Jesus had come into the room full of frightened disciples who had barred the doorway so that nobody could enter (John 20:19-20).  Only one day previously, the disciples had no hope because they thought Jesus was dead (Luke 23:44-49).  Their whole lives had been bound to His: His work was their work, and His presence was their peace.  And that was going to continue.  But there would be a big difference.  Jesus was alive but with His resurrection body He would physically appear among them and then disappear as He chose over the next 39 days – getting them ready for His ascension.

For the second time He commanded that their anxious hearts should be at peace.  The first time He showed them the nail prints in His hands and the spear’s entry point into His side (John 20:20).  Yes, this was the same Jesus who had been crucified for them, to pay the penalty for their sins.  Now He was alive again and issuing four commands.  Firstly, as He had bought their peace with Father God (Romans 5:1), they must stop trying to make their own peace through fear and isolation.  Secondly, they were to be His apostles to the world in the same way that the Father had sent Him (Acts 1:8).  Thirdly, when the Holy Spirit was given, they must welcome and receive Him, as they had welcomed Jesus (John 7:37-39).
 
Jesus had promised not to leave the disciples alone (John 14:15-18).  The Holy Spirit would come.  He would breathe the life of Jesus into them.  The work of Jesus had not come to an end; it would be continued by the Holy Spirit working through the disciples.  In the same way that the Father had sent the Son to the cross so that sins could be forgiven, Jesus commissioned His disciples to announce that all who repent and believe in Jesus will have their sins forgiven (Luke 24:45-47).  That was the fourth command.
 
The same instructions come to us.  The Holy Spirit is promised and given to every child of God; but He must be received and welcomed. He will give us power to do all that Jesus wants us to do, but we need to cooperate with the Spirit.  Each day He wants to use us in His mission to the world, announcing that every sin can be forgiven for those who believe in Jesus.  He wants our faith to be vibrantly relating to Him so that we can work flexibly with Him in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Let us welcome Him today and every day, and be consciously in tune with Him so that we can work alongside Him.