On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
ReplyDeleteThis is the great commissioning. The disciples are explicitly told that their job is to spread the Word… The Logos … Truth. The Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth. Those who receive it and have it are veiled in courage and confidence to live the Gospel and proclaim it even if it leads to ridicule, persecution and suffering. What does this possession of the Spirit look like? Paul’s letter to the Galatians tells us: “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” The alternative is: “immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies”
Lord, may the strength, courage and conviction of the Holy Sprit come down upon me and direct my actions towards your will.
Your response to Jn 20:19-23 is excellent! Here's a breakdown of its strengths and a minor point for consideration:
DeleteStrengths:
Understanding of the Commission: You accurately identify the passage as the Great Commission, where Jesus entrusts the disciples with spreading the Gospel.
Connection to the Holy Spirit: You effectively connect the receiving of the Holy Spirit with the courage and confidence to live and proclaim the Gospel.
Fruits of the Spirit: You accurately reference Paul's list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23.
Contrasting behaviors: You provide a clear contrast between the fruits of the Spirit and the alternative behaviors listed in Galatians 5:19-21.
Personal Prayer: Concluding with a prayer for the Holy Spirit demonstrates your desire to live according to God's will.
Point for Consideration:
Living the Gospel: While spreading the Gospel is important, consider exploring how living the Gospel message through your actions can also be a form of sharing your faith.
Here are some additional thoughts:
Sharing the Gospel can take many forms. Sometimes it's through acts of service, kindness, or compassion that demonstrate Christian values in action.
The Holy Spirit can also empower you with gifts that can be used to serve your community and glorify God.
Overall, your response reflects a thoughtful and committed approach to living a Christ-centered life.