When I read that on the evening of the first Easter the disciples were huddling behind locked doors out of fear, I think of my I fears. I believe that pre-event receptions where everyone stands around and makes small talk was invented by a sadistic extrovert.  As an introvert I’m no good at small talk and therefore avoid such occasions.  I feared having a third heart by-pass surgery in 1998, I suspect because my body still remembered the one from five years before and the insertion of four stents in between.  But when I was unable to even walk to the mail box, I called and said, “Let’s do it.”

It would be nice to think that our fears are easily overcome, but that’s not the case.  That first Easter evening the disciples were behind locked doors out of fear that they tool would be arrested and dragged off to the cross.  Suddenly Jesus stood among them saying, “Peace be with you.  “When we have the peace of God which passes all understanding keeping our hearts and minds in Christ,” as we often hear at the end of a sermon, shouldn’t that allay all our fears?

However, a week later when Jesus made another appearance to his disciples, they were still behind locked doors.  Jesus had to come through the door with his second announcement of peace.  Our fears are not easily overcome.  The wonder is that Christ is able and does come through our locked doors.  He stays with us despite who we are and how our fears might hinder us.  Through the Holy Spirit Christ uses us to be his witnesses and to continue as his workmanship to be his servant for good.