Atom“From Fear to Faith”
John 20:19-31
When 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.’
The stock market was up this week…slightly. But so was the unemployment rate. For good reason folks are anxious about the future…maybe even afraid. The Red River was up, too, and the Sheyenne was higher. Many have already been flooded and it will take months to sort out their living situations. Afraid might be too strong a word for their situation, but they are uncertain – nervous – about the future. We had three funerals here at First Lutheran…two sort of expected, one not. Even when they are expected, funerals leave uncertainty. The future is muddled. When they come too soon, when life is cut short…there is real uncertainty, sometimes even fear: “How will we get through this?” “What will become of us now?”
Of course fear of the future is known to all of us. We all have our own particular fears: an impending surgery…a move…a career change…a new school. There may be some here this morning that even in my bringing it up your stomach has already tightened and your palms have begun to sweat. You may have very real fears about what’s coming and about how you’re going to get through it, and who is going to be with you, if anyone.
Well, if this is you…or if you have ever entertained fears about your future, today’s reading from John is for you. Let me introduce you to some others here in scripture who shared such fear. Meet Peter, James and John, Andrew, Bartholomew and Philip…and no doubt, around the edges, the women disciples, Mary and Martha and Salome - people we are used to looking up to as the chosen disciples of our Lord, saints preserved in stained glass, leaders who changed the world through their bold and courageous witness. If you read the passage that precedes this mornings’ reading from Acts you will read of the courage of these disciples standing before the authorities, before the rulers and leaders of the land and risking limb and life for the sake of telling others about the risen Jesus.
But here in the gospel it is another story. Here is an entirely different scene. Here is not bravery or boldness. Here we find these same followers of Jesus hiding out – doors locked for fear of the authorities. Here we find followers afraid for their very lives, afraid of the future, afraid of what might happen to the them now that their master and teacher is gone.
And one of the things I find most interesting about this scene in John’s gospel is that it is not a Good Friday scene; they have not just come from Golgotha and the cross of Jesus. It is Easter evening! Jesus has been raised. Mary Magdalene has met the risen Lord that morning and told the others. Peter and John have been to the tomb and found it empty. Jesus is risen. Yet they are hiding out…afraid of the future…all of them.
Too often, I believe, when we read this passage we focus on poor old Thomas – “doubting Thomas” we call him – as if he were the only one in the story who struggled to believe the resurrection. No doubt he is front and center and thank God for this story that speaks to all of us who have questions and doubts about the resurrection. But this morning’s lesson also reminds us that they all struggled. Even though they had heard the fantastic news of resurrection, they were still afraid. And probably for good reason! The future most assuredly looked uncertain. They had left jobs, homes, families, and security to follow Jesus. And now he was gone. And he had not fixed things for them. He had not defeated the Romans; he had not restored Israel to greatness, and now he had left them alone…at the mercy of the Roman and Jewish leaders that were certainly looking for them. It was most likely that death was also in their future. Sure there was this business about him being raised. It was…unbelievable. But what did it mean? No one knew. He was still gone from them and they had reason to fear.
As do many of us. Let’s stop for a moment and consider…what are the things that make us afraid this day when we look into the future? Maybe its the economy. For good reason. Many of you – us – have lost a significant part of our life’s savings. Others have lost jobs. Or maybe it is the security of our children or grandchildren. Maybe its our own job security. Maybe you are 55 and they’ve told you they’re going to be laying off workers at the plant and you are wondering what you will do if its you. Maybe its your health. The doctor has told you that you are going to have to change your lifestyle if you expect to live very long. Maybe your marriage is feeling shaky. Maybe you’re graduating from high school or college and you don’t know what next. It doesn’t really matter what age we are, the future can frighten us. Polls taken among young people in our nation have shown that among their greatest fears is not having a future!
The gospel lesson today is for those who may have such fears. It reminds us of the One who enters our fearful worlds to change our outlook – to give us hope and confidence even in the face of uncertainty. According to John, Jesus came to his fearful followers huddled together in their hide-out and gave them something that changed their lives forever. Suddenly he was with them and his first word was “Peace.” “Peace be with you,” he said. And then again, “Peace be with you.” And then he laid on them his own Spirit with all its power.
One might imagine that the disciples would have preferred troops at this point, or control of Rome, or unlimited career opportunities in a growth industry called “the kingdom of God.” What they wanted, however, is not what they received. What they received is what they needed. It is so often the case with Jesus. He gives us not what we want, but what we need. Jesus gives the gift of “peace.”
And it is more than the peace we oft think of. The biblical word here is “shalom.” It is a strong word in scripture. When we think of “peace” we may think, “absence of conflict.” We may think, “quietness”…quiet before the storm or after the storm. Shalom, however, is stronger than that. It speaks of “health” and “wholeness.” It speaks of security and confidence; it speaks of “hope and well-being” – not before the storm or after the storm, but in the storm!!
Here in John’s gospel, Jesus promise of shalom is the promise of Jesus’ living, sustaining presence with his followers in the person of the Holy Spirit. It is the promise of security and confidence that comes from knowing that they will never be alone as they face the future.
I don’t know about you, but one of the greatest fears in my life is that very fear of being alone. I become uncertain when I must enter an unknown situation on my own. A couple of weeks ago I went up to help sandbag on a Monday afternoon. I had the day off…I had some time…the need was great. But other people were working at their jobs on Monday, so I went by myself. That made me nervous. I’m a big guy…I’m 6’3”, I weigh over 200 pounds, I’m over 50 years old. But I was nervous… I went to Nemzec Hall at MSUM. (I rolled my Concordia ring over in my hand so it wouldn’t show – one can’t be too careful.) But they were very nice. I met some great people and it was okay. But I don’t like being alone. Neither do most of you. Part of the fear of leaving home and going off to school is the fear of being alone – or of being left alone. Who will I eat meals with? Who will I hang out with when I’m not in class? A good friend of mine who recently lost their spouse told me, “the future scares me…because I am alone now, and I don’t know if I can make it all alone.”
Hear again the promise of the resurrection: The resurrection of Jesus means that we are never alone again. It is the promise of Jesus here with us. You see, resurrection is not only the promise of life with Jesus after death. It is also the promise of life with Jesus before death! To believe in the resurrection is to believe that Jesus is here with us now.
“Peace be with you,” said Jesus. And he breathed on the disciples the gift of his eternal presence. And they were never the same again. That presence changed their lives! It is why they could leave the locked room and hit the streets again. It didn’t matter what the future brought. They knew not only who held the future, but who held them!
The story is told of a family whose home caught fire one night. They fled the burning house and when they were outside counted to make sure they had all escaped. One was missing. Dad tried to go back inside but the heat was too intense. Then they heard a cry from the upstairs window. The boy was there. They called for him to jump. Dad said, “I’ll catch you.” The boy hesitated. The smoke was billowing out below him. “I can’t see you,” he cried. The boy’s dad called back, “No, but I can see you! Jump and I will catch you.” In a few seconds he had landed safely in his father’s arms.
It is an image of the resurrection, friends…confidence…shalom confidence even in the midst of fear. Confidence that even if we fall, we fall into the arms of our Lord. Our Lord is ever there for us…we are never on our own.
Martin Luther – the pastor and teacher after whom our Lutheran church takes its name – was a man known for his boldness, but also a man who faced adversity and an uncertain future at almost every turn. On occasion he had good reason to fear for his very life. At one point a friend told him that his chief protector and supporter, Duke Frederick was wavering and may abandon him to the Emperor. With real concern this friend asked, “Then where will you be, Martin?” And Luther calmly replied, “Right where I have always been, in the arms of the everlasting God!”
Friends, if you are facing an uncertain future hear again the promise of the resurrected Christ: “Peace I leave you…my peace I give you…shalom peace…health and wholeness, strength and well-being…not as the world gives do I give to you…but my peace. Let not your hearts be troubled; neither let them be afraid. For I am with you always…even unto the end of the world.” Peace…shalom to you…let’s pr
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