Behind Locked Doors

It had been a confusing day. That morning, some of the women, then Peter and John, said they had gone to the tomb of Jesus and found it empty. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary claimed they had seen Jesus and that He was alive. The women told them that Jesus had a message for them: Don’t be afraid. Go to Galilee and I will see you there.

But they were afraid. The followers of Jesus were gathered together behind locked doors. They feared the chief priests who had Jesus crucified would come for them. By that evening, his followers still didn’t know what to think. They remembered things Jesus told them, but didn’t understand everything that had happened.

Suddenly, Jesus stood in the middle of the room. Alive.

They had seen Him dead on the cross. Now, Jesus was alive and with them.

They were stunned.

“Peace be with you,” said Jesus.

This common Jewish greeting was anything but common coming from the Prince of Peace who had risen from the dead.

They were struggling to make sense of what they were seeing.  

Jesus showed them His hands and His side.

They saw the evidence of His crucifixion. Some of them had seen Him suffer on the cross. These were the wounds of Jesus. And this was Jesus. He was . . . alive.

Joy rose in the hearts and souls of each one there. They didn’t understand how, but Jesus was with them again.

“Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you,” said Jesus.

Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Only three nights before this one Jesus had promised that He would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to them. Jesus told them that the Spirit would teach them all they needed to know and would bring to their remembrance all Jesus taught them. John 14:16-17, 26.

Now Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit. And His Spirit would be in them and never leave them.

It was a whole new beginning.

Carla Killough McClafferty