For Sunday, April 27th 2025: "Peace Be With You" (John 20:19-31 NRSV)

Lectionary Scripture:  John 20:19-31 NRSV

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

AND ACTS 5:27-32 (NRSV)

When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Reflection on the Scripture:

Spring of 2002, Professor Walter Wink was teaching biblical interpretation at Auburn Theological Seminary in New York City when a sermon or article of his appeared bearing the title "The Vision Spreads".  In the article he focused on the above scripture, made several points, and asked many questions such as the following:  

Why were the disciples arrested? Key to the growth of the early church (and Pentecostal and charismatic churches today) are healing and exorcism.  Why have we largely abandoned these ministries? Jesus understood healing and exorcism as signs of the breaking-in of God's domination-free order ("the kingdom of God"). How have we let our theologies stand in the way of God's healing and liberating activity? In what ways are we "jealous" (5:17) of those who do engage in this ministry? In what ways do they also truncate (i.e. shorten or abbreviate) the gospel?

Professor Wink continues that God initiates civil disobedience by freeing the disciples from jail (Acts 5:19). The civil authorities act perplexed and confused that the uneducated illiterate disciples refuse to be cowed by the command from the authorities not to preach any more in Jesus' name.  The Disciple Peter boldly declares back to the authorities that it is they (the ruling oligarchy) who are responsible for killing Jesus who is the initiator, revealer, and implementer of God's new order.  Per Peter, God's "new thing" is already happening and the nobody disciples speak back to the somebody authorities.

The nobodies say: "We must obey God rather than any human authority".  Which means the unveiling of a whole new authority, not acquired by wealth or property or political clout, but by observing the naked truth of what God really intends for humanity. The disciples see it. They want it. They will die, if they must, for it. The authorities, sensing this, tremble, and fall back on judicial threats.

The Pharisee Gamaliel comes to the rescue, he is one of the somebodies in this exchange and warns the civil authorities, "The enemy is never as monolithic as we think. In the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

Gamaliel's speech persuaded the authorities and they called in the disciples, had them whipped, and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus again and let them go.  The next day the disciples return to the Temple and resumed their preaching, teaching, healing and rejoicing, counting themselves fortunate to have suffered in Christ's name.  As Professor Wink observes, a movement that might have been strangled at birth explodes into the world.  In closing the article, Wink asks, "How is the gospel being silenced today? What part are we playing in this silencing? Who tells us to be silent? Or are we censoring ourselves? If, with a single microphone, you could reach the entire world, what one thing would you say, write, or share?"

Well, as a psychotherapist who stills considers himself engaged in ministering to the needs of others, and as I long ago learned that I cannot reach the entire world, there's clearly a portion of Humanity that will never be persuaded as to the "new thing" and "new order" that God intends to replace the "old order".  The Disciple Thomas as noted in the scripture above from the Gospel of John, remains clearly stuck in the "old order" -- however he will be persuaded that there is something new to embrace.

The "old order" of humankind typically wants no persuasion to something else.  They want 1) authoritarianism, 2) social dominance over others, 3) unchecked bigotry and prejudice, 4) association only with those like-minded to them, and lastly 5) economics that benefit them alone and no one else.  Most individuals recognize the foregoing as Fascism -- plain and simple.

For those of you like Thomas who resonate with God's "new thing" and "new order", I would share via this microphone moment -- words of counsel from a blessing I received so very long ago.  Please welcome the following words into your own heart and let their peace be yours:

".....strive to develop the discipline of the spiritual, upward look: yea, no matter where you are, as you go about your daily activities, cultivate the habit, the discipline of letting your heart, your mind go up unto your Maker, silently and reverently, not only for your own needs, but also for the needs of those who are around about you…., “Counsel the Lord thy God in all thy doings, and He shall direct thee for good…., Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

"May the Spirit of Light and Truth come to you frequently to illuminate your mind so that you may see the true and proper relationships of truths expressed in various fields of human experiences.  You are blessed with the Spirit of the Comforter…., even The One who stands by to help.

Peace be with you, 

Brad Shumate, Founder

Free of Encumbrance

Spokane Valley, WA

(Comments welcomed at: brad@freeofencumbrance.net -- comments are moderated and published at end of this post as they are received and if appropriate for sharing)