Luke 24:36-46 - Jesus Speaks Peace to Troubled Hearts

Luke 24 is the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the difference it makes. Remember the ladies as they came to thetomb, they had perplexed hearts. The disciples walking to Emmaus, they haddiscouraged hearts. And now we're looking at some disciples in an upper roomthat have troubled hearts.  Andthat takes me back to John 14:1 where Jesus, just before His crucifixion in theupper room, no doubt the same room they are in now, had told them, "Letnot your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me." Andthen also in verse 27, Jesus had told them in John 14, "Peace I leave withyou. My peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let notyour heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Look now at  verse 36 of Luke 24, where Jesus shows up inthe midst of these disciples in the upper room, but they were terrified andfrightened.  Jesusstood in the midst of them and said, "Peace to you." Now,what's interesting about this is this “Peace to you” statement thatJesus makes. You will find in John's gospel that Jesus makes it at least threetimes in the first eight days of His resurrection. Notice in John chapter 20:19,“On the first day of the week, Jesus comes to the upper room and for fear ofthe Jews they had the doors locked. They were afraid. Jesus came, stood in themidst of them, and said, "Peace be with you." Then again in verse21, after He talked to them, showing them His hands and His feet, as we justread in Luke's gospel, Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you, as theFather sent Me, so send I you." Eight days later in verse 26, they'reback in the upper room meeting together, now with Thomas, and Jesus came, thedoors being shut, stood in the midst, and for the third time said, "Peaceto you."  Youknow the Bible teaches that if we don't have Jesus Christ, we don't have peace.We are born into this world without this contentment, satisfaction, fulfillmentthat peace gives us. There's something missing. In Isaiah  Bible says that “The wicked are like thetroubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, there isno peace says my God to the wicked” (Isaiah 57:20-21). And my friend, we'reborn with wicked hearts and they lack peace. But we find Good News in Romans 5:1that tells us, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace withGod through our Lord Jesus Christ."  Myfriend, there's peace with God that's made through Jesus Christ and His deathon the cross. Then  Jesus can say to youtoday, if you trust Him to be your Savior, "Peace be to you." Andthen, my friend, even as a believer, we can lose that peace. Here are thedisciples of Jesus who followed Him now for three and a half years. And theyhave the word of many people that He is risen, and yet they still are troubled.So what does Jesus do? He shows up, shows them His hands, His feet. He appearsto them and then He opens their understanding to the scriptures and in verse 45it says that they might comprehend the scriptures.  Theanswer to this lack of peace, this disturbance, these troubled hearts that wehave today are the scriptures and belief and faith in the words that Jesusgives us in those scriptures. And so, my friend, today, turn to Jesus. Turn tothe Word of God. The book of Hebrews tells us, "Looking unto Jesus, theauthor and the finisher of our salvation." That's where you findpeace. You won't find it in a book. You won't find it in a conference. Youwon't find it in relationships. You won't find it in education. You won't findit in money. You won't find it with friends. My friend, you find peace with JesusChrist through His Word, through believing and making sure your eyes are fixedon Him. Handle Him and touch Him in the Word. And my friend, your heart won'tbe troubled. You'll have a peace that only Jesus can give you.  Ipray today that Jesus will speak peace to your heart today as you seek Him inthe Scriptures!  Godbless!