Wednesday, April 6, 2005
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, "Go to My brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'"
JESUS' BROTHERS
According to Jesus' own words, the recipients of Mary Magdalene's message were not merely His disciples, but His brothers! (Here for the first time) -- Once strangers, then disciples, now brothers!
Because of sin no one is Jesus' brother by physical birth. Because of sin all people are justly under the just wrath of almighty God. But now the final results of Jesus' sacrifice are in. Easter is the conclusive evidence that God has stepped in and changed our standing with Himself. Jesus may call God the Father 'My Father' because He is by His nature the Son of the Living God. But now you and I may call Him our Father by grace through faith.
Christ's Resurrection assures us that His work is complete, His sacrifice is enough and we are forgiven. He is God's Son by nature, now, through faith we are God's children by adoption. And, as His sons and daughters, we have work to do.
Notice that the Lord's first concern was His brethren. "Go to My brethren" He tells Mary. Later He would tell her and all disciples to...
"Go...and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19)
The Risen Christ directs each one of us also to "go to My brothers." We talk a good deal about taking the message of Jesus' victory over death and hell to those who are without Christ and so without hope ... and so we should. But that is not the only directive we have from our Risen Savior. We need to speak to one another as well. We need to be sensitive to the need for encouragement our fellow believers have. We need to remember that the Easter message not only creates faith but is also the one power that strengthens and fortifies faith.
