Peace Be With You
Month 11: The Cross & the Empty Tomb · Loving Others
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 20:19-23
19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them. 20 After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.” 22 When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Memory Verse
“He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’””— Luke 24:6-7 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: 1 Corinthians 1-4
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (The message of the cross, true wisdom, and servants of Christ.)The Heart of It
On the evening of that first Easter, the disciples were hiding behind locked doors "for fear of the Jews" (). These were the men who had run away when Jesus was arrested. They had abandoned Him. Peter had even said he didn't know Him. If anyone had reason to expect a scolding, it was this frightened, failed little group. And then Jesus came and stood among them. The very first words out of His mouth were, "Peace be with you." Not "Where were you?" Not "How could you?" Just peace. He showed them His hands and His side, the wounds that had bought their forgiveness. And "the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord" (v. 20). Then He said it a second time. "Peace to you!" He breathed on them and sent them out. "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (v. 21).
This is the love we are called to carry to others. Jesus had every right to be angry. Yet He led with peace and forgiveness. And He didn't stop there. He sent these forgiven failures to go and offer that same forgiveness to the world (v. 23). That is the pattern of the gospel. We are forgiven, then we become forgivers. We receive peace, then we become peacemakers. In our homes, this is everyday work. When one child sins against another, when a child fails and braces for anger, the Christlike response is to lead with peace and to offer forgiveness freely. That is exactly how the risen Jesus treated us. We love others not because they deserve it, but because we ourselves have been loved like this.
Around the Table
Jesus' friends were scared and hiding. Some had even run away from Him. But Jesus came and said, "Peace!" He wasn't angry. He forgave them, and He was glad to see them.
Let's do it: Give a family hug and say, "Peace be with you!" to each other.
Jesus could have scolded His friends for running away. Instead He said "Peace." He said it twice! And He forgave them. That is how He treats us when we mess up.
Let's talk: Who is someone you could forgive this week, the way Jesus forgave His friends?
Jesus links being forgiven to being sent. "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you" (). The same people He forgave, He sent out to carry forgiveness to others.
Let's go deeper: Why is it hard to offer real peace to someone who hurt you? How does remembering the way Jesus forgave you make it possible?
💬 Conversation Starter
What is harder for you: saying "I'm sorry," or saying "I forgive you"?— Jesus made the first move toward His friends with peace, even though they had failed Him.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
The way the disciples changed is itself strong evidence. Terrified men hiding behind locked doors became bold witnesses. They faced prison and death rather than deny what they saw. Something real happened in that room. People do not change like that for a story they know is false.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Pay attention to the order in this passage. First peace, then mission. Jesus settles the disciples' hearts before He hands them a task. Many of us father in the reverse order. We pile on the expectations, and we forget to first assure our children of acceptance and peace. But a child who is sure he is loved and forgiven will follow you into hard obedience. A child who fears your displeasure will only learn to hide, just as the disciples were hiding behind that door. Lead with peace. When your kids fail, let your first instinct mirror Jesus' first words. Not "How could you?" but a calm, forgiving presence that draws them out of hiding. Discipline and instruction still come. But they land on a heart that knows it is safe. That is how the risen Lord disciples us, and it is how we image Him in our homes.
Draws on: Paul David Tripp, Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that Jesus met His frightened friends with peace and forgiveness instead of anger. Help our family lead with peace. Help us forgive one another the way You forgave us. And help us carry that peace to people who need it. In Jesus' name, amen."
Jesus met His failures with "Peace be with you." Forgiven people become peacemakers.