One of my favorite Easter accounts is found in John’s Gospel. It’s the story of Mary Magdalene going to Jesus’ tomb to anoint His body. Mary approaches the tomb, however, she finds the stone is rolled away. So, she runs back to Peter and John to tell them someone has taken the body. Peter and John run back to the tomb and enter into it, but they only see the grave clothes that covered Jesus. John records that they didn’t understand what had happened yet. Notice that no one has yet assumed that Jesus had risen from the dead, even though Jesus told them He would rise after three days. As the disciples leave, Mary stays and weeps at the graveside. Then, something unimaginable happens; two angels appear and ask her why she is crying. Just as she answers, a man appears. John tells us that this man is Jesus, but Mary does not know this until He calls her by name. “Mary.” Now she knows it’s Jesus. She runs once again to announce to the disciples that she has seen the risen Christ.
Here is what John 20:19 tells us of their interaction: “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, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ”Peace be with you.” After showing them His nail-scared hands and side, the disciples go from fear to excitement. Then Jesus cuts right to the chase, He says, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.’” What does this mean for the disciples and for us?
To start, we know that this is the first time the Holy Spirit dwells within mankind. Before the resurrection, God’s Spirit would come upon those He anointed but not dwell within their hearts. See, we were separated from God when Adam and Eve sinned and took of the tree. It was at that moment that God’s dwelling place with man was cut off. Until Jesus conquered sin and death on the Cross and rose again victoriously, there was no way back to God our Father without the salvation offered by Jesus Christ.
Secondly, this is the beginning of a new creation. Notice that John tells us that Jesus breathed on them. This was the moment of regeneration for Christ’s disciples. Just as in Genesis 2:7, we read that God created mankind and breathed His “ruak” into the first Adam, now the second Adam, Jesus, breathed upon His disciples. Matthew Henry states in his Bible commentary, “As the breath of the Almighty gave life to man and began the old world, so the breath of the mighty Savior gave life to his ministers, and began a new world.” So what does this mean for us?
The resurrection is everything to our faith in Jesus. It is central to what we believe, who we are, and what we do. Just as Adam was dependent upon God for life, we too, are dependent upon Jesus for true and eternal life. There is no other way to God, and there is no other way to heaven. There is no other way to peace and no other way to everlasting joy.
It also means that by His grace, through faith in Him, we are just as present with Christ as the disciples were that first Easter Sunday. This means that what we are celebrating is not merely religious or ceremonial. Just as if we too had looked into that grave, met Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, or were with the disciples as He appeared in the upper room, Jesus is present in our life and our fellowship.
It also means that we have nothing to fear. We do not need to fear mankind and their threat to us or fear temptation, sin, death, and hell. So may we celebrate and worship this Easter with this realization. May it be real to us as we sing and praise Him, visit and share, and eat together in the presence of His Holy Spirit.
Don’t miss the opportunity to join us in person for Easter at Emmaus on April 20th, 2025! We will be holding two services at 8:30a and 11:00a. In addition, we will be hosting an Easter brunch in our fellowship Hall from 8:00a-11:00a.