesus provided forgiveness of sins once for all. Now anyone who puts their faith in Jesus will be forgiven.

This is why Jesus empowers us with His Spirit: So we can bring the good news of the forgiveness of sins for anyone who believes. But this is also why Jesus leaves us with this sobering truth: There is no other way to find forgiveness. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way offered by God. For there is no other name given under heaven for which we can be saved. So if anyone rejects the forgiveness God has provided in Jesus, they reject God and will still be in their sins.

This is why meeting the risen Jesus changes everything. For He is the One who brings us God’s peace. He is the One who bears the scares for our sins. He is the One who breathes into us new life. And He is the One who’s made our forgiveness possible. This is the Jesus of Easter. He is risen. And He wants to meet you here today. Have you met the risen Jesus?