Our text this glorious Easter morning is found in John 20, verses 19-21: 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, came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had said so, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 
	Peace be unto you. What a wonderful greeting form our Lord and Savior to his disciples and to each of us. It was a standard greeting in those days, yet it holds so much promise for us today. The wealth of the knowledge of God that is packed into these words spoken by our newly resurrected Lord and Master fills all the eternal ages of the ages to come. 
	The scene in our passage needs the peace that only Christ can meet. The disciples were gathered in fear and trepidation. They were worried about their own lives. They had witnessed the crucifixion of the One they had bee following for these few years. They had placed their hopes and their dreams of a better life into His care, and now He was dead, murdered at the hands of the Romans by the urging of the Jewish leaders of the day. The disciples were in great peril of the same end. They had been supporters of the one mocked as the “King of the Jews” while dying on the cross. Their lives were no less in peril of the same fate. The rumors had reached them of the disappearance of the body of their Teacher, but they were in disunion, disgrace, disquietude and disharmony among themselves as they were hiding in terror. 
	Peace be unto you was exactly what they needed to know at this time. They needed to know the peace of God at this moment, more than any other in their lives, and Christ was there to speak these lovely words of into their hearts. He knew their fear and their dissension. He knew their need and He was their fulfillment. The whole of the eternal plan of God’s glorious salvation was at hand in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ who stood in their midst. By His wounds they were quieted of heart and spirit and given the reassurance of all that Jesus of Nazareth had been teaching them for those years of their discipleship.   
	In our lives, we have that same need of Jesus Christ’s presence and His words of greeting, Peace be unto you. They are words of truth that are manifested day after day as we live on this earth. They have their impact as we discover the One Who is our Peace with God.
	Initially, we discover that peace as our hearts are turned over to Him at the time of our salvation. We experience that wonderful truth of being at peace with God. It is only through the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ that anyone is brought into the place of right-standing before God. That right-standing has nothing to do with anything we are, do, or think. It is fully and singly on the basis of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ Who now is our life when we give our hearts to Him. We have that reality of eternal peace in our hearts. We know that we are no longer under the sentence of death. We know, by the redemptive power of God in our Lord Jesus Christ, that we are eternally secure in being saved from the torments of hell and are now fully guaranteed the wondrousness of Heaven. 
	That is a marvelous knowledge and experience, to know that we are eternally at peace with God. It does brings peace into our lives for the sake of our future existence. Let no one belittle the incomprehensible Love of God as He manifests Himself in the miracle of the ages. He so loved the world, all the world, you and me and all those who came before us and those who come after us, that He sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins. He chose to love us unto Himself in Jesus Christ for the eternal ages to come. That has been accomplished and that peace is fully established in Jesus Christ. Gal. 6:14-16 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
	But, there is far more involved in the peace that is ours in Jesus Christ, Peace be unto you. He is not only our Peace with God unto salvation, He is our Peace day in and day out. He now lives His life out from us. In His living Being of peace, our lives are daily recipients of the grace of God. We face the challenges of the world with an assurance that is not from our basis of humanity, it can only come from Christ. Though storms rage around us, we know the Peace of God being proven in everything,   Phil 4:6+7, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. It is as we are daily facing the stress of the moment that our true peace in Christ is evidenced. He is not just ours for the future. He is in us, livingly, now, this day, this moment. He guides our lives through the storms and by His Holy Spirit, comforts our every need and situation and strife. He makes Himself known in us, as He made Himself known to His disciples. We need not fear nor live in apprehension nor by circumstances. Our entire life is to be reflective of the One who now indwells us and speaks peace to our hearts. 
	As this world becomes ever increasingly filled with angst and strife, the Peace that is Jesus Christ, ever more fully floods our lives. We see Him in everything as we walk in the confidence that our God is in charge of our lives and that He does reign supremely over all creation. It matters not what we suffer in a physical sense or in an emotional sense, for we belong to Him. He knows what is needed in our lives and He is with us through it all to His Glorious manifestation in our lives. He is preparing us for that which will bring Glory to God in all of this creation. Our hearts, being fully in line with what please our most wonderful and loving Heavenly Father are soothed through each episode with the knowledge that we are being brought face-to-face with God Almighty in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our focus, our desire, our joy, and our delightful life.
	As well as speaking peace into us, Christ also speaks peace through us unto others. We are made the vessels through whom the peace of God has an avenue into the hearts of those in this world. When we enter into a room, Christ enters that room. When we encourage others to seek after Him, it is by the Holy Spirit, who is pointing constantly to Christ. When we mediate a dispute between brothers and sisters, it is the peace of God we are seeking to reign in that conflict. Our very lives show forth Christ unto others as they witness the relentless storms in our lives that have no effect other than to drive more fully into the safe haven of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is through His true Church, that this world is seeing the living Person of Jesus Christ bringing Peace on Earth.
	These are troubling times in the world. Struggles and strife are abounding throughout the structure of human endeavors. The whole earth is groaning in the strife that besets it. But, we stand firmly in the One Whose name is Peace. He became God’s Peace on that cross those centuries ago. He manifested God’s eternal peace in His resurrection from the dead on the third day, as we celebrate today. He is God’s living peace in our lives now, today, as we look to Him in every situation, in every strife, in everything. Let the peace of God reign in our hearts, now, tomorrow and throughout the limitless ages to come. He is our Peace. May the Lord richly bless each of us in His peace as we gather together with our loved ones this day and always.
	Then said Jesus unto them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.