St. Peter Lutheran Church
2929 F.M 972 (at F.M. 1105)
Walburg, Texas 78626
Office: (512) 863-
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Last Updated:
Apr. 3, 2026
St. Peter Lutheran Church at Walburg, Texas
2026 -
Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ Texas District
Too Good to Keep Locked Up
It has been more than a decade since I pastored a church and experienced the special blessing it is to lead a community of faith in the Resurrection celebration on Easter morning. If you are a pastor, then you likely know what I mean. I remember fondly the anxious anticipation for crowds of people to gather and worship the risen Lord. As many pastors do, on Saturday night I would sit alone in an empty sanctuary and pray for God to fill the church and bring together those who needed to hear the Easter story anew. Sunday dawn would rise and with it, excitement as the church filled with all the familiar faces and many new ones, too. The greetings would ring out: “Christ is Risen! – He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” Easter lilies adorned the sanctuary and special music triumphantly proclaimed God’s glory. For those of us entrusted to preach, it is a special privilege to share the greatest story ever told to a full room of eager listeners. All around the church on Easter Sunday there is a joy that is so powerful and uplifting.
But just seven days later, on the Second Sunday of Easter, I would often wonder, “What happened?” What happened to the joy and enthusiasm? What happened to the crowds and the packed sanctuary? What happened to all that was special the week before? For those who follow the lectionary, the Second Sunday in Easter centers on the story of Jesus breaking in on the disciples who gathered together on Easter evening. After the crucifixion and the discovery of the empty tomb, the disciples were confused and afraid. They had heard the reports from Mary Magdalene, but the fear had not yet become faith. So, they locked themselves in the Upper Room.
And then Jesus appeared. He stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." He showed them his hands and his side. John tells us simply that the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. But Jesus was not only there to comfort them amid their fear and confusion. And he wasn’t just there to prove that he was alive. Jesus was also there to send them out. He said it again: "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am also sending you." And he breathed on them: "Receive the Holy Spirit."
On Jesus’ word, the locked room was transformed from a place of hiding into a place of sending. The peace Jesus spoke did not only quiet their fears, it redirected them with a mission. The disciples who were paralyzed by what happened to Jesus were now mobilized to share the Good News of Jesus to the world. But this is the part of the Easter story that is so easy to miss: The resurrection is not only an event to celebrate; it is the Good News we are sent to proclaim. Just as the Father sent Jesus, Jesus sends us. And he sends us not with our own courage or confidence, but with his peace, presence, power, and purpose.
In Lent we embark on an inward journey of repentance that leads us outward – set free to witness. In Easter, we celebrate the fulfillment of our freedom in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The empty tomb confirms the Good News of sins forgiven, death defeated, and new life in Christ – news too good to keep behind locked doors.
Pastor Bryce Formwalt is the Director of Mission Growth for LCMC Texas District and Program Director of Harvest Workers, an online ministry training program (learn more at www.harvestworkers.net). Residing in Georgetown, Pastor Bryce is available to coach congregations on mission. Please contact him with any questions or comments: 512-
© 2026 Bryce J. Formwalt, All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.
April 2026
