April 12, 2026 · Rev. Derek van Gulden · Psalm 16; John 20:19-31
On Low Sunday, a week after Easter, Rev. Derek van Gulden returns to the locked room where the risen Jesus twice greets frightened disciples with 'Peace be with you' and breathes the Holy Spirit on them. We're sent out the same way: to bring hope, love and peace, and when we can't go, to pray.
Transcript
People of God, would you join me in a moment of prayer? Gracious and holy God, I ask you to move the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts by your love this day. And help me not to be the instrument of my instrument, of my own or anyone else's oppression, but to be an instrument of peace in every step, in every breath, in every moment of every day. May it be so. Amen.
This Sunday, the second Sunday of Eastertide is traditionally known as Low Sunday. It has nothing to do with being a low. Church has theological. It has to be that it is the lowest attended Sunday throughout the year in almost every church. I thank you for making this not a low Sunday. Easter comes with so much stuff. Beautiful music, people dressed up more than usual, the Easter Bunny, all kinds of things going on. And a week later. A lot of people have gone.
And yet the Scripture today. Happened that same day that Jesus was resurrected. That evening, he entered a room where the doors were shut and he did not come through the doors where most of the disciples were. And the first thing he said, peace be with you. And then he showed him his hands and his feet so they could see that he was the one who suffered. He was the one who died, but he also was the one who was resurrected, who overcame death and all that brings with it. He was raised up. On that first day. For some of the disciples, it's the first time they had seen him.
The scripture we use last week was the gospel of Mark. And in it, the women are the ones that go to the tomb. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome. And when they find the tomb empty, and a young man dressed in white, who said, you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified? He is not here. He has been risen and gone to Galilee. And the women ran from the tomb in amazement and fear, and according to the gospel, told nobody anything, which we know. They had to tell somebody something because we hear it many years later.
But in that evening, when Jesus entered the room where the disciples were hiding, they were there to stay safe, for they feared what was going to happen. And when I listen to the story, if I was one of the disciples and I was locked in this room out of fear, it would be because. I either denied Jesus or ran away, did not stay during his crucifixion. They scattered. I'd be horrified and embarrassed and scared and very sad. For as I said last week, they lived in a Good Friday world. They didn't know that Jesus had been resurrected yet until all of a sudden, there he is in the midst of him. And a second time he says, peace be with you. Twice. Peace be with you. This is what he sends them out to bring to the world. And then he breathes the Holy Spirit on him. The breath of God that would bring the Holy Spirit upon each of them as they move forward into the world.
Now we are called to do the same thing by our faith. I remember somebody telling me once, well, you're not Jesus. You didn't brush your teeth this morning. And that breath, it's not going to do anything for me. I know they were kidding. Partly, but we are still called to do the same thing. The disciples were called to go out into the world to bring hope, to bring love, and to bring peace, and yes, to address those issues that we hear so much about today. To help raise people out from under the heel of oppression, whatever that oppression is. But they aren't called to hate and to put people down. They are called to do this out of love and to bring that peace to everyone. Now I know, and I'm sure they did at that time. That seems impossible. And today it seems pretty impossible, but it is what we are called to do.
We have this big banner to my left that has stayed up there. Actually, somebody wanted to take it down, not in this congregation for something that was happening here. And they tried. We caught them, but they didn't realize it's actually adhered to the wall. Don't tell the trustees that. Of course, it might have been them who helped put it up, but not in a way. It's going to tear the wall down. But I know throughout the pandemic, when we couldn't be in person together, and since we have looked at this, this is what we are called to do, to be the church and read it with me, to protect the environment, to care for the poor, to forgive often, to reject racism, to fight for the powerless, to share earthly and spiritual resources. To embrace diversity. To love God and to enjoy this life. Amen.
We are reminded of that constantly, constantly, both here in this church, but also every day wherever we go. This is what we are called to do. So today I send you forth, as Jesus sent the disciples to do the work that they started, and that we are called to continue to bring hope and love and peace to the world. And no, it's not easy. Jay shares with us every week the things that are going on. And they are not easy, are they? Jay. It takes a lot, a lot to just get up and show up. It takes a lot to stand with people who are being oppressed. But that's what we're called to do in any way we can.
And as people ask me all the time, but what if I can't physically do those things? What do I always say? Pray. Prayer is very powerful. If you want to get into the aspects of being studied, it has been studied many times and proven through many studies. Prayer has a powerful effect. Being present is powerful. But go with somebody. Share that hope and that love and that peace and prayer. And I believe we can overcome all those things. Go forth. Find where you can do it. Amen.