Thursday, August 30, 2018
John 20:17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER
The Lord's first concern was His brothers. "Go to My brothers," He tells Mary. Later He would tell her and all disciples to "Go . . . and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19). The order is significant. Those who are to preach Christ's resurrection victory to all nations must first believe it themselves and know its power in their own lives.
The lesson is plain. There is an urgent need for mutual Christian encouragement and brotherly love in the church. A need to go forward in the strength of His promise and strive to reflect His compassionate love in all that we say and do. It is the Word of Christ, working in the hearts and lives of His brothers that makes the Church strong; and equal to its task.
So the risen Christ on this day directs each one of us anew 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 living Lord. We need to speak to one another as well. We need to be sensitive to the need for encouragement our fellow believers have; need to remember that the Easter Gospel not only creates faith but is also the one power that strengthens and fortifies faith.
This is the risen Jesus Himself telling you to speak the blessings which He paid for with His life-blood: The forgiveness of sin, peace for the troubled conscience, power to withstand sin, the abiding presence of the Savior in life and death. Here is the sustaining assurance that all things must, and do, work together for good to those that love God-- those who are called by Him (Romans 8).
Then, strengthened within, we can go forth to proclaim the blessings of the risen Jesus loudly and clearly in this world of sin and death. And many will hear, and the powerful Word of the risen Christ will turn them from their sin and sorrow to the forgiveness and comfort He gives. His victory will become their victory. Our song will become their song.
