Monday 21 Apr 2014

April 21: John 20:19-23

Key Verse: John 20:21
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Devotion:
To many the day after a big feast or celebration is a big let-down because everything seems to have come to an end and the following day is going to be ‘back to normal’! But for me it is the day of reflection when we can look forward to what lies ahead and what we can look forward to because of the feast we have just had. As a young Christian I always struggled with sharing the Gospel because I was shy and did not know enough and… well I came up with loads of excuses back then anyways!

Jesus waited until the disciples were alone and closed into a room where they would not be able to hide from Him. He then appeared to them in that room and gave them this great commission – to go out and tell people of what had happened so they too could believe the truth. But to these disciples He gave much more than just words; He breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. This was not Christ telling them they had no choice about whether they got the Spirit or not, He gave them the choice to accept it there and then.

We have that choice as to whether we accept the Holy Spirit into our lives so that He can enable us to go out and teach others. It is not any formal education that is going to give us the ability to teach others but rather the Holy Spirit who will enable us. The formal education will give us the confidence and will help to quell the doubts that we will have. The Holy Spirit gives us what we need to tell others the truth; He will place the words in our mouths as we need them – so long as we ask Him in to do that.

From this moment on, the disciples had the Holy Spirit dwelling with them and they had all they needed to do God’s work. We should have the same confidence that the disciples displayed from that point on. Just because Christ is not bodily standing in front of us to tell us what to do does not mean that He has not enabled us to do the same. God wants us to have the same courage because He has promised this to us too; allow Him to work fully in your life too.

Points to Ponder:
Do you know what He has done for you?

Will you come forward today?