Where in the Gospels Does Our Lord Say Peace Be With You
Sudbury faith: The meaning behind 'peace be with you'
Roger O'Brien, Columnist
During our Sunday morning church services, we often take time to greet one another. And quite frequently we will express to one another, "Peace be with you." I would like to explore the Scriptures to discover what we are actually expressing to one another when we use this greeting.
After His death and resurrection, Jesus used this greeting three times when He met with His disciples (John 20:19-29). The first thing to notice is that Jesus used this greeting of peace after His resurrection. He did not use this greeting before His resurrection. By His resurrection, Jesus has defeated Satan and the power of sin. When we choose to walk by faith with Jesus Christ, Satan no longer has to have control over our emotions and thoughts.
The second thing to notice is that Jesus used this expression of peace with His disciples. Who is a disciple of Jesus Christ? Now many of us consider ourselves to be Christian. Generally, this is because many of us were born into a Christian family. Or we attend a Christian church, so we consider ourselves to be Christian. Now I realize that some of us also call ourselves Christian because we have had a personal encounter with Jesus.
But who does Jesus consider to be a Christian? We need to go back to the Scriptures again. Those of us who consider ourselves Christian sometimes use the title, "Lord," to refer to Jesus. There was a time when Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (Matthew 7:21).
When we consider ourselves Christian and we use the title Lord to refer to Jesus, we need to understand who Jesus considers to be a Christian. Jesus said that the one who does the will of His Father will enter heaven. This is a Christian. Are we doing the will of the Father? This is the Christian who can say, "Peace be with you."
Now Jesus showed His disciples the holes in His hands and the wound in His side. Then He said, "Peace be with you" (John 20:21). But he added, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." The third thing to notice is that as a Christian, we are sent by Jesus Christ (John 20:21). So the question is, "Has Jesus sent you?"
Jesus adds that we are to receive the Holy Spirit and we are to forgive one another (John 20:22,23). Please understand that it is only as a Christian who has received the Holy Spirit that we can forgive one another from the heart. A Christian requires the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to be able to truly forgive. Then we can say to one another, "Peace be with you."
Now during this time when Jesus was with His disciples, Thomas was absent. So Thomas doubted that Jesus had appeared to the disciples. Eight days later, however, Jesus appeared again to His disciples and said, "Peace be with you." This time Thomas saw Jesus and he was convinced (John 20:24-28).
Then Jesus responded to Thomas, "Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed" (John 20:29). Thomas saw Jesus and believed. Some of us have seen Jesus and we believe. But some of us have not seen Jesus and yet we still believe in Him. If we believe in Jesus and yet we have not seen Jesus, then we also can say, "Peace be with you."
I hope you are encouraged to become a Christian if you are not one already. And if you are a Christian and express, "Peace be with you," please be mindful of your responsibility as a Christian.
Roger O'Brien is a member of the Christian community in Greater Sudbury. www.discoveringgodsfamily.com.
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Where in the Gospels Does Our Lord Say Peace Be With You
Source: https://www.thesudburystar.com/2016/03/06/sudbury-faith-the-meaning-behind-peace-be-with-you
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