EASTER 2, B – April 19, 2009

SCRIPTURES – Acts 4:32-35; 1 John 1:1 – 2:2; John 20:19-31 

Yesterday I watched a YouTube clip of a woman named Susan Boyle, who appeared recently on an English TV show called “Britain’s Got Talent.” Susan is a rather frumpy, very plain looking 47 year old woman from a small village in Scotland who, when she saw herself on TV, was horrified and said that she "looked like a garage." When she walked on stage the audience laughed and the judges rolled their eyes. What talent could she possess? But, when she began singing “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, the judges’ eyes widened and their mouths dropped open in shock. For, out of the mouth of this frumpy, very plain looking 47 year old woman burst forth an incredibly beautiful, powerful voice! The audience jumped to their feet and began wildly applauding. What a wonderful surprise was Susan Doyle! 

John’s account of Jesus’ resurrection appearance to His disciples in the evening of the third day after He was crucified does not carry the excitement of a YouTube video. He does note some things that should cause surprise: the doors of the room were locked, as the disciples were afraid of those who killed Jesus, and yet, Jesus suddenly appears in their midst! They had heard reports of His resurrection that morning, but now, there He was in the flesh! What was perhaps most surprising, however, was what came forth when He opened His mouth. There were no words of rebuke or condemnation for these men who had run away from Jesus when He was arrested, not even for Peter, who had denied Him. “Peace be with you,” Jesus says twice. He is not angry, but is at peace with them! Their sin is forgiven! They can now be at peace themselves. “Peace be with you.” These are words of forgiveness. These are words of life. 

How did Jesus give His peace of forgiveness and life to His disciples? Well, it began with a body: His body. When Jesus stood among them, He showed them His hands and His side, which had been pierced by nails and spear when He was crucified. The forgiveness of their sins and the restoration of peace with God for them, and for us all, began with a body being prepared for the Son of God. He assumed our flesh, and then on the cross assumed within His flesh our sins and paid the penalty of death and hell for them. Then, He rose from the dead, preparing for us a new body: one that is without sin and its effects, one that is eternally pure and holy and filled with life itself. 

So far, so good. How amazing it was that Jesus died for us and then rose from the dead! How shocked the disciples must have been when Jesus appeared among them. How their mouths must have hung open! But, there was more. 

Remember when God made Adam, the first man? He formed him from the dust of the ground, as a potter carefully molds and forms a pot, Genesis 2 tells us. God molded and prepared a body for Adam, a body that was good. But, He was not done. When God finished forming Adam’s body, He then breathed into him the breath of life, and only then did Adam become alive. By God’s mouth, His breath, came life. 

Notice what Jesus does on Easter Sunday when He appears to His disciples. He opens His mouth and speaks peace upon them. “Peace be with you,” He says twice, thereby forgiving them and giving them His new life. But, He is not finished. “When he had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.’ ” Along with the peace of the forgiveness He won for them on the cross, He also gives them His Holy Spirit: the Holy Spirit who is the Lord and Giver of life, who breathed the breath of life into Adam and gave him life. Jesus gives them His Holy Spirit that they might now be instruments of the Holy Spirit in forgiving sins and thereby giving life with God. 

“If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven.” That took place at the beginning of this Service, didn’t it? As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I forgave you your sins. Now, this probably wasn’t very exciting. No beautiful and powerful voice poured forth from my mouth as I forgave you. I simply spoke. And you didn’t feel anything happen. But, in this absolution you heard the voice of Jesus. His hands reached out and touched you, and you were given His forgiveness and peace with God. Eternal life was given to you! 

Can such a great and eternal gift of forgiveness, of eternal life, truly come from the mouth of a perhaps frumpy, 50 year old man who is from a small town in Ohio? Do not doubt, nor be surprised. Jesus opened His mouth and said so. He gave His Holy Spirit and the Spirit’s gifts of forgiveness and new life to His apostles on that first Easter: “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” He put His Holy Spirit and His peace into their mouths, and they passed this gift on to those who were ordained into their apostolic Ministry. “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven.” These are the words of Him who died for us and rose from the dead on the third day. They are not to be doubted or denied. No, our mouths should fall open in joyful thanks and praise of our Lord! And, we should run to gladly hear and receive His forgiveness. 

Susan Doyle’s appearance on “Britain’s Got Talent” has now been viewed over 20 million times on YouTube. I have viewed it several times myself, and was filled with joy each time. But, I have heard Christ’s voice of forgiveness and received His gift of eternal peace over 2,500 times in my life, and have had the privilege of pronouncing His peace well over a thousand times. I needed it each time and have been greatly blessed by it over my 50 years. I pray that each of us may rejoice in Christ’s word of peace in His absolution, that by it we may be filled with His Holy Spirit and His eternal life!