"Receive the Spirit on the Day of Firstfruits"

April 20, 2014

“Receive the Spirit on the Day of Firstfruits”

Blessings folk!

Jesus was resurrected on the “day after the sabbath” (the weekly sabbath).
This day was the day of the Feast of Firstfruits...Lev. 23

Jesus is the firstfruits from the dead.

All who will live will be raised from the dead.

Believers to Life eternal in the Lord.
Unbelievers to existence of Death eternal in the lake of fire.

Jesus appeared to His disciples on the first day He was resurrected.
He appeared to several groups.
Read the following.
Give close heed to what occurs.

John 20:19-23
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.” 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.
21 So Jesus said to them again,“Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them,“Receive the Holy Spirit.
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.”


We do not exactly what group of disciples experienced this.
We do know that Thomas was not there...next verses.

Note that the Lord commands:

  • Peace be with you
  • I send you
  • Receive the Holy Spirit
  • If you forgive the sins...forgiven
  • If you retain the sins...retained

Note the disciples.
  • they were fear-filled...fear of the Jews
  • locked behind doors
  • shocked when Jesus walks through door/wall, examined Jesus
  • rejoiced in the Lord when they saw Him

Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to these folk…
  • at the beginning of His 40 days on earth
  • before the Feasts of Pentecost when the Spirit would come upon the 120 in an upper room

Why?
What does this mean/portend?