Post Resurrection - Important Things

This being the day after Easter, celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus, I thought to read some of the accounts of the first things He did and said, which to me would seem very significant, as they probably relate to the most important things that either remained to be said, or needed to be repeated. Anyway, I was reading John's Gospel yesterday, so I will start there and work my way backwards.

John 20:21-23 NIV
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” [22] And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

As I read these two verses, I see four specific things that Jesus addressed:

1. Peace - Jesus comes to minister peace to them, for they are fearful. Fear can cause us to think and react wrongly. Jesus needed them to be focused and fearless.

2. Mission - Jesus laid His ministry and call on them. This would be the equivalent of passing His mantle of authority and ministry over to the Apostles. This was not to be a passive ministry, but they were being sent with a specific purpose, fulfilling Jesus' ministry.

3. Holy Spirit - Jesus breathed on them and they received, in part, the Holy Spirit. This is one of the times they received an infilling, prior to Pentecost. They need His guidance, His peace, and His encouragement, just to make it through the next few days. Sometimes as I read this type of statement about a natural thing like breathing, I tend to not associate great significance, because it is so natural - Jesus breathed. But this is very significant, so important that John felt lead by the Holy Spirit some 50 years later to put this in his account. We must not take lightly these seemingly normal things. The apostles must have feltsomething shift, must have seen something different after Jesus breathed on them, must have felt as deposit being made in their spirits when He breathed on them.

4. The ministry of forgiveness - Jesus is establishing them a ministers of forgiveness, which previously was only something God could do, and something that had very stringent guidelines under the law requiring sacrifices and priests. Jesus makes it very simple if they (disciples) forgive then the person is forgiven, if not, then they are not forgiven. This is a not a new command, but based on what He taught them previously - see Matthew 6:14-15 NIV: "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

I think for myself its important to focus on all of these, and to walk in them, recognizing the significance they have personally and in the church. If I don't have peace, to ask the Lord for it. If I am wondering about my ministry or purpose, to see myself as continuing Jesus ministry, and to ask Him to guide me to do that which He would do. If I am feeling powerless, to ask Him for the Holy Spirit. Finally, to recognize that I have been called as a minister of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Amen Lord, help me