The day of Christ's resurrection is the day of victory. The knowledge of it gives peace and rest. Without this resurrection, said Paul, our believing would be in vain. Without it Christmas and Good Friday would mean nothing. Now every sabbath day, with its preaching of the word is a celebration of the victory over death in the resurrection of Christ. His resurrection shifted our sab­bath to Sunday, the day on which He arose, and made it the day of rest and peace.

Easter Sunday did not begin as a day of celebration, but in the atmosphere of a funeral with a profoundly depressed church contemplating the burial of Christ who had said that He was the resurrection and the life!

His followers in the past three years had come to believe and confess Him as the promised One, the Messiah, the Son of the living God. Recent events seemed to belie that confidence. Everything seemed to be going wrong. Jesus had said things which they did not understand and predicted a course that didn't seem at all appropriate for the Messiah. He acted strangely, permitting Himself to be captured, mocked, spit upon, maligned, ridiculed and beaten. He made no effort to defend Himself. He even permitted men to crucify Him, to execute Him in a way that under Israel's law expressed the curse of God. And He had been buried, ela­borately buried with spices in the tomb of the well-to-do, but, nevertheless buried. And the buried do not return. They had hoped in Him, but apparently they had been mistaken. No doubt, they shed many tears.

They also lived in fear that those who had captured and executed Jesus would now pursue His followers. An attempt had been in Gethsemane to seize at least one of them, although he escaped. The door was locked. The bond that had been established between Jesus' followers during the past three unforgettable years was still intact and this Sunday evening ten of them were together. Judas was missing and Thomas too did not appear. What a desolate, despondent group of men were these future apostles and "pillars" of the church!

Suddenly Jesus stood among them. What words could describe their amazement and joy? There had been rumors about the grave being empty and talk of what some women had experienced, but as yet no solid evidence of someone seeing Him. Now He was here. All saw Him. While they were staring at Him He said, "Shalom," which means "Peace be unto you." They had forsaken Him, deserted Him, and one had even denied Him with an oath. But He had not forsaken them. Here He was.

That was almost two thousand years ago. Conditions have not really changed, however. The church of today knows much more about the meaning of Jesus' work on earth, the purpose of the cross, the atonement which He made, about His resurrection, ascension into heaven and, ten days later, outpouring of His promised Spirit. But, as far as our lives are concerned, we are still on this side of the grave. Physically we are still subject to death — and how well we know it! Life goes on much as it did then. People are still working for a living, for food and clothing. When sick they still use the best means available to seek recovery and so may postpone for a time the inevitable, namely death. We all travel on a highway which has no exits or U-turns and which ends at death and the grave. In that common experience there comes to the believer in Christ the voice from the other side of the grave saying "peace." That's the best news that can be given to mortal man. It's the first word Christ speaks to them after His resurrection. He does not at once explain the doctrine of the resurrection. He knows that their great need at this moment is real peace. In His love He fills that need.

"Shalom" was a common greeting in those days. The Lord used the customs, language and expressions of the time in revealing Himself and His works. The disciples knew something of the meaning of "shalom." It was used as we might use the expressions "good morning" or good evening," conveying a wish for peace.

Such greetings as these are expressions of especially the wishes of friends for one another. The friendly bond between Jesus and His disciples and people still exists even though He had gone to the other side and they are still on this side of the "Jordan" river of death. He sends His greeting to us from the other side in the word "shalom." This is the greeting from the conqueror of death. He will not die again as would Lazarus and others who were raised to return temporarily to this same world. He has ascended into heaven, is sitting at the right hand of God and is Lord of all. His greeting is no hollow wish. When He says "shalom" He not only wishes us to have or experience something; He gives it.

Peace is harmony, rest and unity. When you are at peace with someone there are no barriers separating you from that person. One wild has real peace has tranquili­ty of mind and soul. The Scripture often speaks of peace. Paul commonly used the word at the beginning or end of his letters to the churches. As a result the word is still used in many salutations and benedictions ad­dressed to congregations in divine worship. Jesus fre­quently used the word. In John 14 He said, "Let not your hearts be troubled." Later in the same chapter He repeated these words adding,

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, give I un­to you.

Horatio Spafford wrote the memorable hymn, "When Peace Like a River Attendeth My Way" on the tragic loss of four children in a shipwreck on the Atlan­tic Ocean. True peace is not dependent upon external circumstances. It is a heart experience and attitude which can give victory over adverse circumstances.

With peace in his heart the publican went home from the temple, knowing that upon confession of his sins he had been forgiven. We are familiar with the story of Luther's struggle to find peace when he became aware of his sins before God. The first requisite for peace is the knowledge that our sins have been paid for and forgiven. Those sins are the barrier between God and us. Accordingly, Paul spoke of having peace when we are justified by faith in Christ (Romans 5:1).

The disciples must see the basis for that peace. Jesus called their attention to His hand and His side. Wasn't that strange? When we meet and greet someone we do not look at the hands or feet or some other part of the body; we look at his face. Being pointed to Jesus' pierced hand and side, His disciples must see that peace can be given only by and through Him who had been on the cross and died there. Furthermore, the disciples must be assured that this word of peace is the word of Christ who had conquered death. He is the spiritual Lord. He did not enter the room through the door. He did not have to knock as Peter once later did to gain en­trance. The Lord, who cannot be excluded by physical locks or the laws of nature, gives the greeting, "peace."

The world has not significantly changed, even after almost two hundred years. People are still sinners; they still live the same kind of lives, face the same kind of problems, still fight and quarrel among themselves. There is still tension between the nations. People still get sick, go to hospitals and end up in funeral homes and graves. Fear and sorrow are still the common lot of mankind. But to those who believe in Christ, who truly confess Him, trusting in His atoning death and in His promises as the risen and exalted Lord, He addresses the reassuring word, "shalom," "peace."

Although we do not yet see Jesus acknowledged as King in the world, by faith we know that He is in heaven ruling all things. Daily through His word and spirit He bestows on those who trust in Him the peace which He pronounced upon them. He who provides even for the tiny sparrows, watches daily over His own people so that nothing can really harm them.

These are encouraging words for saved sinners who are still in the militant church, who daily struggle with adversities, and who find themselves in hospitals, or funeral homes or in the lonely room of the widow. Live with the Lord's Word every day. Praying to and trusting in Him, you will hear His voice in the promise of His Word, "Peace I give unto you."