“Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” John 20:19.
Notice the emphasis put on the fact that it is still resurrection Sunday; “…the same day at evening”, “…the first day of the week”, confirming that we are coming to the end of the 12 hour sequence of events which began on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection.
This momentous Sunday began with His resurrection, but the guards at the tomb saw only the angel, not Jesus. The disciples Peter and John saw only the empty tomb.
Then Mary Magdalene saw Him first, then the other women who went to the tomb with her saw Him, but no one believed their report.
There is another person who said that Peter had seen Him next, so let us follow these events on the road to Emmaus.
“Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.” Luke 24:13-16.
“Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?’ So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’” Luke 24:30-36.
As you can see, quite a bit of this passage has been left out, so please read the whole account for a better view of what has transpired.
The three things of note here is that this meeting on the road seems to be the next in the sequence of events recorded for this day.
That these people had just finished telling the disciples of their meeting with the Lord, when He appeared, and lastly, Simon Peter is mentioned in their first sentence as having seen the Lord.
“…when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews…” There is every indication that when it speaks of disciples here, it does not mean just the eleven, but rather at least nine of the eleven surviving disciples, seeing as how Thomas was not present; and there is some possibility that Peter was not there either.
So the words, “where the disciples were assembled” means that there were at least nine of Jesus’ disciples there, possibly along with a number of His other followers also called disciples.
It is pathetic that they were gathered in a locked room for fear of the Jews, the very people who should have welcomed their Messiah.
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 14:2.
But Christians today are timid, even before other Christians because of the politically correct revocation of our First Amendment rights to free speech, freedom of religion, or of the press (which will include Christian books and pamphlets soon enough).
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10.
It has been said that men fall into three different categories; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Many Christians today fall into the latter two categories, particularly the last one.
While there is no question that many godly folks work diligently to preserve our rights as a people; if there were actually as great a number as many people seem to think, we would still be a Christian nation. But it is really always the other person’s job.
By God’s grace, Christians who are American citizens have been blessed by Him in placing us here, and that puts us in a position of responsibility to preserve what godly men put together, fought and died for.
Many men will argue, correctly that we are not citizens of this world but of a heavenly kingdom.
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13.
However those who say, correctly, that we are not citizens of this world forget what the Lord’s last instructions given in Matthew 28 were.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. ‘Amen’” Matthew 28:19-20.
Great Britain sent out many great missionaries throughout the entire earth during the 1700s through the early 1900s; today, they have become a godless nation mired in liberal theology.
Their Christian presence has not only shrunk but they are gagged and unable to speak out against sin and for Christ lest they be accused of and arrested for intolerance.
America is also rapidly approaching its own tipping point where it will descend into the dustbin of history, with as one man put it, not with a bang, but with a whimper.
Meanwhile, its citizens, Christians included, are content to play with their toys and engage in assorted amusements without considering for a moment that a corrupt government is about to take it all away from them or their children.
Well, we are only pilgrims and sojourners, and not citizens of this earth, all true enough, but we are not invisible, nor were we put here to amuse ourselves, then go to heaven. Consider the words of Jesus Christ the head of the church:
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13.
Salt is desired by men, it makes bland things good, giving purpose to the deadness of a sterile godless life in which there is no hope.
Why do you think the suicide rate is so high, even among children?
Why do you think murder is almost pandemic?
Why do you think alcoholism, drug addiction, and brain damaged homeless people are so prevalent?
Why do you think truth and morality are almost completely lost?
Could it be because the salt has lost its flavor?
“Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may follow intoxicating drink; who continue until night, till wine inflames them! The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the Lord, nor consider the operation of His hands.” Isaiah 5:11-12.
Salt not only enhances flavor, it is a preservative that keeps some foods from rotting.
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20.
Once the salt is trampled underfoot, as it is happening right now, this nation will no longer be of any use to God and will become ripe for judgment like any other country in this dead world.
How many Christian missionaries are sent out from Russia, China, Cuba, Somalia, or Myanmar (Burma)? In fact they are persecuted in these and most other countries, including many in free Europe.
Let us look further on at the Lord’s words in Matthew 5.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16.
So while we are citizens of heaven, we are stewards of the nations of the earth, especially of the one in which we live.
Do we have the authority to act within our nation? Yes, because we, “…are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people” as it says in 1 Peter 2:9a.
As a chosen generation, we are chosen in Christ to perform a task here and now. As a royal priesthood, we are given authority to do it.
As a holy nation we are obligated to be holy.
As His own special people, we are children of the living God with the power to do it. And the goal we are to achieve is this:
“…that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9b-10.
This task can be performed under tyranny, as it has through much of human history, or it can be performed in freedom, as it has been in this country for over two hundred and fifty years. The choice is entirely up to the body of Christ in this country.
If we choose to do nothing and the country continues to decline until it falls into godless chaos, it will be the entire fault of the Christians within it.
We cannot expect godless, unregenerate people to bring this country back to its former glory, they are incapable of it. Only by the Holy Spirit are men made able to choose the good and turn away from the evil, period.
How can this onerous, grindingly difficult task of saving a nation be accomplished? Well, it starts with each of us and with our not even having to leave our seat right now; it starts with prayer.
Pray first for revival within the hearts of Christians; and an awakening within those who do not know Christ. All the change that we could ever hope for in this nation will not last with an unbelieving population because their only desire will be to return to lawlessness.
Pray for God to intervene and stop evil men from passing destructive legislation that is against His principles. Pray that godly or moral men would take an unrelenting stand against the wrong that is so obviously happening within our government right now.
Pray that godly men and women would step forward and run for office and then have the courage of their convictions to fight for righteousness.
“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” Romans 13:1.
We are fortunate in this country in that we can entreat God to give us a righteous government and take part in the peaceful transition of putting good men in authority.
But we must vote prayerfully and knowledgeably in every election; from the dogcatcher up, every election is important because both godly and godless men have to start climbing the ladder of authority somewhere.
Christians who are interested in politics and feel led to by Christ should enter. For too long Christian leaders have discouraged young people from entering politics because it is, as they say, evil and corrupt, no place for Christians.
I have news for you, men and women who are not moved to Christian service of some sort have to have gainful employment, whether doctors, grocery clerks, or journalists, all of which contain more than their fair share of sinful men.
Employment in the legislature is an important job guarding freedom and fiscal sanity in this country; a job which many of our Christian forefathers did well without damage to their love for Christ and righteousness.
Change comes peacefully only through diligent, unceasing prayer by the body of Christ (Christians) and the power of the Spirit of God.
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4.
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9a.
“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.” Psalm 34:15.
“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 1 Peter 3:10-12.
Christians in America need not assemble in a room where the doors are shut for fear of the government because godly men set it up that way on purpose.
Peace Be with You, John 20:19 taken from godisrevealed.com posted on 7-17-13, updated on 4-21-18.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version, copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission, all rights reserved.