Live to Love Scripture Encouragement

John 20:23 “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained."
Notice that the Holy Spirit’s ministry is a ministry of discernment. “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." They will have the ability to discern what God has and hasn’t done. Another way to think of the blessing Jesus gives through the Holy Spirit is this: The Holy Spirit enables us to keep in step with what God is doing in and through our lives and the lives of others. We learn from this verse that it’s not a given that everyone’s sins are to be forgiven. We need the Holy Spirit to know when to affirm the work of forgiveness in the lives of the people God puts in our paths. We also need to know when God has not worked. We conclude that if God has forgiven someone’s sins, then He would give them a spirit of repentance and conviction of sin. They know clearly what they have done and are aware they need forgiveness. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment as we listen and watch how they respond to their own sins. In contrast, if God has withheld forgiveness from a person, the Holy Spirit knows it because He has not done the work of conviction, brokenness, and repentance. The Holy Spirit then will not witness to us that God is at work, and so we will withhold encouraging them that their sins are forgiven.
What we learn from this passage is that our relationship with the Holy Spirit is vital if we are going to live to love with Jesus. We need His discernment to recognize those in whom God has worked his gracious work of repentance and forgiveness.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 20:21-22 “So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with 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.’”
Being sent by Jesus as the Father sent His Son is to produce peace. The next verse tells us what He meant. The Father sent Jesus in the power of the Spirit, and He sent His disciples and all believers in the power of the Spirit. So peace be with you! You have the presence and power of God in you everywhere you go. You have no reason to fear or be troubled. You are no more alone in this world than Jesus was.
The Holy Spirit’s presence in Jesus’ life is how God, the Father, is manifested in His life. The Holy Spirit’s presence is how Jesus is manifested in our lives. Peace comes from a total submission to the Holy Spirit just as Jesus was submitted to the Spirit of the Father. If our purpose in life is to live to love with Jesus, then we can walk peacefully, trusting Him to do what pleases Him to glorify the Father in our lives. May we heed carefully what Paul, the apostle wrote to the Colossians. Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 20:20 “And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.”
And so will we! There is a day and a time when we who believe and trust in Jesus will see the Lord in His body. What a day that will be! The author of Hebrews wrote of this moment. Hebrews 9:28 “so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.”
The last time some of the disciples saw Jesus He was bloodied from head to toe with gashes and nail and spear wounds. Imagine their joy at seeing Jesus alive and well within 3 days. What do you think they saw when He showed them His hands and side that made them rejoice?
Seeing Jesus’ wounds, most of them to a great degree healed, in His resurrected body meant He had been to the Father and had returned as He promised with the Holy Spirit. I wonder if any of them recalled His words from the previous Thursday.
John 16:19 Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, "Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, 'A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me'?
John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy.
John 16:21 Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.
John 16:22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.
Today as we live to love with Jesus, let us rejoice and be filled with joy. Jesus who appeared to them lives in us.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 20:19 “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’"
I wonder if the disciples remembered the last words Jesus had said to them as a group in His last discourse? He had said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Before perhaps they were just words, but when the resurrected Christ appeared in the room and said, “Peace be with you,” His overcoming power was on full display.
I don’t think Jesus walked through a closed door, rather He materialized on our side of the veil between heaven and earth. He had gone to the Father as He had told Mary.
Let’s not miss this verse. Jesus lives to bring peace on earth to His disciples. When He came to earth, the heavenly host said, Luke 2:14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Jesus atoned for their sins so they could have peace with God. The resurrection is God’s declaration that peace has been made through Jesus Christ, His Son. That’s what the love of God produces—peace. Peace be with you today.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

John 20:18 “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, ’I have seen the Lord,’ and that He had said these things to her.”
John declared his source for his account. It was Mary. I wonder if Jesus just disappeared, and then Mary went to the disciples or if she left Him there in the garden. We aren’t told, but she did what she was told.
Mary’s testimony can be a example for us all. “I have seen the Lord.” Living to love entails more than just good deeds and service. We are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light as Peter wrote in 1 Pet. 1:9. We not only have seen Jesus, He lives with us. We are testimonies of His resurrection life and His mercy and grace.
If you have yet to see the matchless excellencies of Jesus Christ, read the Bible, keep His story before you, and let Him know you are seeking Him—like Mary did. Wait upon Him to make Himself known to you just like He did to Mary. Listen to this Scripture and be encouraged. Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Mary was rewarded and so shall you be if you believe and seek Him.

Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com