Sermon for Second Sunday of Easter: "Words and Wounds"

 + 2^nd Sunday of Easter – April 24^th, 2022 +

Series C: Acts 5:12-32; Revelation 1:4-18; John 20:19-31

Beautiful Savior Lutheran

Milton, WA

 

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

 

John’s words may sound like the conclusion of the Gospel. But John’s not just a closing pitcher. He goes the full nine innings. John ends his gospel the way it begins. Take a listen:

⁹ The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹² But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³ who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

So John’s words throughout the gospel are like a the steady fastball delivering strikeout after strikeout. That’s exactly what our Lord called him to do. John is a messenger, a mouthpiece, a megaphone for repentance and the forgiveness of sins. The same is true for pastors in their calling, and all people in your daily lives. Notice, though, that John doesn’t talk about himself. In fact he’s so concerned about not making the gospel about himself that he simply refers to himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” or the” other disciple.” John must decrease. Jesus Crucified and Risen must increase.

 

In a few sentences John not only summarizes Easter and Holy Week, but also every sign, word, and teaching of Jesus. All to deliver Jesus Crucified and Risen for your salvation right into your ears.  

 

As Paul writes, “Faith comes by hearing”(Romans 10:17).  The eyes of faith are your ears. These words are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Jesus’ Word is peace. Your peace. 

Shalom is the Hebrew. It means fullness, wholeness. A perfect, complete, all-is-well kind of peace. That’s what the Lord had intended the Sabbath day to be like before the Fall. Jesus’ death on the cross has restored peace between your Creator and you, His creature. Peace between you and the Father. 

 

On that first Easter night, the disciples needed Jesus’ word of peace. Some denied him, others ran; were afraid and in hiding. Even after hearing the women’s eyewitness report: “He’s risen!” Even after seeing the empty tomb. They were still afraid. Locked behind closed doors. Disbelieving. It wasn’t just Thomas. It was all of them.

 

Sin does the same thing to you and me. We try to run and conceal our guilt like Adam and Eve with the fig leaves. Sin causes us to fear, love and trust in ourselves. And it’s just as foolish. 

“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.”

 

Jesus breaks into their prison of fear, risen from the dead. “Peace be with you,” He declares. His words give what he says: Peace. His Word with a tangible sign. His hands and His feet, pierced by the nails. This is the very same Jesus who hung dead on the cross. He has the marks to prove it. 

And just as the locked doors of the upper room were no obstacle to the crucified and risen Lord, so too the locked rooms of our sinful lives are no match for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jesus breaks into your prison, finds you, rescues you and speaks to you: Peace be with you. 

 

Jesus Words and his wounds bring you peace. 

 

That sin you’ve tried so hard to cover is buried in the wounds of Jesus. That guilt you’ve tried so hard to remove is washed away in the blood of the Lamb. That death that stares you in the face – Jesus died for you. That unbelief and doubt that nags and gnaws at you and never seems to leave, is blown away by a simple, yet life-giving, Word, Jesus’ Word: peace be with you. 

 

Jesus’ Word and wounds bring you peace. That is why even in his resurrection Jesus shows his disciples his wounded hands and side. Jesus is, and ever shall be, the crucified and risen One.

As Jesus proclaims to you in Revelation: “Fear not,” Jesus says, “I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.” 

Even in his resurrection Jesus proclaims His death for you: “See my hands and my side…”  It’s no different in the Church, Christ’s cross marks everything we say and do. 

 

For us – as it was for the disciples - the sacrifice of Christ Crucified is never simply a past event. Christ’s death is always a visible, tangible, present reality. He showed them his hands and his side. He shows you the same thing here in the Lord’s Supper: His Word and His wounds are give you peace. 

 

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. 

 

As He once breathed over the waters of creation in the beginning, as He once breathed into the nostrils of Adam turning his lifeless clay into a living being. As He once breathed life into the valley of dry bones, Jesus breaths on His disciples.

Out of Jesus’ death and resurrection flows the apostolic ministry and apostolic church. Jesus sends His disciples as His apostles. Jesus wants you to hear that your sins are forgiven in Jesus’ Name.  He wants to give you something concrete and tangible to believe, something outside of you. His word, water, body and blood. 

 

So He opens His mouth and speaks His Word of peace. Jesus opens His wounds to heal you.  

 

So that whenever you find yourself troubled, afraid, imprisoned by guilt and sin…when you cry out, Lord I believe, help my unbelief, the same Lord who breathed out the Holy Spirit on the disciples, who was crucified, died, was buried, and rose again speaks. Peace be with you. 

 

 

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.