On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” — John 20:19–23
The story of Easter is too big to fit into a single Sunday.
Resurrection Sunday may be behind us, but the resurrection life is just beginning.
In John 20:19–23, we find the disciples on the evening of Easter day—not out proclaiming victory, but locked away in fear. The tomb is empty, yet they are still living as if death had the final word. They are hiding, afraid for their lives, paralyzed by uncertainty and grief.
And then—Jesus comes.
He doesn’t knock. He doesn’t wait for them to open the door. The risen Lord, with His glorified body, passes through locked doors and stands right in the middle of their fear. His first words are not a rebuke. He doesn’t scold them for their lack of faith or for their fear. He says simply, “Peace be with you.”
This is the heart of the resurrection message:
Jesus brings peace into the places we’ve locked down in fear.
The peace Jesus offers is not just comfort. It’s the peace that comes from His victory over sin and death. It’s the peace that says death is not the end. It’s the peace of knowing that the worst thing is never the last thing. Because Christ is risen, every locked door of fear, shame, regret, or anxiety can be opened. His presence is the key.
We sometimes think salvation is only about forgiveness—but it’s so much more. It’s new birth. It’s being filled with the Spirit of the risen Christ. It’s the promise that not only our souls, but our very bodies will be made new. Jesus’ glorified body—still bearing the scars, but now incorruptible—is the prototype of what we, too, will become when God makes all things new.
In this season between Easter and Pentecost, we are reminded:
- Christ’s victory is not just something we celebrate; it’s something we live.
- Fear is a locked door Christ has already passed through.
- Resurrection power is already at work in us through the Holy Spirit.
If you are carrying fear today—fear of death, of pain, of uncertainty—hear again the words of Jesus:
Peace be with you.
The story is not over. Christ is risen. Christ is reigning. And because He lives, so will we.
