What words and/or gestures do you use when you greet someone? "Good morning, afternoon, or evening?" "Guten Tag". Hello. Greetings. Do you wave, hug, smile, nod your head? Greet them with a kiss? A popular greeting during the 1960's was to flash the "peace" sign and say "Peace". Although that came as a product of the anti-war movement in the United States protesting the war in Vietnam, the concept of greeting one another by saying "Peace" stems from ancient times. It is how the Pastor greets the congregation and the congregation responds during the liturgy: "Peace be with you." "And also with you." It is the way in which the Jews have greeted each other for millenia and continue to do so today when they say "Shalom" (which means "Peace". 

Not surprising then, when Jesus greeted his disciples following his resurrection, he started out by saying, "Peace be with you." Before his death, Jesus had promised to give peace to his disciples in John 14:27: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

One of the many blessings that we receive from our Risen Savior is that of Peace.

The Risen Savior Brings Peace to his Followers.

1. Peace from Doubt.
2. Peace from Guilt.
3. Peace from Fear.

Context: These events are familiar to us. Jesus had been crucified and buried. But when the women went to the tomb of apply spices to his corpse, they had been surprised to find an empty tomb and to learn from angels that Jesus was not there. That he had risen. On the way to tell the disciples, some had seen the Lord. But the disciples refused to believe them. That night while they were locked behind closed doors out of fear of Jesus' enemies, Jesus came to them and showed that he had indeed risen from the dead. When Thomas doubted, Jesus reassured him the following week by going to him personally and showing him his hands and his side. Jesus then declares that those who have not actually seen his risen body are also blessed if we believe. "Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed." 

A lot happens in this brief account. Our emphasis today is on Jesus' promise of peace to his followers. But wait a minute. Even though Jesus here says, "Peace be with you." and earlier had promised peace to his followers (and the angels at his birth had sung "Peace to men on whom his favor rests."; I distinctly recall a statement from Jesus in which he said he did not come to bring peace. It is from Matthew 10:34 ff 
4 "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
"'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-
36 a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

We seem to have a contradiction. On the one hand, Jesus promises peace and gives peace to his followers. On the other hand, he says he did not come to bring peace and then describes the conflict that his followers will have with even his own family in regard to him

Application: In the church today we speak of peace and sing about it and preach what we call the gospel of peace and say "The peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus" and yet we are reluctant to even invite our own friends to church or to talk about religion because we think that we will be rejected or that there will be at least a verbal exchange. Although a number of our members would welcome me into their homes, a significant number refuse to come to church to listen to what God's word has to say and would never think of inviting me or an elder to their home because of conflicts over spiritual issues. "Peace, Peace, Peace" but when we look around we don't always see peace.

Why the apparent contradiction? The peace that Jesus speaks of does not come at the expense of compromising the truth or from giving in to sinful activity or condoning sin in others. He did not come so that the followers of God could make nice with those who are opposed to God's law and who refuse to believe the Gospel. As we stand up for Jesus as soldiers of the cross and put on the full armor of God we can expect severe conflict with those who refuse to give in. Even though the disciples would have peace, they would not give in to the enemies of Jesus, compromise the truth, or indulge in the sinful activities they were surrounded with. They would experience conflict that we can only begin to imagine. They would be persecuted, routed from city to city, beset with false teachers from their own ranks, forced to face down hypocrites such as Ananias and Sapphira, and battle the temptations of the devil.

We today do not always have peace as the world would define peace. Confront a person who had become drunk and see what kind of response you get. Confront a member who refuses to pitch in and help even though they have the resources and time to do it and see what kind of an answer you get. Speak to your family member who doesn't seem to need God's Word anymore and see if they invite you over for dinner any time soon. But the biggest and closest conflict must occur in our own hearts. When I am strengthened in my faith and see all that Jesus in love has done for me and for sinners like me, I want to follow Jesus into a new life. But I also want to waste my time in too much entertainment, indulge in any manner of sins, look down on others, and toot my own horn so to speak. Do we not all lament the fact that St. Paul voiced as he described his own personal civil war between the new man and the Old Adam in Romans 7:21ff 

21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Yes, we are at war. But there is someone who will rescue us from this conflict. And that person is our God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He has indeed brought about peace and can truly announce and give peace to his followers.

Peace from Doubt.
The disciples and Thomas doubted the resurrection of Jesus. It was too good to be true. We sometimes doubt that this really happened or that we too will rise from dead. We may doubt that God has already forgiven us or that his other promises are true. 
God gives peace from doubt by reassuring us through his Word. Jesus personally showed Thomas his risen body. John tells us that he wrote his gospel so that we may read and believe. Jesus gave the church the authority to forgive sins. Want peace from doubt? Come to church and hear that you are forgiven. Receive the Lord's Supper in which he touches you with his love and forgiveness. Listen to Word of God which strengthens our faith and removes out doubt.

Peace from Guilt
It is only the hardened sinner who does not feel guilty when they have sinned. Guilt is an emotion that reminds us that we have offended God and that we deserve to be punished. It is not a motivator. It prevents people from acting. Because of sin we are guilty. But because Jesus has died on the cross and his payment was accepted as his resurrection shows, out sins are forgiven and our guilt is removed. In theological terms we say we are justified. This means that God declares us "Not guilty" in his courtroom of justice. Since God has removed out guilt, it need no longer keep us from acting in love for God and for each other. Instead Hebrews 10:19ff urges us: 
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Peace from Fear
The disciples were afraid when Jesus appeared to them because they feared those who had killed him. They were also afraid when the saw Jesus because he startled them and they thought he was a ghost. Those who stand up for Jesus fear opposition. Those who sin against God fear his punishment. Fear also cripples and keeps people from acting. But love drives out fear as John tells us in 1 John 4 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

The peace that we have from believing that Jesus has made peace between us and God removes the threat of punishment and therefore the fear that is associated with it. Our fear of God is not so much that we are afraid of him but that we hold him in highest reverence. Subsequently, those who know that God is on their side can stand up in the face of any other opposition. Those same disciples would later boldly preach on Pentecost (empowered by the Holy Spirit) and would face all opposition in complete confidence and without fear. 

Conclusion: In many ways we are like the disciples. We have been called to follow Jesus, we meet together to encourage each other, we have learned of Jesus and from Jesus, we trust in him, and work together to do his work of sharing the gospel and show our love for God by obeying his commands. But we are also like them in that we have out doubts, our guilt, and our fears. Jesus knows that. That is why he says to us "Peace be with you." He urges us to realize that peace that is ours through him and how that Peace delivers us from doubt, guilt, and fear. Amen