April 17, 2026

I hate roller coasters. I always have. Growing up, when all of my friends were itching to go to King’s Island and ride all of the rides, I was afraid. I avoided going to amusement parks with my friends because I was embarrassed at my fear. (The first time I rode a coaster at King’s Island was to impress a girl I liked at the time. I was almost physically sick). Here’s the reality. I know that my fear was basically irrational. I knew that these rides were safe and that few people get hurt on them. Even though I could rationally think that it still didn’t impact my behavior or response. I still hate rollercoasters to this day.

I’m looking at the interactions Jesus had with his disciples after his resurrection. I am intrigued as to how the story continues after the biggest event in human history took place. What I notice is that the essence of each of Jesus’s interactions is speaking about Christian faith. What does faith look like? What is the evidence in one’s life of the kind of faith that Jesus is looking for? How does Jesus himself give and receive faith? These are the questions I want to explore again this week.

Luke 24:36-45

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.

The first thing out of Jesus’s mouth is, ‘Peace be with you.’ Now, he had told his disciples earlier that he was going to bring them peace (John 14:27). He now comes to them and expects them to be living out of that place of peace. And he’s not talking about the kind of peace that tells you to calm down or the kind of peace that requires the room to fall silent. He’s talking about the peace that surpasses understanding but which directs one’s life toward deep abiding faith and trust in Jesus himself. It’s a peace that directs minds, hearts, and actions based upon who Jesus is.

You’ll notice that he gives them some evidence that his peace is beyond anything the world can give: He shows them that he has raised in a physical human body and not in some spiritual essence. This infused into their faith the hope of newness and restoration of all things. All of creation, including each of us, will be re-made into something even more wonderful that we can imagine now. All physically broken things will be made whole again. He further illustrates this reality by asking them for food. He comments that if he were just a spiritual being he wouldn’t be able to eat food in their presence. But he does! He’s giving them tangible proof of his bodily resurrection and therefore undeniable assurance that his peace is theirs and that they can trust in it.

But the real peace didn’t come from his physical presence or his eating of fish. The real peace was realized as he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Don’t miss this! That is exactly what we have in front of us. We have the Word of God both in written form and in actual presence inside of each of us as believers in Christ. Jesus desires to open our minds and hearts more each day to the reality of his peace! He has promised to give us faith and peace in him. He gives us the evidence through the Word and through our experiences walking with him.

I am thankful that the safety features of roller coasters don’t compare to the reality of Jesus’s presence in my life. Peace is the assurance that what Jesus says is true. Peace is the abiding nature of our life lived in Christ. Peace is the reality that all things are in process of being renewed and remade by God and that they will be perfected one day. Do you believe that? That degree to which you do… the degree to which you search and seek the Word and abide in him… that is the degree in which you will experience the peace of Christ and live out of it.

Peace be with you,

Nathan

Nathan Hinkle

Lead Pastor

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