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!
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