On the evening of that first Easter Day, the disciples locked themselves in a room, fearful of what might happen tomorrow. They were certain that the enemies of Jesus would now come after them, his disciples, and the thought of possible death by crucifixion terrified them. That fearful consequence now loomed greater because Jesus’ body was gone from the tomb and they could be accused of stealing it. And so, they hid behind locked doors.
Maybe you are hiding in fear of tomorrow right now. Someone you dearly loved has died, and the thought of the tomorrow without that person has you paralyzed, feeling alone, abandoned, and afraid. Or, because of an aggressive and deadly coronavirus you’ve lost your job or small business and are now wondering how you will survive financially. Or, you have suffered through a painful marriage and divorcement and the thought of loving again is so risky and frightening that you want to lock yourself away from such possibility.
In grief counseling, we talk about living into a new normal after the death of a loved one. We know there is no returning to the normal we knew and were comfortable with. But facing the need to live into a new normal is scary, uncertain, and uncomfortable, allowing anxiety and fear to build and threatening to overwhelm our emotional and physical well-being.
We disciples of Jesus living today, like the disciples of Jesus in the week following the first Easter Sunday, are not immune to fear’s consuming attack, robbing us of the joy and peace that Jesus alive offers us. And so, I find it easy to identify with the anxious, fearful disciples of Jesus because I also have experienced those times of being fearful, weak in faith and untrusting.
It also helps me to remember that these men whom Jesus had recruited to be his disciples were not atheists or agnostics. They may not have been religious scholars, but they certainly were familiar with the Psalms. They no doubt grew up reciting, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. …Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; …”
I am certain they were familiar with the stories of Joshua, Moses, and the other heroes of the Old Testament. And furthermore, they had been with Jesus for three years, and often heard him encouraging them and others to trust him and to not be afraid. But in their time of crisis they became very anxious and afraid, just like me.
And so, I think the first words of Jesus to his fear-filled disciples, “Peace be with you” was much more than a simple familiar greeting. I believe he gave them a gift, a holy treasure, the gift of peace. And when he showed them the nail prints in his hands and the great wound in his side, they “were overjoyed” for they saw the visible evidence of his aliveness, and in seeing him present with them, believed and received his gift of peace.
To experience the powerful, loving presence of the Risen Christ is the best antidote for the many fears that cause us to hide behind locked doors. To see the resurrected wounds of his love for us in his hands and side and to hear him say “Peace be with you!” is the greatest of all joys.
Sunday worship celebrating Christ’s resurrection with its certain hope of life beyond the grave is wondrous news, but Monday morning’s reality with its tomorrows of disappointments and difficulties sets in and we soon become anxious and fearful.
Diagnosis disappoint, surgeries fail, businesses go bankrupt, investments evaporate, tornadoes and earthquakes destroy, cancer consumes, accidents happen, relationships end, and there is no returning to what was normal before.
But John’s gospel story reminds us that the calming, powerful presence of the risen Christ comes into our shuttered hiding places and into our darkest valleys and offers us his peace and joy. And with the psalmist we can say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
With the good news of Easter Sunday still fresh in our minds and hearts, let us open wide the locked door and allow the living Lord Jesus Christ to enter into our life and enable us to joyfully greet each new tomorrow with “Good morning, Lord” instead of a fearful “Good lord, morning.”
“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – April 22, 2020
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
Leave a comment