{"id":4408,"date":"2025-04-27T17:35:32","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T17:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2025\/04\/27\/peace-be-with-you-based-on-acts-527-32-and-john\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T17:53:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T21:53:21","slug":"peace-be-with-you-based-on-acts-527-32-and-john","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/2025\/04\/27\/peace-be-with-you-based-on-acts-527-32-and-john\/","title":{"rendered":"Peace Be With You"},"content":{"rendered":"

“Peace Be With You” based on Acts 5:27-32 and John 20:19-31<\/h1>\n
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\u201cPeace be with you.\u201d It is repeated 3 times in this passage, and that\u2019s pretty notable. There are many possible explanations for it. It is quite common in the Bible when there are experiences of the Divine that the human being experiencing something extraordinary is greeted with \u201cPeace be with you,\u201d I\u2019ve often wondered if that\u2019s because they\u2019re usually so startled by what\u2019s happening that they need a soothing to even settle in and listen.<\/p>\n

But, even then, the words are very specific. \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not going to hurt you\u201d might also be consoling, but that\u2019s not the norm. The norm is \u201cpeace be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, of course, whenever we\u2019re dealing with the Gospel of John we have to assume that the language being used reflects the early church as the Johannine community knew it, and I think by the time John was written it was common for Christians to greet each other with \u201cPeace by with you\u201d or \u201cThe peace of Christ be with you.\u201d It is assumed to be one of the most ancient parts of Christian worship, we do not have any sources of early worship that predate the tradition of passing the peace. Which raises a question of if they said that cause they remembered Jesus saying it or they remembered Jesus saying it because they said it. Both are good.<\/p>\n

Based on both of these ideas \u2013 that this is what gets said during a Divine appearance and that this is something Christians have said to each other since maybe the beginning \u2013 this phrase is really notable. And then we have it THREE times in this passage alone.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m thinking that these particular words are really important, maybe even core to the Jesus-movement.<\/p>\n

Now, the word \u201cpeace\u201d in English is an accurate and valid translation of the word \u201cpeace\u201d in the Bible, but it is much SMALLER than the word in Hebrew and Arameic. In English peace is primarily the absence of war and violence, and then might refer to a lovely state known as \u201cinner-peace.\u201d But in Hebrew the word is deeper and wider. Shalom refers to the kind of peace we know, and then it keeps going. Because it includes things like root causes. So Shalom has aspects of absence of violence and war, and tranquility, but also the things you need to get there like adequate access to resources, healthy relationships, family and friends and neighbors who also have adequate access to resources and healthy relationships.<\/p>\n

These days when I think of Shalom I often connect it with the African word \u201cubuntu.\u201d In 2018 the Love Your Neighbor Campaign \u2013 a great organization we\u2019ve been a part of that was working for the collective well-being of people in the United Methodist Church1<\/a> – put out a statement on ubuntu as a means of clarifying our priorities as a movement. While not short, I can\u2019t in good faith cut any of it, so here it is in wholeness:<\/p>\n

Ubuntu is an African concept that embodies a way of life. In simple terms, it is translated to mean \u2018humanity\u2019, where humanity is based on the understanding of interdependence and community life. Ubuntu is more than an expression, value, or philosophical concept. Rather it refers to a way of life that is visible in all spheres of human existence. A lifestyle that values the humanity of others as an imperative for one\u2019s existence. It is lived recognizing that we are all created in the image of God and should do unto others as we wish it be done unto us. It says \u2018I am because you are, we are not born into a single family but a community\u2019.<\/small><\/p>\n

Ubuntu encompasses virtues that invite us to a new way of life and our journey as Christians.\u00a0 In this way of life, human dignity is an inherent and inalienable virtue of all humans, from birth, regardless of any distinctive feature and circumstances, and should be protected by all at all times. When we recognize each other as created in the image of God, protection of one\u2019s dignity and worth is a collective obligation tied our existence as we share the pains and joys of humanity.<\/small><\/p>\n

Ubuntu invites us to extend grace to everyone, regardless of our views or situations. God\u2019s grace is available to all, everywhere and all the times. We recognize that our lives are defined by free and undeserved favor from God and are called to extend that grace to everyone. Our humanity isn\u2019t defined by our efforts or status but instead defined by remembering that because we have freely received, freely we give. The consideration of others isn\u2019t based on formulated expressions of exclusion, but rather in embracing all people, God does not exclude anyone from God\u2019s expression of grace.<\/small><\/p>\n

Relationship is a key element of an interdependent and community life. Relationship is more than knowing my face and name. It includes sharing struggles and successes, living and working together on our path to a good earthly life and perfection to God. We are brothers, sisters, siblings, not because we think and act the same way, but because we are all created in the image of God and were created to help one another. The image of God in you isn\u2019t temporary nor based on my perceptions or limitations, but is a permanent reminder that we all originate from God whose infinite grace and love compel me to uphold your dignity and value in our society.<\/small><\/p>\n

God reminds us of what God expects from us, to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God. Thus, we share the collective responsibility to stand for one another when justice is denied to any one of us. We stand for one another because your safety and wellbeing is directly tied to mine, injustice is rotational, solidarity and love are the greatest weapons we have. Justice isn\u2019t the decision of the majority, but rather the moral option that safeguards the welfare and integrity of all members of the family.<\/small><\/p>\n

In a global but polarized world where individualism has led to racial profiling, injustice to the poor and vulnerable, religious intolerance, tribalism and nepotism, xenophobia, rejection of refugees and discrimination to people based on sexual orientation, we have failed to live to higher call of Jesus to love another just as God loves us. Ubuntu is a reminder that we share a common origin and destiny, our welfare is tied to another and we have the collective responsibility to protect the sacred dignity of our fellows, extend grace and seek justice for all, for our welfare is dependent on their welfare.<\/small><\/p>\n

Our siblings who recently returned from Africa University reminded us in their presentation about their trip of this important concept that is now understood to be cross-African.<\/p>\n

The words written by our African siblings in faith about ubuntu resonate with the profound meanings of shalom in the Bible. It brings the fullness needed back to the phrase \u201cpeace be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

And, now, I think, we can hear more fully what it means to share a story about the risen Christ meeting with the disciples and starting the interaction with \u201cpeace be with you.\u201d He spoke a blessing. He spoke a truth. He spoke a hope. He spoke a shared vision for the world as it should be. He spoke interconnectedness. And it was repeated THREE times in this one story because it is that central to their experience of God, of the risen Christ, of following Jesus.<\/p>\n

To be people of faith in the tradition of Jesus is to be people of peace, of shalom, of ubuntu. It is to be blessed with knowing we are all interconnected and our well-being depends on others\u2019 well-being. It is to be reminded that physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental health are interrelated, and our health impacts each others\u2019 health. It is to seek the well-being of ALL, and not just some. The blessings of peace, of shalom, of ubuntu and the dreaming of the kin-dom of God are one and the same.<\/p>\n

This sermon is, I freely admit, review. I haven\u2019t told you much you don\u2019t already know, nor much I don\u2019t repeat on a regular basis. There are good reasons we have \u201cpassing the peace\u201d in worship, and I\u2019ve previously done my best to explain it.<\/p>\n

The thing is, I\u2019m about to be away for 11 weeks and while I entirely trust Karyn to preach and lead worship while I\u2019m gone, I still feel some responsibility for offering you something to hold on to for a while. There are treacherous things underfoot, all trying to harm God\u2019s beloveds and upset our\u2026 well, our peace.<\/p>\n

So, for now, I leave you with the simple reminder that \u201cpeace be with you\u201d is a fundamental Christian goal, that it has layers and layers of profound meaning, and it is worth spending our lifetimes seeking to live that blessing. Thanks be to God for aiming us well at peace, at shalom, at ubuntu. Amen<\/p>\n

1<\/a>https:\/\/www.lyncoalition.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

April 27, 2025<\/p>\n

Rev. Sara E. Baron\u00a0<\/p>\n

First United Methodist Church of Schenectady\u00a0<\/p>\n

603 State St. Schenectady, NY 12305\u00a0<\/p>\n

Pronouns: she\/her\/hers<\/p>\n

\u00a0http:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FUMCSchenectady<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“Peace Be With You” based on Acts 5:27-32 and John 20:19-31 \u201cPeace be with you.\u201d It is repeated 3 times … Continue reading Peace Be With You<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[34,38,28,39,33,52,1265,140,394,56,1012,1345],"class_list":["post-4408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons","tag-fumc-schenectady","tag-progressive-christianity","tag-rev-sara-e-baron","tag-thinking-church","tag-umc","tag-easter","tag-first-umc-schenectady","tag-kindom","tag-peace","tag-schenectady","tag-shalom","tag-ubuntu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4408"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4634,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4408\/revisions\/4634"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fumcschenectady.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}