Three Strikes, You're Forgiven: A 5-Day Challenge by Micah E. DavisNäide

SCENE FOUR: THE UPPER ROOM (AGAIN)

VERSE: Mark 14:30

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he appears before his disciples and announces his presence with a single sentence: “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19, NIV).

To recap, three days earlier, Jesus was abandoned, deserted, betrayed, and forgotten by these (now eleven) men. These disciples whom he had invested the last three years of his life into, built intimate relationships with, trusted, confided in, and developed as apprentices—these were the men that he was interacting with for the first time since all of that took place. Three years of investment had been seemingly crushed in three days.

Can you imagine?

Can you imagine pouring everything into a person or relationship just for them to abandon, betray, or backstab you? Most of us probably can, right? Who comes to mind?

It’s likely that you see yourself in Jesus’ story.

I know what that’s like.

The pain of rejection, of division. The embarrassment of having believed that someone was who we thought they were.

So Jesus, with all of that relational baggage and history in tow, arrives on the scene for the first time post-resurrection with an announcement: Peace. Be. With. You.

What?! Peace be with you? How about “You imbeciles. You idiots. You cowards! You abandoned me. I gave you so many chances and you blew it! How could you be so stupid, so ignorant, so wrong?”

Peace be with you.

What is this?

This is forgiveness at its finest, my friend.

The disciples deserved a word of rebuke, of blame, of shame. Instead, they were offered a word of peace. And not “peace” in the kumbaya, let’­s-all-get-along sense. But in the shalom sense. Broken parts made whole. Relational restoration. It is this peace that Jesus puts on full display. Reconciling shalom. God’s forgiveness.

It’s fascinating that Jesus follows up this announcement of peace by saying, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:23, NIV). The result of receiving the Holy Spirit was the ability to announce the forgiveness of the cross. This is the same charge now given to the church.

Forgiveness becomes a message to either accept or reject. Jesus has empowered and authorized ­us—as his ­followers—to declare the good news of his forgiveness. It is not ours to withhold or rescind. He alone is the judge of the world. We are the messengers; he is the message. Jesus’ entrance and greeting are unthinkable, unless you understand who Jesus is. The message “peace be with you” is good news for all who hear it. It echoes the gospel that Jesus has been preaching all along: a gospel of repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration.

And this good news? It’s for everyone.

Yes, everyone.

When Jesus walked in, with every right to disown and disarm his followers for their lack of faith, their cowardice, their betrayal, he said,

“Peace be with you.”

“Peace be with you.”

“Peace be with you.”

One act of grace for every mistake. Jesus covers it all. Forgiveness is always possible. It’s not always fair, but it’s always possible.

For Reflection: When I enter into a space with someone who has hurt me, is my tendency to lead with anger or with peace? What could leading with a heart posture of reconciliation do to ease the relational tension that exists because of another’s hurtful actions? Do you believe this message of peace that Jesus offers to his disciples is on offer to those who have hurt you? What about toward you from those you’ve hurt?