John 20:19-31 (NRSV)
Read John 20:19-31 on biblegateway.com
Verse 19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Verse 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Verse 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Verse 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Verse 24But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. Verse 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Verse 26A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Verse 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Verse 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Verse 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe." Verse 30Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. Verse 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
Devotion
I once did a word study in seminary on the word "peace" in the New Testament, just for fun. First of all, I was overwhelmed by the pervasive use of the word throughout the Bible. Paul is a big fan! It was a lovely study, because I felt so peaceful when I was done. Let me explain.
Reading over and over and over again that God wishes for our souls to be peaceful is a great message to receive. It makes me wonder how we make religion to be so strict and angry, using shame, guilt and fear to manipulate people into behaving in certain ways. This certainly is not the way the early Christians understood their faith.
Jesus knows the disciples are in chaos when he appears. Before anything else, he offers them peace. Repeatedly. Jesus offers peace because he has the power to give us peace. Through his presence and life, we have the assurance that nothing can separate us from the love of God. This is meant to give us peace.
Prayer
Dear God: we often search for peace in the wrong places. Peace is a gift you give in the midst of our chaotic lives. Come and fill our hearts with your peace. Amen.