This post comes from Calvary Chapel Pastors
Currently I am teaching the gospel of John and so in preparation for Easter I felt the Lord leading me to teach from John 20. What an amazing passage. I felt like I was reading it for the first time. In fact the Lord showed me things that I honestly don’t think I have noticed before. Maybe you have seen this, maybe not. Regardless; I pray you experience the same joy from God’s Word as I did.
John 20:19-23 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
There are three things that happened on that day that I want to draw your attention to. Keep in mind that this all happened on the very same day Jesus rose from the dead!
Commissioned: As the Father has sent Me even so I am sending you.
On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He commissions His disciples. On the very same day. Jesus wastes absolutely no time at all reminding them of His intentions.
All of history has been building up to this. God the Son has lived a perfect life and died in the place of sinful man. He is the propitiation for our sins. Then three days later He rose from the dead conquering sin, death, hell and the devil. There is now nothing that separates us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. We have total access before the throne of God where we can come boldly asking for mercy.
“Jesus don’t you want to take a day or two to recover from dying? NO.
Don’t you want to take some time and slowly introduce Your disciples to your plan? NO they have heard Me speak of this for a long time. It’s time to begin!”
You are being sent out to share the good news with the world. IT’s time- it’s time to be who I have made you to be. It’s time to be fishers of men because all that is necessary for mankind to be saved has been accomplished!
2. Receive the Spirit: And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He pours out His Holy Spirit in His disciples.
Now in about 50 days from this moment He would again pour out His Spirit. But on that day it was not to receive the Holy Spirit but to have the Holy Spirit come upon them in power.
On this day in John 20 the Holy Spirit came in to the disciples and they were sealed for the Lord. He was theirs and they were His. Jesus wastes no time at all giving His followers His Spirit.
3. Message: If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld
On the very same day that Jesus rose from the dead He tells His disciples that they are to proclaim forgiveness to the repentant and warning upon the hard hearted. There is no delay, no waiting. Now is the time.
I love the urgency in Jesus here.
This is how Jesus spent His first day risen from the dead. The rest of the New Testament is filled with a sense of urgency. WHY?
Now that Jesus has died and risen there is no reason for anyone to go to hell. Sin has been paid for and death has been conquered. It really is the greatest message in history.
On the day Jesus rose from the dead He declares to us-
I am commissioning you
I am filling you with My Spirit
I am sending you out with a message of forgiveness.
Happy Belated Easter!
continue reading the views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of Calvary Southampton
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