Back in the Upper Room
By Shirley Mitchell
“On the evening of that first day of the 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!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.”
John 20:19-20
The cowardly and speechless, yet well-trained disciples were behind locked doors in fear of the Jews. They were paralyzed in the upper room. No one dared to leave the room except for bare necessities because they were afraid of being recognized and harmed. Not long ago they had prepared the towns for Jesus’ coming and preached the good news of the kingdom. They had healed the sick and cast out demons. The demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name and they were awed. Now they were hunkered down and out of sight. The enemy had done a good job of inciting fear to render them immobilized. He had fogged their minds into thinking they were powerless.
Then Jesus appeared to His brothers. Jesus did not enter through a door, but suddenly appeared in the room. The Greek language tells us that they could not have been more frightened. The Great Shepherd walked among His frightened sheep to restore their faith and their courage. The Prince of Peace brought much needed peace. Christ’s demonstration of His authority over the chaotic past few days would have brought peace, but He said over them, “Shalom.”
Jesus breathed on them and said to receive the Holy Spirit. They went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. There must have been joyous laughter. Some must have fallen to their knees while others jumped in the air. Jesus was ALIVE! He was who He said He was. They were not foolish. They were affirmed. The past 3½ years were not in vain. The great adventure was not a bust. They were right. Laying down their nets, abandoning a tax collection booth, and leaving a Zealot political party were the best decisions they ever made.
Without Jesus’ resurrection, He would just be a great prophet. If Jesus did not resurrect, then Christianity would be a colossal hoax. He did rise from the grave, because He is the Son of God. For me, the greatest proof that Jesus the Son of God lives is the change in the disciples. Cover-ups only work if everyone agrees to the lie. Jesus’ appearances changed these men forever. They all lived boldly for the remainder of their days out on edge until the world silenced their mouths, but not their testimonies. No man dies for what he knows is a lie. They proclaimed loudly to the opposing world that Jesus lives. God’s Word and their testimonies are all the proof that we need.
Pray with me: Oh, Jesus, You Live! You Live! You conquered death and You conquered sin. No longer do we have to live in chains. Lord, Change me so that I am like the disciples. No longer do I hide in fear, but may I boldly live out for the remainder of my days the truth of who You are! It’s in the Name above all names and the Name that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, in Jesus’ Name, Yeshua’s Name, I pray. Amen!
Excerpt from the Jesus Lives Bible study, Copyright ©2008 Christ Compels