Jesus Seeks to Restore Us to Continue His Mission

040724 SermonXXXX ENG

Author: Rev Jean Baptiste Kenol Rock, Ph.D.

Title: Jesus seeks to restore us to continue his mission

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise on this second Sunday of Easter.

In the name of the living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

In today’s gospel, Jesus appeared for the first time after his resurrection and spent 40 days on earth before returning to heaven. 

On the first day of his resurrection, he appeared to people five times, and I will focus on his final appearance to show how Jesus seeks to restore us to continue his mission.

First, he appeared to Mary de Magdalene at the tomb (John 20:14-16). 

Second, he appeared to Mary, the Mother Of James, Salome, And Joanna (Matthew 28: 9).

Third, he appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34).

Fourth, he appeared to Two Disciples On The Emmaus Road. 

Fifth, he appeared to all his disciples except Thomas. 

Listen to what John said on the last appearance, “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!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

 Again, Jesus said, “Peace be with you!”

Remember, the word peace is Shalom in Hebrew, which means tranquility or being at rest.

We ask: where were the disciples located on the first day of Jesus’ resurrection? They were hiding in the upper room in Jerusalem and locked the doors because they were afraid of the persecution of the Jewish leaders who killed Jesus; they were terrified, traumatized, and shaking in their sandals. For that reason, they were hiding behind closed doors, trembling as the leaves in the storm.

Suddenly, Jesus came into their midst and said to them twice, “Peace be with you.” How did this happen while they shut the doors?

Why did Jesus focus on the word Peace through his appearance to his disciples on his first day of resurrection?

Did the disciples deserve that Peace from Jesus after they betrayed him? They denied him from his arrest to his death on the cross. The answer is no.

Jesus knew that the disciples were in a state of worry, anxiety, and fear; Jesus had already forgiven them for their disloyalty, and he came to them where the room was locked to offer them tranquility and rest by telling them, Peace be with you twice. 

If you were Jesus, what would you tell those disciples in the room where they were hiding after your resurrection? You could blame them and tell them why you betrayed and denied me at the most crucial moment of my ministry. Didn’t I tell you on many occasions that I would go to Jerusalem to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, the scribes, be killed, and after three days rise again?

Instead, Jesus said to them, Peace be with you. He used his power to forgive all their sins and bring them joy and hope, which is why I am proud to serve the risen Christ. 

When the risen Christ told his disciples, “Peace be with you” a second time, he did not only bring them tranquility, rest, joy, and hope but more importantly, he wanted to transform them from emptiness to fullness., from brokenness to wholeness, from this broken egg to this intact egg. Before the resurrection, they were this broken egg; after the resurrection, they became this intact egg without a hole.

Despite what the disciples did to Jesus from his arrest through the cross, Jesus told them a second time, “Peace be with you,” to restore them entirely for a new mission.

Right after the second Peace, Jesus said to them, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” and breathed on them. The primary purpose of this restoration is to commission them so that, effectively, they may continue the work that he has started: a work based on forgiveness and wholeness. This Easter season, it is important to tell people who come to church occasionally not to feel guilty. Tell them, listen, you are not the only one or the first one who stayed away from Jesus; his disciples did it. Invite them to come when they feel comfortable and when they are available, and assure them when they come, Jesus will give them Peace and shalom; he will transform them from emptiness to fullness., from brokenness to wholeness, from this broken egg to this intact egg as he did for his disciples. Jesus is going to accept you the way you are. 

Your homework for this week is to tell the members of your family, your friends, and your co-workers to believe in the Risen Christ and not feel guilty. He is seeking them not only to bring them Peace and make them joyful persons, but more importantly, to restore them entirely like an intact egg to continue his mission on earth.

Alleluia, Christ is risen, He is risen, indeed, alleluia.

Amen.