John 20 - You Can't Put A Price on This Peace!

John 20 - NIV 

Enduring Word Commentary

Verses for Today

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 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!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 

Commentary

Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene, as John writes in verses 11 - 18, and he appeared also to Peter before he appeared to the eleven (which included Peter). We don't have the details of when or how Jesus appeared to Peter, but in Luke 24:33-34, the men who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus said this, 

"They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”

I think it is significant that Jesus says, "My peace I give to you" twice in these verses. The first time he says it to them, I think he is assuaging their fear of suddenly seeing him out of nowhere. After all, the doors were locked, and they were not expecting him. They probably wondered if they were seeing a ghost! 

The second time he says, "Peace with you", I think he is saying that literally "His peace is with them". He is giving them his own peace. Paul talks about this in Philippians 4:6 when he says to the Philippians to pray with thanksgiving which will result in, "A peace which surpasses all understanding which will guard their heart and mind in Christ Jesus." It doesn't make sense that one could have peace in deeply troubling and stressful situations unless it is coming from a source outside of you.

Jesus says, "My peace I give you not as the world gives." John 14:27 Jesus' peace is much deeper than the world can give us, because it is a gift that can never be taken from us and is independent of circumstances. In fact, Jesus' peace lives in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. The third fruit of the Holy Spirit from Galatians 5:22 is, "Peace". Finally, I think they will need the peace that only Jesus can give as they are sent out by him on mission into a hostile environment.  

In our Lutheran church there is a part of the service called, "The Sharing of the Peace". In it, we say to our neighbor around us, "The peace of the Lord be with you." And they say to us, "And also with you!" This is one of the valuable aspects of having a liturgical services, as we repeat the words to each other, which Jesus first said to his disciples after He had risen from the dead. 

You can't put a price on peace, especially the peace that comes from God through Jesus and His Holy Spirit! 

Application

1. Where are you lacking peace in your life right now? Are you looking for peace in other places rather than Christ alone? Is there anything you are doing in your life which might be sabotaging your peace with God? 

One of the greatest gifts God has given us is His Peace! Don't let go of it! Ever! 

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you. Isaiah 26:3

Prayer

Jesus, you are the, "Prince of Peace". Thank you for dying on the cross for us so we could have peace with the Father.  Keep us in perfect peace as our mind is fixed on You!
















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