Focused

After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy at seeing the Lord. Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you.’ Then he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’ (verses 20-23)

Read John 20:19-23

There have been times in my life when I have agonised over the point of being involved in the Christian church. What, if anything, makes Christianity unique? What has the Christian community to offer anyone that they cannot find anywhere else? What on earth are we Christians doing that is any good at all? 

So, I search around. Let’s give people the most memorable worship imaginable. Let’s set up a counselling service. Let’s organise people into fellowship groups, arrange outings for them. Let’s care for the homeless, the aged, the sick. And on and on.

 All of these activities are important. But in themselves they are like the disciples being intrigued by the holes in Jesus’ hands, feet and side. The focus is on the wrong place.

 ‘. . . for the forgiveness of sins.’ This is the point to which Jesus redirects the disciples’ attention. This is what it is all about. This is what we Christians have and give that no-one else in the whole wide world has or can give: forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.

 There is nothing greater.

Breathe on me each moment, Lord Jesus, the most precious gift of all – your forgiveness of me. Amen.

by Bob Kempe, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

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