How wonderful beyond telling that the Lord Jesus Christ comes to his trembling and unbelieving disciples who are hiding behind locked doors and greets them with “Peace to you”! It didn’t matter how many times they had been told or saw the evidence with their own eyes, the disciples were still filled with terror about what the Jews might do to them next. They feared those who could destroy the body rather than the One who had just died and risen from the dead just as He had told them many times. It is hard to imagine a faith that is troubled by absolutely nothing; a faith that has no fear; a faith that practically taunts death because death has been emptied of all its power. But that is the kind of utter confidence Christ desires you to have in all that He has done for you and all that His resurrection from the dead has accomplished for you. But He also knows that your sinful flesh will not let go so easily nor will the devil so quickly give over his prey. They will do everything in their power to convince you that they are the true victors and that you have no hope of redemption. They will work tirelessly to fill you with doubt and fear and to overwhelm you with the power and threats of men. How wonderful beyond telling that the Lord Jesus comes to us in the very midst of our fears with His Word and in the precious Sacraments to show us again His crucified and risen flesh so that we may be filled with peace and the certainty that there is truly NOTHING in this life that we need to fear. I look forward to seeing all of you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer