We Have Everlasting Peace

John 20:19-31

When I was little, I really wanted an iPod touch. You see, my brother had one and all my friends had one, but I didn’t and I did not want to be left out. And so I told my parents, I want an iPod for my birthday. I don’t remember how much an iPod cost back in 2010, but I do remember my dad saying that if I were to get an iPod, it would be the only thing that I would get. I was okay with that. I was not concerned with the quantity of presents, but more about the quality. And so when my birthday came around, I’m sitting there and my dad walks in with a box. It’s about the size of a shoe box. And at first, I think, that’s way too big to be an iPod. But then I think, maybe the iPod’s in there. So I rip open the wrapping paper, I flip open the lid, and what do I find? A spatula. My dad had got me a spatula for my eighth birthday. See, the joke is, I really liked pancakes and I liked making pancakes. So my dad thought it was a good idea to get me a spatula for my birthday. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I was pretty upset that I didn’t get an iPod. If I would have had an iPod, I would have been happy. If I would have had an iPod, I would have been at peace. The disciples in our reading were not at peace. See, this is Easter Sunday night. People had seen Jesus risen from the dead, but the disciples were locked away in a room. Why? See, they were locked away in a room out of fear for the Jewish leaders. They thought that the Jewish leaders had crucified Jesus, they had crucified God. What was gonna happen to them next? So I don’t think the disciples were upset like I was when I didn’t get my iPod, but I would say that the overall mood in the room was down. I imagine the room is a lot like the locker room after your team had just got beat up on. And you’re sitting there, it’s all quiet. You’re not really sure if you wanna continue. Just the overall mood is bad. And while the disciples were sitting there, Jesus appears to them and he says, “Peace be to you.” That’s it, Jesus is back. There’s no more need to fear. Jesus can take care of the Jewish leaders. But what does Jesus say to them? He says, “Peace be to you. As the Father is sending me, I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” This is Easter Sunday. What do you think was going through their minds? Probably the horror that was Jesus’ crucifixion. And yet when Jesus died on the cross, things happened like the sky turning dark and the curtain in the temple tearing. What about when everything went back to normal? Doesn’t really seem as if anything has changed. I know that Jesus’ death on the cross is for the forgiveness of sins, but I still feel the same, same old, same old. (chuckles) What about when someone tells us that they forgive our sins? Do we actually feel forgiven? Or what about when someone forgives us? Or when we forgive others? Do we give them the forgiveness that they are asking for? Or do we just say, “It’s okay.” But then in the end still have bitter feelings towards them? Brothers and sisters in Christ, when we do this, it is as if we are the ones mocking Jesus on the cross, acting as if the resurrection didn’t do anything. But we know the resurrection did something. See, the resurrection gives us assurance. Jesus said on the cross, “It is finished.” That means that his redeeming work for us is finished. There’s nothing that we can do. Everything that needed to be done was done by Jesus. And who rises from the dead? Only a few people have risen from the dead, and they’ve only done that with the help of God. Because of the resurrection, we know that Jesus was right. Because of the resurrection, we know that we are right when we say that our sins are forgiven. What does Jesus say to his disciples? He says, “Peace be to you.” See, he knew exactly what they needed. They needed peace knowing that Jesus is truly God. We have this same peace, knowing that our sins are truly forgiven. Now, some people say that not everybody has the authority to forgive sins. Catholics would say that only the Pope has the authority to do that. But Jesus here is talking to this whole room. He’s not just talking to one person. And so when pastors stands up here, and he says, “I forgive your sins in the name of the Father, “and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” we can be assured knowing that our sins are truly forgiven. And that when we forgive others, or when others forgive us, it is exactly like Jesus saying, “I remember your sins no more.” We have peace in the resurrection, assuring us that we have the forgiveness of sins. Brothers and sisters, live in the peace that comes from the resurrection. Our sins are forgiven. Go and spread this peace, forgiving others, because God has forgiven you. From this resurrection, we do not need the doubt or fear. Because with the forgiveness of sins, we have a peace now, and an eternal peace, a peace that is recorded for us. Now, when Jesus appeared to the disciples the first time, Thomas was not with them. So Thomas was a little skeptical that his friends were overjoyed when they had said they had seen the Lord. See, Thomas goes as far as to say that, “Unless I see the marks on his hands “and put my hand on his side, I will never believe.” Well, a week later, the doors are locked again, and Jesus appears to them, and he says, “Peace be to you.” And Jesus, knowing what Thomas had said, says to him, “See the marks on my hands.” “Put your hands on my side.” “Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas replies, “My Lord and my God.” Jesus then says, “Because you have seen, you have believed. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now, John breaks the fourth wall here and says that these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him, you have life in his name. These things are written for you. The words, “Peace be to you,” are written for you. Do we always feel peace when reading those words? I would say yes, more often than not, whenever we read the Bible, we are left with some peace, but how often do we actually read the Bible? Yeah, in the Bible, I am promised eternal peace, but the ways of this world, that can give me peace right now. Why would we doubt eternal peace for a peace that is right now that leads to nothing? Some say that the Bible is too old. There’s no way it can apply to us in 2025. Well, there’s nothing new under the sun. Sin has been around forever. Sin has been around for a long time, meaning that the sins we commit today are the same sins recorded in the Bible. To think that the Bible doesn’t apply to us is just ignorance. To think that the Bible can’t give us peace is foolishness. But brothers, we have all we need. The Bible gives us everything we need for salvation. See, John writes that Jesus did many other signs that are not recorded in this book. What I get from that is that, yeah, Jesus did many other signs, but in order to be saved, we don’t need to know them, because we have everything we already need to know in order to be saved. We know that Jesus is God because of the resurrection. These things are written for you. John breaks the fourth wall, and he speaks to the readers of this book. We are those readers. Jesus says, “Blessed are they who have not seen “and yet have believed.” He’s talking about us. We are the ones who are blessed. Now, the Holy Spirit works in marvelous ways in marvelous ways that wherever the gospel is preached, a seed is planted, and from that seed, faith can grow. And by having faith, we have eternal life in his name. That means that when God looks at us, he doesn’t see our sinful life, but instead, he sees the sinless life of Jesus. Jesus lived that perfect life for us. And the days today are few compared to eternity. And because of Jesus, in eternity, we have peace. Brothers and sisters, our Savior lives. From his resurrection, we see his victory over sin, death, and the devil, and because of Jesus’ acts, we are blessed. We know that our sins are forgiven, and because of all this, we have a true peace. We do not have to have any doubt or fear, because we know that Jesus resurrected from the dead. Just as Thomas said, “My Lord and my God, “let us also confess our faith to others “who do not have this peace that we have, “a peace from the forgiveness of sins.” (audience laughing) Now, in that box with the spatula, underneath was some wrapping paper. So under the wrapping paper, there was an iPod. I cannot tell you how happy I was when I got that iPod, mainly because I had forgotten all about that iPod. It is doing nothing for me right now. Yeah, sure, it made me happy in the moment, but is it making me happy right now? No. I have no idea where it is. I don’t even know if it still works. But the peace that Jesus gives us is a real peace, peace from the forgiveness of sins, and we have this peace because God decided to write it down for us in the Bible, because what is written in the Bible is enough to give us everlasting life in His name, a peace that is everlasting. Amen.