Whatever Door You’re Hiding Behind, He Walks Through It

The disciples did everything they could think of to feel safe after the crucifixion. They found a room. They locked the doors. They stayed together and stayed quiet and tried to figure out what to do next.

And Jesus walked right through the locked door and stood among them.

John 20 says that when He appeared, the first thing He said was peace be with you. Not I told you so. Not where were you when they arrested me. Not you really let me down this week. Peace be with you.

That is the character of the risen Jesus. He does not show up to lecture you. He shows up to bring peace.
I know what it is to be locked behind a door you didn’t plan to be behind. On the day I moved to Fayetteville to become the pastor of Lake Lynn Baptist Church, I got arrested and put in jail for something I did not do. I was in a cell, staring at a scratched up plexiglass window, knowing I was not getting out until somebody came to get me. And in that moment, I had a choice. I could be angry about the injustice of it, or I could let the peace of God reign in my heart.

I chose peace. Not because it was easy. Because I knew who I had believed, and I was persuaded that He was able to keep what I had committed to Him.

Philippians 4:7 calls it a peace that passes all understanding. That means it does not make sense from the outside. It does not fit the circumstances. It just shows up, like Jesus in a locked room, and it changes everything.

Whatever you are locked behind right now, fear, shame, grief, regret, uncertainty, Jesus is not waiting for you to unlock the door from the inside. He walks right through. And He brings peace with Him when He comes.

You don’t have to have it together. You just have to let Him in.