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Reason #1: Jesus Rose From The Dead To Give Us Peace

Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Good question!

In this series of meditations / blog posts we are unpacking at least 50+ reasons Jesus rose from the dead.

For the first reason I am picking up and summarizing the morning message from this past Easter Sunday morning, taken from John 20:19-23 which says:

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

There is a lot going on in these 5 verses. In these comments I simply focus on and highlight the words of Jesus that he speaks twice: "Peace be with you" Jesus says the same words a 3rd time when Thomas joins the disciples in the same room a week later (John 20:26).

This is so intriguing! Instead of saying something like: "Hey look at me!" or "Hey guys, I'm alive" Jesus speaks words of blessing: "Peace be with you"

Jesus is acting like the priest (Numbers 6:24-26) or the king (1 Kings 8:55) giving the blessing of peace to His followers.

Jesus speaks "Peace" into a room full of fear (verse 19). 

And Jesus speaks "Peace" into our fearful hearts as well.

Because of the resurrection, because Jesus is the Victorious King, because Jesus is truly the "stronger man" (Matthew 12:29), because death and evil can no longer hold him He is able to speak into our lives with authority and grace: "Peace be with you."

May Christ speak His peace into your heart this day. Whatever your fear may be--money, the future, death, other people, etc.--may you hear and receive his peace.

Christ is (still) risen and still speaking those same words of "Peace be unto you" into our hearts today. May we hear Him speaking.