Peace Be With You

No matter where we look, it seems as if there is something that we are told that we should fear. Opposing sides of every argument tell us that if we don’t side with them, there will be some grave issue that we will unearth and fall victim to. This manufactured fear already amplifies and feeds upon the fact that there is natural uncertainty in the world. What are you afraid of? In this calendar year, we have had wildfires ravage multiple communities in Southern California, floods overwhelm multiple communities in the South, and all of this is in addition to the global economic uncertainty. This leads to the question: What do you cling to in times of uncertainty? Increasingly, the answer is that we often cannot find anything upon which we can find security. However, since you are reading or listening to this, you may have decided to give faith a try, and I don’t want to give you false hope, because even followers of Christ find that fear makes its way into their lives. Even the disciples were afraid of the authorities and clung to each other in the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion. However, on the first Easter Sunday, Jesus responds to that fear with a message that works to alleviate and dissipate their fear: “Peace be with you.”

19 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.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 20:19–23.

When faced with threats, either real or simply perceived, the human response is often profound fear, a state that typically gives rise to pervasive anxiety and a deep sense of powerlessness. This dynamic is clearly seen in the disciples’ reaction following the Crucifixion; they perceived the Jewish authorities as an immediate threat, and their resulting fear manifested as intense anxiety and helplessness. People today experience a similar phenomenon when various forces or circumstances loom as threats to well-being or security; even if the source is less defined, this fear still breeds significant anxiety and feelings of powerlessness. Sometimes, this sense of being powerless in the face of fear can lead to actions like scapegoating, an attempt to regain control by assigning a name or face to the threat. The disciples felt acutely powerless against potential arrest and persecution, showing that fear can paralyze and overwhelm. Their retreat to a locked room was a direct consequence of this fear-induced anxiety and powerlessness, an attempt to find security against the forces they felt unable to control. Similarly, modern individuals seek security—be it financial, social, or personal—often driven by the same need to counteract the anxiety and helplessness stemming from their fears. Into this atmosphere charged with anxiety and powerlessness born of fear, Jesus’ words, “Peace be with you,” directly addressed the disciples’ state, offering solace and salvation won on the Cross. This interaction underscores a timeless human need: finding peace of mind to counter the anxiety and sense of powerlessness that fear so often cultivates.

When we find ourselves gripped by fear, it’s significant that Jesus consistently responds not with judgment or rhetoric, but with a profound offering of peace. This pattern was evident in his immediate reaction to the disciples’ reaction out of their anxiety to ensure they were behind locked doors; his greeting “Peace be with you,” was far more significant than a simple greeting, rather it conveyed peace into their hearts as the present resurrected body of Christ stood before them. This Easter evening, “Peace be with you” complemented his declaration “It is finished!” from the cross, signifying that the peace of reconciliation and abundant life from God was now realized, and the blessings of God’s kingdom were realized through his death and resurrection. Jesus’ ability to appear despite the physical barrier of the locked doors—intended by the fearful disciples to keep perceived threats out—demonstrated the incomprehensible nature of his resurrected body. It was a powerful act of care, showing that their fear could not impede his presence. His arrival in their midst was an assurance that God’s presence would always remain. While the specific circumstances of the disciples differ from modern anxieties, the fundamental human experience of fear amidst uncertainty connects us to their story. Just as Christ met his disciples in their fear, offering peace, commissioning them, and bestowing the Holy Spirit, thereby transforming their fear into joy and providing purpose, individuals today facing uncertainty can similarly seek out God’s presence as a source of hope, meaning, and empowerment to navigate their own fears, recognizing the power of hope to overcome anxiety, all stemming from God’s foundational response of offering peace instead of condemnation.

Once fear is dispelled by the peace Christ provides, God’s people are truly empowered to fulfill their commission of sharing the Gospel. After Jesus appeared to his disciples, he addressed their fear by offering peace and showing his wounds. Then, He breathed on them, gifting them the Holy Spirit, a symbolic act that imparted life much like God breathing life into Adam. This empowering Spirit, identified by Christ in the power of the resurrection and promised before His death, provides believers comfort and peace, replacing fear and uncertainty with divine strength. Immediately following this impartation, Jesus sent His disciples out— “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you”—a mission the church continues by proclaiming reconciliation and peace with God, thereby offering a tangible manifestation of Jesus’ peace to a fearful world. Central to this mission is the authority Jesus granted to forgive sins, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld,” underscoring how the act of forgiveness, extended by the community breathed upon by Christ, is essential for bringing peace with God and others, releasing individuals from the burden of sin and overcoming the fear that prevents embracing the Gospel message.

Fear is all around us. We fear our neighbors and our future, and the world around us invokes a dread that leads to fear. None of us is immune to the rhetoric and situations that attempt to spark anxiety in our lives. It has been something that the Church has had to fight against for years. Far too many churches are simply just playing out their life cycle because they are afraid of what any change might mean. Fear paralyzes us. However, the antidote to fear is peace and hope. Both of these are found in Jesus. The scriptures remind us that perfect love drives out fear, and that is precisely what Jesus did that first Easter morning. Now we can lock the doors and live in fear, or draw nearer to the source of that perfect love. As we draw closer to Jesus, we are given peace and the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers the church to conquer fear and share the hope of the Gospel. Look at the world around you and notice that there are numerous people who are afraid and are looking for comfort in their homes, jobs, bank statements, government, and have come up empty. However, as followers of Christ, we must share Jesus’ words, “Peace be with you,” as we share the true hope and peace found in the resurrection on that first Easter Sunday.