Audio recording Sermon manuscript: On the evening of Easter Jesus appeared to his disciples. He said to them, “Peace to you.” We have a hard time grasping what Jesus says to us here. It is almost standard operating procedure for us to not think very highly of something when it does not seem to be needed. We don’t appreciate health until we are sick. We don’t appreciate good weather until we’ve had weeks of gray skies. So it is also with peace. There’s another problem with peace: we use the word too much. The same thing happens with the word “love.” Using words a lot seems to degrade the meaning of them. We want world peace. We want peace for our times. The hippies had a peace sign. So what is peace? Is it being cool? Is it the advance of modern civilization? Is it non-violence? Peace is a grand word, again, like the word “love.” Both of these words loom large in God’s plan. Heaven is a place of peace and love. Practically all the blessings that we use have the word “peace” in them. “Grace, mercy, and peace to you…” “The peace of God that surpasses all understanding…” “The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” All these blessings are actually quotations from Scripture. It is God’s will that you should have peace. That’s why he does what he does—so that his people may be blessed with peace. So peace is grand and heavenly. At the same time peace is simple. Babies understand peace. When babies are hurt or frightened they cry in a certain way. It is a very sad thing when babies cry like that. We want to comfort them. And we are very thankful and joyful when that baby is blessed by peace. Mom picks him up and familiarity floods the baby’s senses. He knows the smell, he knows the feel, he hears the sound, he knows he’s safe. Peace is simple. At the same time it is profound. Jesus says, “Peace to you.” Peace is bestowed upon the disciples by the Jesus whom they know. He shows them his hands, his feet, and his side. This is the same Jesus who hung on the cross and died. Now he is there, they know him, and he is giving them peace. As far as how they felt, this was a great change and a great blessing. Prior to this they had no peace. Not only were they severely disturbed by what had happened to Jesus, whom they had thought was the Christ, but they were concerned for their own skin. The doors were locked for fear of the Jews. The peace that Jesus brought them was not unlike the peace that a mother gives her baby. At the same time, Jesus’s peace is powerful. A person might wonder, how long is this peace going to last? Forever and ever. Do you see his hands and he feet? He died for your sin. He was raised for your justification. The apostle Paul says, “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Things have changed. God is no longer angry at us for our sins, having punished our sins in the Lord Jesus. Death has lost its sting. It is not the expression of terror and wrath that it otherwise would be as God’s punishment for our sin. This is because we are no longer under the Law. If we were under the Law, then it would howl and cry out for our punishment. If we were put on trial, and the things that we have done were brought up for judgment, then we would prefer that the mountains fall on us rather than face the shame. And we haven’t even said anything about the punishment that justice should demand. According to the Law there is only peace where the Law has been fulfilled. If the Law has not been fulfilled there is only wrath and punishment. Along these lines let us notice again Jesus’s words and his actions. He says “Peace to you.” He doesn’t say “Wrath to you” or “Woe to you.”  If the Law and our actions were the deciding factor, then there would be no way for him to say “Peace to you.” He’d have to say, “Woe to you.” Honesty and truthfulness would demand it. But Jesus honestly and truthfully says, “Peace to you.” That is an authoritative word. He can say it, and he