Jesus Appearance to the Disciples

John 20:19 That evening, on the first day of the week, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said. 20 As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his side. They were filled with joy when they saw their Lord! 21 He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22 Then he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive any one's sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven."

This verse is packed with so many truths. The is the first time the disciples saw Jesus as a group. Mary saw him on the trail a week earlier, but he had not yet been "gloried" by his father it he told her not to touch him because of that reason. However, now, he had been glorified he made his appearance. The disciples were scared because the body was "missing" and the people who crucified Jesus were spreading rumors that the disciples stole the body so they could tell everyone that Jesus had risen from the dead. No one could explain the missing body and no one could find it. But here was Jesus, now glorified, standing before his disciples and the woman who followed him.

There is so much here I don't know where to go.

1) Jesus was gloried. In the books written by Paul, Paul writes about how we, as believers will be glorified when we go to heaven to be with Jesus. Notice how Jesus was able to appear in the room without walking through the doors. When Jesus was in the human form, he could not do that. But as a glorified being, he could appear. I think that we will be like that when we go to heaven. It's just a thought of what I think it will be like when we get to heaven. This is totally my own theory and I'm sure other will concur.

2.) The disciples received the Holy Spirit for the first time. Notice how Jesus breathed on them and gave them the Holy Spirit, which he referred to in his teachings. He said that when I leave, I will send you a comfort or to guide you. He also indicated that the comfort or will guide us in truth. So, this is the first time that the Holy Spirit has been released. When a person accepts Jesus into his heart, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within us.

3.) If you forgive any ones sins, they will be forgiven. This is powerful. We have the power to forgive others who sin against us. How freeing is that? When people don't forgive others, the person who sinned is left unforgiven and the person who is holding the sin against the other will become embittered. What a sad way to live. Notice how it is the Christian who has the power to forgive. We have a huge responsibilty to do what is right and are now held accountable to forgive others who sin against us. In fact, Jesus preached in Matthew that when we don't forgive others, how can God forgive us?

Father, I fogive those who sin against me, even if I feel they don't deserve it, even if they have hurt me. You know these people and what they have done wrong. Out of obedience to you, I forgive these people. Amen