Be Strong & Courageous in Body, Mind & Spirit: Under Christ's Reign

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit:

Under Christ's Reign

John 20:19-22
By Pastor Tammy Long

For Your Heart Today

There are moments when we find ourselves behind closed doors-not physically, but internally. Times when life doesn't unfold the way we expected, when something shifts or falls apart, and we are left feeling uncertain, unsettled, and afraid. In those moments, we often pull back, trying to make sense of it all before stepping forward again.

That's where the disciples are in John 20. They are gathered behind locked doors, not filled with hope, but with fear. Everything they thought was going to happen has come undone. Jesus has been crucified. The one they followed, trusted, and believed in is gone. They've heard reports that the tomb is empty, but they don't know what to do with that. What they do know is that they could be next, and they are afraid.

And it's right there, in that space, that Jesus comes to them. He doesn't wait for them to understand or to gather their courage. He meets them in their fear. And His first words are not instructions or correction, but a gift: "Peace be with you."

Peace for their minds, racing with questions. Peace for their bodies, tense and on edge. Peace for their spirits, unsettled and unsure. And then He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

This is what it means to live under Christ's reign-not because everything makes sense, and not because fear has disappeared, but because Jesus meets us in those places and offers us His peace, His presence, and His power. And the same is true for us. Whatever space we find ourselves in today, even the fearful ones, Jesus comes to us and gives us what we need.

Takeaways

1. Jesus meets us in our fear and grief.
   He comes to the disciples behind locked doors, not waiting for them to come to Him, but meeting them in their uncertainty, grief, and fear.
2. Peace is a gift to receive, not something to achieve.
   Jesus does not tell them to stop being afraid-He offers them His peace in the middle of it.
3. The scars confirm the reality of His peace.
   When the disciples see His wounds, they know with certainty it is Jesus, and a broader peace has been secured through what He has accomplished. Peace with God and one another.
4. Joy rises from recognizing His presence.
   Even though their situation has not changed, everything shifts when they realize Jesus is with them.
5. We are empowered by His Spirit to live differently.
   Through His breath, Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, enabling us to live with His peace, presence, and power from the inside out.

Breath Prayer

Inhale: Risen Lord
Exhale: Breathe in me

Full Manuscript - Estimated Reading Time ~18-22 minutes

Be Strong and Courageous in Body, Mind, and Spirit: Under Christ's Reign

Behind Closed Doors

Last Sunday, we celebrated the risen King. We lifted our voices and declared that Jesus is alive-not just risen, but reigning. It was a moment of joy, a time of worship, and a moment of remembering who Jesus is. Our King.

And I want you to hold onto that this morning, as we step back for a moment-not away from the resurrection, but back into the story by just a few days, to follow the disciples.

Because the truth is, they did not move from the cross to coronation the way we just did in a single service. They lived the unfolding story minute by minute. They were with Jesus at the last supper. They were there when Jesus was arrested, and when He was arrested, the disciples scattered.

The same men who had walked with Him, learned from Him, and promised they would never leave Him-but when the fire got hot, they ran.

We know Peter, who had been so bold, declaring he would never deny Jesus, followed at a distance, and ended up denying that he even knew Jesus three times. The disciples were scared, and the Gospel writers do not soften or spin the moments. We see the disciples just as they were.

And then came the cross-the suffering, the loss, the finality of it. Everything they thought this story was going to be, everything they believed Jesus was going to do, all seemed to come undone. Jesus was dead.

That is, until Sunday morning when the whispers began. There were reports that the tomb was empty and that Jesus was alive. The women who arrived early to care for His body for a proper burial were the first to encounter the Risen Lord and share the good news. Then Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves that it was indeed empty.

And yet, the disciples don't know what to do with any of this. They don't know what to do with all they are feeling… all their questions… their confusion. They know the tomb is empty, but they don't know what that means, or where Jesus' body is.

What they do know is that what the religious leaders did to Jesus could be done to them, and they are afraid.

So what do they do? They huddle. They hide. And that is where we meet them in our text this morning.

If you would, please open your Bibles to John 20:19-22 (NLT).

The Disciples Are Us

We can relate to what the disciples are experiencing. I'm sure each of us has been there. Times when life takes a turn we did not expect. Circumstances unfold beyond our control. Things happen we did not see coming. Expectations we were certain about-things we thought God was doing, directions we believed He was leading-suddenly shift, or fall apart, and we are left trying to make sense of it all.

We may still believe that God is good. We may still hold onto what we know to be true. But it can still be disorienting, confusing, unsettling-and frightening.

Often, what we do in those moments is pull back. We get quiet. We hold things in. We withdraw, almost as if we have stepped behind a metaphorical closed door, locking ourselves in to try and sort it all out before we can step back out again.

And that is exactly what we see the disciples doing. And for them, the stakes are even higher-their lives are on the line.

So they gather behind locked doors, afraid and trying to make sense of it all. Their bodies would have been tense and on edge. Their minds would have been filled with questions they could not answer. Their spirits carrying grief, confusion, and a fragile hope they were not sure what to do with yet.

So they huddled together in a room, which took a modicum of courage to stay together. That's worth noting. They didn't all go their separate ways. They were together, even in their fear and confusion.

And then, we're told, suddenly, Jesus is in the room. He is standing among them.

Suddenly, Jesus

I love that John says suddenly. That says there was no warning. No gradual realization. One moment they are alone, and the next, Jesus is standing among them.

The one they saw arrested, crucified, buried-is now alive in the flesh, present, right in front of them. This would have been startling. Shocking.

What strikes me so much about this moment is not just that Jesus appears, but how He appears. He comes to them.

They weren't looking for Him. They didn't even open the door and invite Him in. Jesus comes to them and meets them right where they are, in the middle of their confusion and fear, as they are hiding out.

He doesn't wait for them to come and find Him. He comes to them. And then He speaks, and His first words are, "Peace be with you."

Now this was a very familiar phrase in Jesus' day, a common greeting they would have heard and said countless times before. But in this moment… it's an interesting choice.

I would have expected Jesus to say something like, "Fear not, don't be afraid." The situation warranted it. They were afraid, and we hear those exact words in Scripture again and again-not to be afraid.

But those are not the words Jesus chooses. When you think about it, Jesus is not giving them something to do-a command or an imperative to not fear. He gives them something to receive. "Peace be with you." He's giving a gift, and they need it.

Their minds would have been racing, trying to make sense of what they are seeing. Their bodies would have been tense, on alert, carrying the weight of everything they've been through. Their spirits would have been unsettled, holding grief, confusion, and thin hope that was fading fast.

And into all of that, Jesus speaks peace. Peace for their minds-because He is here. Peace for their bodies-because He is here. Peace for their spirits-because He is here.

Jesus had not abandoned them. The story is still unfolding, and Jesus is present. He meets them where they are and gives them what they need in that moment. "Peace be with you."

And the truth is, He does the same for us. We may not always recognize it, but He comes to us, too. He is present in the places we find ourselves-especially the places we didn't expect to be in, that rattle us, confuse us, and disorient us.

Jesus is present with us, and He offers that same peace. Peace for our minds when we are trying to make sense of things. Peace for our bodies when we are carrying tension and stress we struggle to release. And peace for our spirits when we are unsettled or hurting.

We don't have to hide and try to figure it out. He comes to us and offers peace right where we are.

And that's what He offered the disciples that day. Jesus is standing among them. He has spoken peace. But in this moment, they haven't yet fully grasped what is happening.

Scars & Joy

Have you ever had the experience where you are looking right at something, seeing it with your own eyes, hearing it with your own ears… and yet you're not quite believing or comprehending what you are seeing?

That's where the disciples are. They see Him. They hear Him. But in this moment, they haven't fully taken it in.

And then Jesus does what only Jesus can do. He shows them the wounds in His hands… and His side. The unrefutable proof of who He is. And the wounds from His crucifixion are still visible. And in that instant… they know.

They know that they know. Beyond any shadows of doubt. They know.

Their bodies, their minds, their spirits-all catch up. They know this is not a vision, or wishful thinking, or their minds playing tricks on them, that can be explained away. This is Jesus in the flesh, and they are seeing Him with their own eyes.

And that takes Jesus' words, "Peace be with you," to an entirely new level. These words are not just about calming fear in the moment. They were a declaration that peace has been secured. Peace between humanity and God. Peace that reaches into the broken places between us, person to person. Peace that holds, not just for that day-but forever.

And those scars are the evidence. The visible reminder that everything Jesus said before His death was true, that His promises can be trusted, and what looked like defeat has become victory.

And as the disciples begin to recognize all His presence means, that this truly was Jesus in the flesh, alive and well, we are told, "They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord."

Joy erupts. Now the truth is, they are still behind locked doors. They are still wanted men. They haven't even left the room.

But something is changing from the inside out, because Jesus is there. And wherever Jesus is, there is fullness of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength.

And we know joy is not dependent on what is happening around us. It's not the same as happiness. It's something deeper, something that resides on the inside.

Joy comes when we recognize that Jesus is present, even in the middle of what is unsettling, unfinished, or uncomfortable. Joy is that quiet assurance that we are not alone. It's that deep gratitude that Jesus is here, that we're going to be alright. It's that steady love that holds, even when everything else feels uncertain.

And when it does, something inside of us opens. That's when the peace Jesus gives passes understanding and takes hold in us.

And so Jesus says it again, "Peace be with you."

Peace, Purpose, and Presence

"Peace be with you."

He repeats it-not because they didn't hear it the first time, but because they are now ready to receive it differently. Now they see Him for who He is-the risen Lord-who has made it possible for them, and for us, to truly receive His peace. It's a gift to receive, to let settle, to take hold of us, and to embrace.

And then Jesus goes on to say, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." And this is important. Because the peace Jesus gives is not meant for them alone. It is also preparation for what comes next. Part of God's mission for them.

And then the Scriptures tell us, He breathes on them and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

You can't get much closer than that. It's not only close in proximity, but it's personal and intimate.

This takes us all the way back to the beginning of the world, when God breathed life into humanity in the garden. Now, through His breath, the disciples are given the Holy Spirit to reside within them. It's a new day. One that would soon be available to all who call Jesus Lord. Transformation from the presence of God-from the inside out.

Their bodies, minds, and spirits are now able to align with the heart of God. Not perfectly executed in their humanity, but enabled because the very Spirit of God is now with them and in them, empowering them for all God will ask of them.

We've been talking about being strong and courageous since January. And it's never been about us and what we do. It's never been about trying harder, holding it together, or pushing through our limitations.

From the very beginning, when God said "be strong and courageous" to Moses, Joshua, and the people of Israel, it has always been about God's strength and God's courage. God with them. God going before them. God at work within them.

And here, in this moment with the disciples in that little locked room, we see what that looks like. Jesus Himself empowering His disciples to be strong and courageous through His peace and through the power of His Spirit.

So What Does This Mean for Us?

So what does this mean for us? For you and for me?

It means we don't have to stay behind locked doors. Whatever those doors may be for us-fear, uncertainty, things we are trying to sort through, places where we've pulled back or held back-we don't have to stay there.

We don't have to stay there because we've figured everything out or have a plan. We don't have to stay in that space because Jesus comes to us. He meets us right where we are. He is present with us. And He gives us what we need.

Peace we can't manufacture. Peace for our bodies. Peace for our minds. Peace for our spirits.

And not only peace, but presence-we are not without Him. He goes with us and will lead, guide, and help us.

Through His power at work within us.

And with the gift of His peace, presence, and power, we can move from behind our own locked doors with a different kind of strength and courage that does not come from us, but from the Spirit of God within us.

We'll talk more about that next week, but it's true right now for every follower of Jesus. This is what it means to live under the reign of Christ. Not striving or forcing or pushing, not trying to hold it all together on our own, but living under His reign-living from His peace, His presence, and His power at work within us.

Strong and courageous.

A Moment to Receive

As you sit with this, you may already know where your "closed door" is. The place where you've pulled back. The place where things feel uncertain, unresolved, or even a little overwhelming.

The invitation is not to force your way forward or figure everything out. The invitation is to recognize that Jesus meets you there. Right there. And He offers you what you need-His peace, His presence, and His power.

You may simply want to pause for a moment and receive that. Not rush past it. Not analyze it. Just receive.

A Simple Prayer

Risen Lord,
meet me right where I am.

In the places where I feel afraid,
where I feel uncertain,
where I've pulled back…

Would You speak Your peace over me?

Let Your presence settle in me.
And by Your Spirit,
give me the strength and courage
to take whatever step You are inviting me to take.

I receive what You are giving.

Amen.