Some guy bought a new refrigerator. To get rid of his old fridge, he put it in the front yard and hung a sign on it with the word: “Free!” For three days the fridge sat there without anyone even making a second glance at it. Eventually, the man decided that people must be thinking that the deal is too good to be true. There must be something wrong with it. So, he changed the sign to read: “$100.” The next day, (to the man’s delight) he discovers that someone stole the refrigerator overnight!

Of course, some things ARE too good to be true. Events can be so rare that when they do happen it’s unbelievable. Publisher’s Clearing House knocks on the door (Is that still a thing?); a fan has the opportunity to meet a favorite celebrity; someone realizes that he or she has the winning numbers in a Mega Millions jackpot; obtaining a dream job; or as in the case of our text this morning, seeing (actually seeing) that Jesus really has risen from the dead. But…

IT’S NOT TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE—THROUGH THE RISEN SAVIOR FORGIVENESS IS FOR YOU!

Sinful humanity finds some uncertainty about the resurrection—is it too good to be true? On the one hand, resurrections are rare. Only a few times in the Old Testament was someone raised from the dead. By the power and authority of the Lord, Elijah and Elisha raised young men from the dead. The Book of Acts records Peter raising Tabitha from the dead. Jesus raised the dead on at least three occasions. In all of world history, resurrections are very, very, very rare.  I’ve never seen it. You probably haven’t either.

The disciples DID see it happen. Three of them were with Jesus when He raised the little girl from the dead. All of them saw Him raise the young man from the dead. All of them watched Jesus call out to a dead Lazarus after he’d been stinking in the tomb for four days, and they watched Lazarus leave the tomb alive.

They watched Jesus raise the dead, and then they watched in horror as Jesus Himself died. They thought that was it. All became hopeless. As we heard a couple of weeks ago, the two men on the road to Emmaus exemplified the utter despair experienced by all the disciples. Not recognizing that Jesus was walking with them, the two men grimly told Him, “We had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel.” They believed the death they witnessed on Good Friday was no different than any other death. All joy was robbed in the sorrow and death of sin.

Human beings readily believe and accept that which we personally know and experience. But… as fallen, sinful human beings we embrace the tendency to doubt that which we haven’t seen or experienced (even things of God). Our sinful nature likes to reject things that seem impossible to our way of thinking. We heard in last week’s Gospel reading that Thomas refused to believe the resurrection, because he didn’t personally see and experience Jesus in all His resurrection glory along with the other disciples. Unfortunately, many people reject Christianity today for the same reason. “If Jesus really is raised, why doesn’t He show me some sign of it?” “I haven’t seen or experienced it, so it can’t be true.” The sorrow and death resulting from sin threaten to rob us of our joy that is found in Jesus. Humanity is tempted to despair and doubt the Good News that Christ has truly risen from the dead.

After Jesus revealed Himself to the men on the way to Emmaus, they ran back and told the rest of the group what they had heard and seen. These are the things that they were all discussing when Jesus comes and stands among them on the evening of His resurrection. Yet, they still don’t believe. Luke tells us they are petrified. They think they see a spirit. Maybe… just maybe… Jesus’ ghost has come to haunt them for their sins and faithlessness during His passion. After all, they didn’t stand up for Him in His lonely hour! Not just Peter. All of them in their own way had denied, abandoned, and rejected the Lord. They ran away from Him when He was arrested. They lost trust and behaved in a cowardly way. Certainly, He’s there to judge their sins, it seems.

You see, coupled with the doubts of the resurrection is the guilt of the sins that were committed and the doubts that those sins could be forgiven. How could the just and holy One forgive them? How could they remain in His presence? “Get away from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” They feel unworthy to be in His presence.

What about us? The devil works hard on us, trying to get us to doubt Christ’s forgiveness. For this very reason, Scripture calls him “the accuser.” He whispers, “You’ve broken God’s Law, and you know wrongdoing won’t go unpunished.” He whispers, “You can’t be forgiven.” He whispers, “You hurt your neighbor and you’ll be punished for it.”  He whispers, “You were too cowardly to tell your neighbor about Jesus, so now He will deny you.” He whispers, “You are gonna get it when the Judge comes.” And the devil can mislead us to fall for his accusations as we doubt the completeness of Jesus’ atonement, forgiveness, and salvation through His shed blood on the cross.

Many Christians worry that forgiveness has run out on them. They’ve reached the limit and there’s no more forgiveness available. We may think to ourselves, “I must not be a Christian, because I keep sinning.” Even the apostle John writes, “No one who abides in Christ keeps on sinning.” This is, of course, a true statement. But we need to be careful not to rip it out of its context in doubt and unbelief. John speaks of the one who sins and doesn’t care. But sometimes forgiveness itself can feel too good to be true, and we may be tempted to rob ourselves of the joy that comes with Jesus’ resurrection victory. 

Don’t despair, brothers and sisters in Christ. Rejoice and be glad. Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Jesus’ resurrection brings fulness of joy and gladness!

The resurrection of Jesus Christ means forgiveness really is for you. Christ has been raised from the dead. There’s no need to doubt that reality. Jesus rebukes His disciples gathered in the room because they keep doubting. They heard the reports of the women. They heard the reports of the men on the road to Emmaus. They heard that Jesus appeared to Peter. Yet, they keep doubting. Rather, than relying on sure and certain eyewitness testimony, they rely on their own personal experience (or lack thereof). So, they doubt. They saw Jesus raise people from the dead, but they had never seen someone raise himself from the dead. But the reports declare that Jesus arose with no help.

Jesus graciously allows them to personally witness the truth of the resurrection. He shows them His hands and feet. It seems too good to be true, but they rejoice to see Jesus—even as they are amazed by the possibility. To provide further assurance, Jesus asks for and eats fish in their presence. There is to be no doubt. This is Jesus in the flesh. He has bodily risen.

You can be sure Jesus is risen. The disciples are eyewitnesses. Jesus opened their minds to understand that the entire Old Testament is all about Him. Scripture centers on His saving death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. He opened their ears to hear and their eyes to see that His suffering, death, and resurrection are necessary for salvation. Though cowards before His death, through the Holy Spirit they will later courageously witness about Jesus—suffering for His name. The disciples will go into the world proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins that Jesus won for all people through His shed blood and resurrection, received by faith.

Forgiveness of sins was first applied to those gathered in the room. Jesus comes to them speaking three all-important words: “Peace to you!” Jesus comes to bring peace (peace between God and sinners, and thereby peace between sinners). He achieved peace through His sacrifice for our sins. He took our sins to the cross, and they were nailed with Him to that tree. On the third day, Jesus emerged the victorious champion of reconciliation.

A famous American sermon is titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” If we are left on our own without Christ, then we are, indeed, sinners in the hands of an angry God. Yet, through Christ we are sinners in the hands of a gracious and merciful God. Even though we live in a fallen, broken world that has all kinds of suffering, Jesus’ resurrection really does mean peace and joy. The doubts experienced by the disciples were set aside by Jesus’ forgiving word of peace.

Just as Christ personally brought the Good News of His peace to the disciples, so He personally brings you His peace and pardon. Jesus is present with you whenever you gather around His Word and Sacraments. He is in your midst, forgiving your sins and strengthening your faith in that forgiveness. The devil tempts you to believe that you are unworthy of Jesus, that you are not forgiven. By the power of the Spirit, you can throw it back in his face, saying, “Yes, I’m unworthy, but I’m baptized into Christ.” Even though you struggle with sin, in Christ you are a new creation. Your flesh—dead in sin—wants to sin, your spirit—alive in Christ—wants to serve the Lord. The flesh is spiritually drowned through repentance and trust in the forgiveness of sins. “God doesn’t love us because of our worth, we are of worth because God loves us.” This saying is attributed to Martin Luther, and it’s true. You are valuable in the Lord’s eyes, because “God showed His for us love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It was necessary that Jesus should suffer and rise again on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name. The forgiveness of Christ is for you.

So, peace be with you. You are forgiven through Jesus’ blood. He has risen from the dead. He appeared to many people after His resurrection, so that you may hear and believe that He has risen from the dead for you and for your salvation. One day, He will come back to raise the dead and give eternal life to all who believe. So, rejoice and be glad! Hope, comfort, peace, and joy are yours in Christ Jesus forevermore! It’s not too good to be true. It is true. Amen.