John 20: 21-23
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
Jesus breathed on the disciples and filled them with the Holy Spirit. That must have been a beautiful moment. I am not sure about the second half of the reading, and will have to study it today. Maybe Jesus is telling the disciples they will be able to discern when someone is repentant, and so will know when their sins would be forgiven. But do they have the actual power to forgive, because they have the Holy Spirit? If so, we would all have that power. Have you heard the song, "Same Power" by Jeremy Camp? I will listen later this morning.
Holy Lord, your Word is sometimes clarifying, but sometimes confusing. What was Jesus saying to the disciples? Help me to understand this better, I pray. Amen
Becky, transforming
Friday, August 25th, 202
John 20:21-23
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Jesus appeared to His disciples and showed them His side and His hands, and then He gave them three gifts. First, Jesus gave them His peace. The peace Jesus gives can quiet a violent storm or calm a trembling heart. Second, Jesus gave them a new purpose, he sent them out to do as …
John 20:21-23
These verses seem to be as much about forgiveness as receiving the breath of the Holy Spirit. As believers, we have the Holy Spirit within us, guiding us. Jesus seems to emphasize the fact that the Holy Spirit gave them the power to forgive sins. Why then do we sometimes find it so difficult to forgive others who may have wronged us. It seems that this reading makes forgiveness the most important power we possess.
Prayer: Gracious God, this is a powerful reminder of the power we have within us. The power to forgive others. May we use it more freely. Amen
John 20: 21-23 This dramatic moment in John’s gospel foreshadows the events at Pentecost described in Acts 2. When I view them together I see a progression of Jesus’ mission. Going back to the Father, Jesus personally and directly anoints the disciples. “As the Father sent me, I send you.”
I suggest this group was indeed given the power to forgive sin. Later at Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit was shed abroad with the command to be witnesses to the uttermost ends of the earth, our charge was to forgive people and let God forgive their sin. Just one man’s attempt at the mystery of Scripture.
Prayer - Everlasting God, grace me with a spirit of forgiveness. There is so much…
John 20: 21-23
Jesus is filling the disciples with the Holy Spirit by breathing on them and telling them they are to be disciples receiving the spirit and then having them recognize sin and forgiveness, but can we as followers filled with the Holy Spirit which we are, can we have that spirit and power that Jesus had and go out into the World spreading the good news but more importantly recognize sin and the power to forgive the sin As Jesus is teaching?
Dear Lord,
Pleas help me to understand your word, receive your spirit and to forgive as you would want me to do. Amen