Scars with a Purpose

Werki N,anagalix Hydkyr

John 20:19-25

What a joy it was when we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus last Sunday! We need to realize that every Sunday is resurrection Sunday. In fact, the day of Christian worship was changed from Saturday Sabbath to Sunday, the first day of the week. What a joy to start the week with the celebration of life over death!

Today I will continue the Lord’s journey, and next week I will go back to the book of Ephesians to pick up from where we left our journey in that book.

Let me draw the picture. In the morning of the resurrection the disciples and the women encountered the empty tomb. Now by the evening, the doors of the upper room were locked. The disciples were in fear from the Jews, says the gospel writer. Suddenly Jesus comes back and appears in their midst. He says, “Peace be with you” (shalom aleykem).

“Shalom”

The disciples were confused and scared. They heard from Peter and John that Jesus was resurrected, but they were confused. What was going to happen next?

Jesus entered the room without permission. He just broke in and saluted them saying, “Peace be with you.”

This is more than a regular greeting. Jesus repeated the same greeting after showing his scars to the disciples. “Peace be with you.”

Jesus appears in a resurrected body and by saying “Peace” he reaffirms that God brought real peace into our hearts, the peace of the resurrected Christ, a peace which is beyond our imagination and understanding. I believe Jesus repeated the greeting twice in order to teach to his Jewish disciples who greeted each other the same way, that “shalom”, God’s peace is now with them. I am not surprised that Apostle Paul in the introduction of his letters used peace and grace together. We cannot have real peace without Christ’s grace.

Brothers and sisters, the cosmic battle is over and the Good News of the Gospel of Peace is with disciples and us. This is comforting news to them and to us.

Permanent scars

We think about Thomas as the “bad” guy who was skeptical or didn’t have enough faith. He was not with the disciples upon the first appearance of Jesus. Yet, do you realize that after the greeting, Jesus showed his scars to all the disciples. “After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (Vs 20)

Why did Jesus do that? Do you think only Thomas wanted to touch the scars of Jesus?

Let us notice that Jesus is resurrected and has a new body. Yet he carries on him the scars of the crucifixion. I don’t think he was in physical pain. Yet this new body carries the scars which I will call permanent scars: wounds and scars that show His love for us. Can you imagine that Christ who sits on the right side of God the Father has the scars of the cross with him, my scars, and your scars? This is beyond my imagination. God’s love is too DEEP. This is Grace, and I wish we can all be healed by touching his “scars”.

Jesus knew that the disciples were weak. He knew that they needed to see his wounds. My sermon title: Scars with a purpose.

We communicate with people on a different level when they let you into their “wounds, and scars.” I think we get to know them on a deeper level. But here is the twist. The scars and wounds of Jesus brought joy to the disciples. Tears and sorrow turned into joy. It is like the third question we asked on Easter morning to Mary Magdalene, “Woman, why are crying?”

We will continue in English.