Sermon - Quasimodo Geniti - John 20:19-31

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Why does Jesus’ resurrection matter? That’s a good question, huh! It’s obviously important in the church as Easter is the chief festival in the church year. It’s so important, that Easter isn’t just one day, but Easter spans seven weeks, and today is just the second Sunday of Easter out of those seven Sundays! 

So why is Easter so important? Why does it matter that Christ rose from the dead? When He died on the cross, He already paid the debt of sin that we owe, so isn’t His resurrection just fluff on the cake? By no means! If Jesus’ death on the cross truly atoned for our sins and defeated death, then Jesus wouldn’t remain dead. If Jesus had remained dead, then that would mean that Jesus’ death didn’t atone for your sins and didn’t conquer your death. The apostle Paul writes, “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

If Christ were not raised from the dead, then none of us would be raised from the dead when we die. Instead, we would all die eternally and go to hell forever. But St. Paul assures us, “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father, and therefore you all will be raised from the dead by the Father as well. Thus the resurrection matters! It’s not just fluff on the cake, but it’s everything! The resurrection of Jesus validates the great promise that God makes to us dry bones: “Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people.”

So the resurrection of Jesus gives us peace, gladness, and faith that Jesus is our Lord and our God who raises us from the grave. Yes, in the midst of this world of strife and chaos, Jesus’ resurrection gives us peace. The resurrected Christ declares to the apostles three times in the Gospel today “Peace be with you.” Jesus has come to bring peace to the nations, but it’s not peace like the world sees peace. 

When nations war against nations, and strife and contention rule the hearts of man, it’s said that they don’t have peace. But when the fightings cease and the bloodshed is brought to an end, then it is said that the people have peace. So the definition of peace in the world is merely the absence of fighting. 

But Jesus’ peace is altogether different. The king of this world, the devil, loves to cause chaos and disorder, so that when people bow down and worship him he simply removes that chaos from their lives. He creates the chaos so that people flock to him when he removes the chaos. It’s really a rather clever scheme actually. But because that’s the kind of peace the devil deals in, Jesus gives peace in a whole different manner. Jesus gives peace to the heart.

“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.”” The apostles had fear because of the chaos and threat of death which surrounded them. When Jesus comes and speaks peace to them, He doesn’t remove the chaos and threat of death from them. The Jews are still raging and desiring to kill Jesus’ disciples. But Jesus gives peace to the disciples’ troubled hearts.

This isn’t a tangible peace like the world gives, but it’s a hidden and secret peace within the heart, an inner and spiritual peace that has faith in Jesus and clings to nothing but the words of Jesus who says “Εἰρήνη ὑμῖν, peace be with you, fear not.” With these words of Jesus the Christian is so contented and comforted that though all the world be covered in hectic chaos, the Christian is satisfied to have Christ as his friend and his gracious God who desires his welfare. 

This is the peace of which St. Paul writes “The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our dear Lord Jesus speaks of this peace as well when He says, “In me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.” The peace which we have in the resurrection of Jesus grants us steadfastness of faith and heart even when storms and fires destroy all we have, when sickness and violence kill all our loved ones, and we ourselves lay in death’s strong bands. Still we have peace and comfort to know that Christ, who is our Lord and our God, shall raise us from the grave to incorruptible life.

This peace is so powerful, that it overflows our cup and gives us joy and gladness! “When Jesus had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.” The resurrected Jesus, who still bears in His body the marks of the cross causes us gladness to see Him! I know we Lutherans are pretty good at talking about suffering and dying, about having that peace within our hearts, but sometimes it seems we’re afraid to talk about gladness and joy which we have on account of the resurrection of Jesus.

Don’t be afraid to be happy! Don’t be afraid to smile! Don’t be afraid to laugh! Christ has risen from the dead and He goes to prepare a mansion for you in heaven! You will be reunited with your loved ones forever! The almighty God, your Lord and your God, He loves you and He goes to the cross to die for you because of His love for you. He forgives all of your sins, He washes them all away from you! Every one of your sins, each wicked thing that you’ve done that causes you guilt and shame, they’re all gone because of Jesus! If that doesn’t make you happy, if that doesn’t put a smile on your face, if that doesn’t make you glad, then I don’t know what kind of stoic you are. 

It’s not a Lutheran thing to just be sad and depressed all the time, it’s not even a cultural German thing actually. Paul Gerhardt, the hymn writer for our hymn of the month, was a good German Lutheran from 400 years ago who has us sing “Awake my heart with gladness… This is a sight that gladdens - what peace it doth impart! Now nothing ever saddens the joy within my heart… and sin I laugh to scorn. Grim death with all its might cannot my soul affright… My heart from care is free, no trouble troubles me.” Even though the world against us rages, misfortune surrounds us, and we’re in the midst of gloom and sadness, because of Christ our true savior who rends death’s iron chain we are led to bliss untold in the resurrection of the dead! 

So when we sing these fantastic Lutheran chorales, these hymns of the faith that put our joy into song, sing out! Let the joy within your heart peal forth like thunder in the heavens! Don’t be inhibited by shyness or the thought that you can’t sing, but heed God’s command and make a joyful noise to the Lord this day and every day! “Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!” When you sing our final hymn today, Awake, My Heart, with Gladness, sing it with joy not only in your heart, but let your joy flow forth in your voice and your face, knowing that Christ is risen for you!

Because that’s why we have peace and joy. We have peace and joy because of the faith that we’ve been given in Jesus who is our Lord and our God. The apostles always get a bad rap, and especially Thomas as we like to call him doubting Thomas. But quite frankly, the apostles were very manly men. Peter wasn’t afraid to die for Jesus as he drew his sword in front of the guards when Jesus was arrested. Thomas was so certain of the resurrection that when Lazarus died, he told Jesus that they should go to be with Lazarus so that they may die with him.

So the fear and sadness that caused the apostles to hold up and hide wasn’t because they were weak sissies, but because of unbelief. The same doubts that trouble your hearts and minds troubled also the tough manly hearts of the apostles. So to combat these asailents of doubt and fear, Jesus revealed Himself to His apostles as their crucified and risen Savior. To which St. Thomas makes the greatest confession of faith about Jesus thus far in the Gospels: “My Lord and my God!” 

The apostle Thomas is given faith, not just faith that Jesus was crucified, nor just faith that He was risen from the dead, but that Jesus is his Lord and his God. Thomas believed that Jesus was crucified for him. Thomas believed that Jesus was raised from the dead for him. This is important because this gets to the very heart of what faith is for you today as well. It’s not enough to believe that Jesus died and was raised from the dead, even the devils believe that. Faith is believing that Jesus’ death and resurrection is for you. Faith is believing that Jesus is not just a Lord and a God, but is your Lord and your God. 

So Jesus reveals Himself to you, as He did to Thomas and the other apostles, as your crucified and risen Lord and God. Jesus has revealed Himself to you in His Word. “These things 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.” The Word of God reveals that Jesus was crucified and died for you, to forgive your sins. The Word of God reveals that Jesus was raised from the dead and lives eternally for you, so that you will live eternally with Him. 

Because of God’s Word that you hear today, we all become like newborn infants, like my newborn son Gideon who (will be/has been) baptized this morning. Like him, God’s Word is for us pure spiritual milk which we need to sustain our faith each and every day. So drink deeply of God’s Word, don’t just wet your lips but satisfy your hungry need for faith. This Word which gives you faith, gives you also joy and peace, so that no matter the strife you face in this life, Christ gives you peace in His resurrection. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!