ON the evening of the first day of the week, Jesus, risen from the dead, said to His disciples, “Peace unto you.” He spoke that day as the mighty Conqueror, as well as the loving Saviour. He Himself alone had borne the weight of His people’s sins upon the cross. He had been wounded for their transgressions, and had endured the wrath of God against sin. He had died, but through death He had deprived the devil of the power of death. He had been buried, but He had broken the bars of the tomb. Peace―perfect peace―everlasting peace the Conqueror had won. Henceforth and forever the fruit of His atoning work is peace.
Having spoken peace to His disciples, the Lord showed them His hands and His side, and in those wounds we see, by faith, that His work on the cross is finished and complete, and, by looking upon Him, risen to die no more, joy and peace in believing fill the heart.
Having spoken peace to their hearts, Jesus said to them again, “Peace unto you.” Why should He speak peace a second time? The hearts of the disciples were glad at the sight of Him— He was their assurance and their joy. Then why did He say to them again, “Peace”?
The first time He spoke peace to them for themselves―the second, for the sake of others. Filled with peace, Jesus would have them go forth laden with His love, and with the sense of the value of His great work to the weary, sin-stricken world. “As My Father bath sent Me, even so send I you,” He said. His Father had sent Him from His own heart to the children of men, and the return for that love was the crown of thorns, the nails, the spear of Calvary; but now Jesus was risen from the dead, and from the far side of the grave He sends His messengers to speak peace to the very world of sinners that crucified Him. Yes, from His very heart He sends forth His disciples, and from the resurrection shore commissions them to proclaim His victory and His love in this world of sin and death.
Fellow disciple, have you the joy in your heart of knowing that, in and through the Lord, yours is peace? Then let your steps be swift: the Lord sends you forth from His heart with the word of peace. Go forth at the beginning of the new year, the messenger from the heart of your Saviour to the souls of men―the messenger of peace.