John 20
17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.
One of the first things Jesus said to Mary when He saw her was, “go to My brethren and say to them …”. Jesus called them His brethren. This is a deep matter. Although everyone had forsaken Him, Peter had denied Him, yet when He arose from the dead He identified Himself with them as His brethren.
The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ works wondrously. When we come to the cross and unburden ourselves He forgives and forgets. He did not say, “go and tell those who had forsaken Me”; He did not even call them His disciples but His brethren.
His cross brings His children together to be one and have fellowship with one another. This is true Godly Love.
Surrender your life completely to Him. Give Him all the wrongs people do to you and do not bear grudges. Let the cross work so much in your life that you can call each one who follows Christ your brother, even though they have disappointed you. Forgive those who wrong you and desert you in the time of need. Let the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ work deeply in your life.
He also said to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God”. We are born of the same Blood, and baptised by the same Spirit.
At the Cross all grudges, bitterness, criticisms and incompatibility comes to an end. If you had been to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ you will be able to work together with your brother in Christ.
We must follow in Jesus’ footsteps and bring peace to those around us. As the Father had sent Him so He sends us. We are not to live for ourselves but to do His will.
The Lord Jesus’ desire is that the Living Gospel would reach the ends of the world. He died to take away our sins so that we would live for Him and not for ourselves.
The Cross works in a life so that there is only one desire left – to do God’s will.
His Love is amazing. He freely forgave them their cowardly behaviour, gave them His Peace and Holy Spirit. He even said to them “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” Are we so one with Him, of one mind and one Spirit that we can forgive the sins of a person knowing God had forgiven him?
Brothers and sisters the time is short. We are commissioned to preach the Gospel. There is no time to sin. Idleness leads to sin. Be on fire for God. Nations are hungry and thirsty for the Truth but there is no one to tell them about it. Young people what are you busy with? Have you truly been to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Is He the most important in your life?
If Christ is not the most important in your life, seek after Him until you find Him. You can make rules and regulations but it will not help. You must have a meeting with Christ.