Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” vss. 21-22
John 20:19-24
Each of the gospel writers chooses a different way of describing what we call the Great Commission. John tells his readers that it happened immediately after Jesus appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem after his resurrection. Two things are involved: first, he sends them out, and then, to empower their mission, he breathes on them the Holy Spirit. Those two actions launched the greatest outreach ministry the world has ever known, and they continue to be the guiding force in the life of every believer.
When we were called through our baptisms to be children of God we didn’t get a free ticket on the Heavenly Express. Rather we were presented with lifelong marching orders, a call to live as Jesus lived, to be his presence to the broken and the hurting, to be a light in the midst of darkness. We know the routine. We’re familiar with his life. We know how much he loved. There’s nothing about the life of Jesus that we don’t know – so we can’t plead ignorance. And we can’t even say that we’re impotent or incapable. Remember? He breathed his Spirit into his disciples – and we’ve got Holy Spirit power too. And oh what wonderful things we are doing! Jesus is alive in this world, he’s alive in us!
Thought for the Day: How’s my mission going?
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