A Word from the Vine No. 531: Locked Doors and Fearful Hearts

Welcome to A Word from the Vine. I’m Pastor Loren Christensen of Danish Countryside Chapel in Exira, Iowa, and today we begin a series exploring John 20:19-31, focusing on the theme of unwavering faith in Jesus. In this first episode, we will look at the disciples' fear and how Jesus brought them peace.

In John 20:19-23, we find the disciples locked away in fear after Jesus' crucifixion. The scripture reads:

"On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you.' When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.' And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'"

Here we see the disciples, locked away in fear. Despite Jesus' promises, they were uncertain and afraid. They had witnessed His crucifixion and were unsure of what the future held. But Jesus, in His infinite mercy, appeared to them and offered peace.

Many of us today are like the disciples, locking the doors of our hearts out of fear and doubt. We are afraid to fully commit to Jesus because we are uncertain of what it might mean for our lives. We fear the changes it might bring, the sacrifices we might have to make, or the challenges we might face.

But Jesus offers us peace. He comes to us in our moments of fear and uncertainty and says, "Peace be with you." He shows us His wounds, reminding us of His sacrifice and His victory over death. He breathes on us and gives us the Holy Spirit to guide and strengthen us.

We must open our hearts and minds to Him, despite our fears. We must let His peace fill us and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Jesus is calling us to step out of our locked rooms and into the world, to be His witnesses and to share His love with others.

As we reflect on this passage, let us consider the areas of our lives where fear may be holding us back from fully committing to Jesus. Let us pray for the courage to open our hearts to His peace and to trust in His promises.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Word and the lessons we have learned today. Give us the strength and courage to stand firm in our faith. Help us to trust in Jesus fully, without doubt or fear. Bless us as we commit our lives to Him. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Thank you for joining me today on A Word from the Vine. I look forward to continuing this journey with you as we explore the theme of unwavering faith in Jesus. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you.