Skip to main content

incredible

John 20:22&23
"22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained."

JESUS LIVES!!!
His Disciples were hiding in a locked room. Their minds were wrecked by grief. They are FEARFUL of what might happen next. They knew the religious leaders would persecute them next! Into this situation, Jesus miraculously showed up. The Disciples see their friend and teacher standing before them in flesh and blood.

They KNOW it's Him. Can they comprehend His message? Jesus asks them to continue His mission with the Father's will! It is a call to action and a promise of divine support as they go forth to spread the message of salvation. Given their state of mind, it would be a miracle if they retained ANY information. 

And, help is on the way! In today's verses they are baptized with the Holy Ghost! The same way God breathed life into Adam, Jesus breathed the Holy Ghost into His Disciples. Jesus gives them the responsibility to declare forgiveness based on God's forgiveness for repentant believers. This is at the center of life in the Christian church, forgiveness and reconciliation! And, notice this is from the lips of the Son of God who was just tortured and murdered. And, Jesus is saying this to people who will go on to be hunted, arrested, tortured and murdered. This is a incredible moment!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

to be taller

Matthew 6:27 "27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" Jesus has questions... Beginning our study this week with "Why Do You Worry?" Questions have always been a cornerstone of education, used to assess students’ knowledge, promote comprehension, and stimulate critical thinking. Well-crafted questions lead to new insights, generate discussion, and promote the comprehensive exploration of the subject. It makes sense that GOD would use questions VERY effectively. In yesterday's verses, Jesus asked "Are you not MUCH BETTER than birds?" His questions do not end there. In today's verse we read another one, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" This is a sentence our culture needs to learn. No anxiety, no thinking, no wanting will alter our bodily height, or any other condition of our life that is fixed by God’s laws. We often wish things were different than they are, but our "wo...

in roads

Acts 2:7&8 "7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" The Holy Ghost is the only way this happens. They were very surprised to be hundreds and, some cases, thousands of miles from "home" and hearing their language spoken! It was astonishing! Appreciate that these devout Jewish people whose families had been carried away from Israel generations before. Taken in captivity by armies that invaded and conquered Israel. (A little like Joseph was taken captive to Egypt. All by God's plan to save the Israelites during a time of famine.) Over the years, these Jewish "captives" would adopt the language and some of the customs of their captors. However, they remained Jewish. By the time of the events recorded in the book of Acts, they made the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover and the Feast of Weeks. They just happe...

praise Him

Luke 1:51-53 "51 He hath shewed strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away." This is Mary's Magnificat. Beginning with verse forty-six Mary's responds to Elizabeth’s blessing is EPIC! In this poem Mary praises GOD for His blessing to her and His faithfulness to Israel.  Mary's Magnificat also highlights a series of reversals in which the proud are humbled and the humble are exalted! Which we read in today's verses; "He hath shewed STRENGTH with His arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and EXALTED them of low degree. He hath FILLED the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away." We should marvel at GOD'S choice of this poor young girl to be the m...