"…He breathed on them and said to
them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’" (John 20:22)
Dwight L. Moody said, “I believe
firmly that the moment our hearts are emptied of pride and selfishness and
ambition and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will fill
every corner of our hearts. But if we are full of pride and conceit and ambition
and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. We must be emptied before
we can be filled.” The disciples and apostles of Jesus had been “emptied” during their three years with Him and now they
would be “filled.” Victor Hugo said, “When you have… accomplished your daily tasks, go to sleep in
peace. God is awake.” The Lord wants you and I to have that same "peace." The Holy Spirit of God is here for YOU – right
now.
It's important to look at the verses immediately before
and after John 20:22, our Scripture for today, and discover the NECESSITY for
the Holy Spirit of God in your life and mine. Why do YOU need the presence of
God in your life? You may be good-looking. You may be rich and think you are in
need of nothing! But look deeper - do you also have a deep, aching need that
only God can touch?
When you really begin to LISTEN to others, you can sense
a gnawing incompleteness in everyone who lives on this earth. There is a
restlessness that is not long satisfied by money or power or fame or sex or
family relationships, or anything else of this world. "If
only I could find PEACE!" is the cry of humanity.
The disciples were rejoicing at the appearing of Jesus
Christ after He rose from the dead, and He was saying to them, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you"
(John 20:21). Not only does He intend to give us the PEACE we have hungered for
all of our lives, but He also offers us USEFULNESS. If you give yourself to the
Lord, He will fill your heart and life, and then He will also LEAD you. He will
give PURPOSE to who and what you are. You will begin to KNOW what you are
supposed to do and be. And you will LIKE your life and what it has become.
After our key verse (John 20:22) is another incredible
statement: "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins
have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained"
(John 20:23). Jesus Christ imparts His very nature to the people chosen out of
this world. He helps us to become people who actually want to FORGIVE in His
Name. He entrusts us with the new LIFE He has in store and enables us to share
this forgiveness, this new life. You (and they) can become people who – really
care!
Have you thought about this? – God TRUSTS you. It is not
only you placing your trust in Him, but it is also HIM placing His trust in YOU.
When I was in college, Gayle Erwin was our Campus Pastor. He pointed out that
God does not need us, and liked to use the illustration that God could, if He
wanted, put a megaphone on the moon, and shout "Repent"
to all the earth. But He didn’t – He sent Jesus, that we might become COMPLETE
in Him. He equips us with His Spirit, enabling us to help others.
He entrusts US to do the work that really only He can
do. Which brings us to our verse: "He breathed on
(His disciples) and said to them,
‘receive the Holy Spirit’" (John 20:22). Yes, we
are to be sent as He directs, but we’re not abandoned to somehow do this work
alone. The great surprise about "our" work in Christ is the Holy Spirit of God.
He not only goes with you and is in you, but HE also DOES the work Himself. The
ministry we thought WE were supposed to accomplish, He does in and through us.
And this is not like a TV show, where you are offered
some kind of a "once in a lifetime offer." This is
the Holy Spirit of God, given to you in your need as often as you need Him. We
get "dry" like leaves in autumn; we tend to close ourselves to the Tree that
sustains us. We need to wake-up and receive the fresh infilling of our Lord –
often.
John 20:22 was a literal event; not some prophetic look
at the future which would occur in Acts Chapter 2. That is, the disciples
RECEIVED the Holy Spirit at just the moment Jesus "breathed"
on them. But this was just the beginning of a lifetime of receiving during the
rest of the disciple's lives; just as our lives will be filled. Their new life
consisted of a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit of God every time they needed Him,
in ways that were perfect for each situation. And so it will be for you and me.
Look at Acts 2:4. The same apostles and other followers
of Jesus were subsequently "all filled with the Holy
Spirit" once more. This time they were given gifts of service to our
Lord. Then two Chapters later we find they had been taken prisoner, threatened,
and released. It upset them, and in Acts 4:31, we find them being "filled with the Holy Spirit" once more. They now had
confidence and "began to speak the Word of God with
boldness." And in places like Revelation 1:10, at least one of them was “in the Spirit” once more.
What do YOU need? Whether in Christ or not, everyone has
an unsatisfied place deep inside that cries out to be touched and healed. Jesus
said "Abide in Me" in John 15:4, and when we do, He
sends us the Holy Spirit from God the Father (John 15:26). He wants YOU to be
filled with Him; filled with His joy.
The “peace” of Jesus is
with you (John 20:21). His Spirit upholds you. When you share Christ with
another person, He is with you. You may wonder, "What will
I say to them?" But don’t worry, for He is there, in your heart and
words. Just trust and speak out in faith. There is a song we have sung while
attending Abiding Love Church in Los Angeles, that includes the words, "Jesus done fixed it and it’s all right." You will be
changed for the good in Him – Your words will become His. Don’t be afraid. It’s
“all right” in our Lord.
Trust in the Lord. Abide in Him, and be open to what He
may want for your life. He will fill you with His Spirit and give you the peace
you have always needed. He will equip you for service (make you useful), and you
don’t need to be afraid.
Lord, forgive us for not trusting You like we should.
We trust in You right now. Fill us with Your Spirit. Thank You, Lord, for the
peace you give, and for the usefulness we are offered in Christ. We love You,
Lord, and praise Your Holy Name. In Jesus Name. Amen.
