On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came… John 20:19-31
This text is referring to the day of Easter, when the news about Jesus’ rising was still new. The disciples had heard from others that Jesus had risen, but they had not yet seen him themselves.
If they had seen Jesus, do you think they would still have been afraid? If they had just seen Jesus, do you think they would still have locked the doors? I think they would have. After all, we know that Jesus rose from the dead, and yet we are still afraid of lots of things, aren’t we?
But what did the disciples do when they were afraid? They gathered together. And after they saw Jesus, they continued getting together every single week to encourage each other. They talked about what Jesus had said, about the challenges of following him, and how to be like Jesus in a very difficult world.
Are we like them? We certainly are in our weakness. We’re still afraid of lots of things. We’re afraid to speak about Jesus in public. We’re afraid of what will happen to our children. We’re afraid of crime and change and poverty and sickness and the future. We know that Jesus has risen from the dead, but that doesn’t solve our day to day problems.
But being afraid like them, do we gather together like them? Do we want to hang out with others who know the good news so that we can remind each other and encourage each other?
“Christ is risen!” We say that on Easter Sunday, and maybe for a few weeks after, but the first believers said it when it was news! And they kept reminding one another of that truth because Jesus was not visibly with them most of the time.
When we gather and share our fears and struggles, how can we find the same comfort in Jesus resurrection, and how might our conversation be like theirs? We need to say to one another, “He is risen indeed. Alleluia!”
Prayer: O Savior, sometimes I’m afraid. But I know you will be with me when I gather with your people, just as you promised. Amen.