That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side.

John 20:19-20 NLT

Who were the disciples afraid of?

The Romans?

No, they were locked away in fear because of their own people. 

Images of people in the Ukraine locked away in fear this week come to mind. Some of them Russian speaking. 

Their neighbours.

Today in NZ we remember and honour those who gave up their lives for us, for our country, for a greater good in the world. And at the same time stand against war and the conflicts that rage between people. 

We don't want anyone to have to be locked away in fear. 

And neither did Jesus. His words to those locked away in fear "peace be with you".

And as he spoke he showed them the impact of how he had absorbed the world's sin and carries its wounds. 

Jesus is our living hope, the hope that the things in our humanity that lead to conflict, to war, to destruction, the fears, insecurities, the selfishness, the want for more, those things will be fully redeemed in all of us. 

That seems so big, because it is. It's beyond our ability, and that's why we need a saviour, the only one who can truly say "peace be with you".

#livinghope

#peacebewithyou

#onedayallwillbemadenew

#anzacday