The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 23 May 2021 – The Holy Spirit And His Ministry
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TOPIC: The Holy Spirit And His Ministry (Anglican Devotional 23 May 2021)
READ: John 20:19-31 (NKJV)
- Then, the same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace [be] with you.”
- When He had said this, He showed them [His] hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
- So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
- And when He had said this, He breathed on [them,] and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
- “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the [sins] of any, they are retained.”
- Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
- The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
- And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
- Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand [here,] and put [it] into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
- And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
- Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed [are] those who have not seen and [yet] have believed.”
- And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
- but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
THE MESSAGE:
Jesus Christ while on earth spent time to teach His disciples about the Holy Spirit and His ministry. In John 16:7, He made the promise of sending the Holy Spirit when He would go away. In today’s passage, He fulfilled the promise saying “receive the Holy Spirit” (verse 20). The Holy Spirit would enable the disciples to accomplish the Great Commission. We also need to be filled with the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish kingdom services. The scripture calls him the Helper, Teacher and Counsellor (John 14:26).
Today is Whit Sunday in our Communion and reminds us of the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, and empowered them for service. In verses 19-21, Jesus met His disciples physically in a closed room where they were besieged with fear; a proof that He is alive and alive even today. He released His peace to them even as He does to us in our troubled lives and situations today. In verses 24-30, Jesus condemned the unbelief of Thomas who doubted His resurrection. We must not be like Thomas, but live to believe the risen Christ and every word of God. It is more blessed to do so.
PRAYER: Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, O Lord.
