Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

Daily Encouragement for the Family of God by Kenton Cheek

14 November 2024

Reading From Luke 24, John 20-21

“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,^[c] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

–John 20:19-23

     After the death of Jesus the disciples were terrified.  Their leader had been arrested, put on trial, tortured and executed in the most horrific way devised by man.  While Jesus was detained, people saw disciples like Peter and recognized that they had been among His followers and this put them in danger as well.  They went into hiding, but the Lord had a purpose that was greater and could not be fulfilled by cowering in the shadows. 

     When Jesus appeared to them as recorded in this passage of John, it was after He had shed His blood on Calvary, was buried and raised to life on the third day from the garden tomb.  Therefore, at this point they were now living in the era of the New Covenant.  Prior to this, the Holy Spirit would rest on individuals or groups to anoint them for specific purposes and roles, but this was different.  God formed the first Adam out of the dust of the earth and breathed into Him life and now the second Adam, the Son of God and Son of Man, was breathing new life into them and they were born again.

     It is important to note that this experience preceded the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.  I believe that this moment in John was their new birth and that they were endowed with power from on high on the Day of Pentecost.  Everyone who is born again has the Spirit dwelling within them, but we need to seek all of what God has for us.  He has more for you and I.  More than just surviving, He wants us to thrive and be filled with power and passion for ministry. 

“Lord Jesus, we need You to fill us with Your Spirit to overflowing again and again.  We need the power and passion that comes from Your Presence to minister in relevant ways to our communities, to those who are not like us, to our regions and to our world.  Anoint us and send us forth.  Change the world through us, we pray.  Amen.”

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

–Acts 1:8