Peace Be With You: Finding Peace Through the Resurrection of Jesus

“On the evening of the first day of that week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’”

John 20:19

Dear Friends,

Peace often slips in quietly after a storm. When we walk through trauma or crisis, our minds struggle to process what has happened. Confusion lingers. But as the storm passes, the pieces of reality slowly begin to fall into place.

And when our faith rests in Jesus, something beautiful happens – peace begins to flood our hearts and souls.

Fear Behind Locked Doors

Jesus’ disciples had weathered an enormous storm during the week of His arrest, crucifixion, and burial. Despite all Jesus had taught them, they still did not fully grasp the Scriptures that foretold He would rise from the dead.

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene discovered the empty tomb. After hearing her report, Peter and John ran to see for themselves. Yet because they still did not understand what had happened, they returned home discouraged and perplexed.

Mary, however, remained at the tomb weeping.

When Jesus Speaks Your Name

As she bent down to look once more into the tomb, Mary saw something unexpected. Two angels in white sat where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her why she was crying.

After answering them, she turned and saw another man standing nearby. Her eyes, blurred with tears, kept her from recognizing Him.

But when Jesus spoke her name, everything changed.

In an instant she realized the truth. Jesus was alive!

Overwhelmed with joy, Mary ran to tell the disciples the good news.

Peace Be With You

Yet despite her message, the disciples still struggled to believe. Fear gripped their hearts, and they locked themselves in a room together.

Then suddenly, Jesus stood among them and spoke the very words their troubled hearts needed to hear:

“Peace be with you.”

Everything changed in that moment.

The presence of Jesus filled the room with peace and joy. Their grief gave way to hope as the reality of the resurrection began to sink in. Jesus even breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” commissioning them for the mission that lay ahead – to testify about Him to the world.

From Doubt to Unshakable Faith

Later, Jesus appeared again, this time to Thomas, who had not been present earlier and struggled to believe without seeing proof.

Over the next forty days before returning to the Father, Jesus continued appearing to His followers and performing many other miraculous signs. These encounters strengthened their faith and gave them confidence for the mission ahead.

Jesus had conquered death.

And death had lost its sting.
(1 Corinthians 15:56–58)

The Peace of the Resurrection

Today, on Easter Sunday, we celebrate the joyful truth of Jesus’ resurrection and the message of salvation.

The apostle Paul explains the good news this way:

“Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time… Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). 

In the greatest miracle of all time, Jesus Christ reversed death and provided new life for us.

Through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness of sins. We are united with Christ and can boldly enter God’s presence.

Romans 5 reminds us:

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”

That truly is good news!

When Life’s Storms Come

Storms will always come, Scripture makes that clear. But we do not have to live in fear.

Because Jesus is alive, we have hope.

He promises never to leave us or forsake us. When we lift our eyes to Him in faith, we experience the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.

The same Savior who walked into that locked room still speaks the same words to our hearts today:

Peace be with you.

And because He lives, we can rest in this promise:

In the end, everything is going to be alright.

Love,

Mama

Jesus is alive, and His peace is available to you today. Take a moment to reflect on His resurrection, share this good news with someone, and let His peace fill your heart. Rejoice – because in Him, you can experience forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

This reflection is part of my Passion Week Reflections devotional series, a week of daily insights into Jesus’ final days leading up to His death and resurrection.

You can read all the posts in this series and continue the journey here →
Passion Week Reflections Series