The foretaste of the gift of the Holy Spirit is what Jesus imparts to His disciples on Resurrection Sunday. The Lord Jesus gives His own presence to His disciples, specifically in the illumination of the Word of God. We today also have the presence of Christ with us through the indwelling Spirit of God. We likewise have the illumination of the Spirit, and the Word of God is living and active to us as the Lord, through the Spirit, teaches us, reproves us, corrects us, and trains us in righteousness. May the Spirit’s presence be manifest in this God’s church as we, on our part, continually walk in the wisdom of the Word of God.

Upon His resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples a mission: to proclaim the gospel and make disciples—a mission that would require self-sacrifice in the footsteps of Christ. Far from being a burden, this mission was a boon. No longer were they lost at sea, adrift without a rudder or wandering aimlessly through life. Instead, they were given a clear purpose and direction: to proclaim the unfathomable riches of Christ and to lead sinners to the Savior and the new life found in Him. This has been the mission of the church ever since. We are to be and to make disciples. May the Lord open our eyes to see what a great privilege He has granted us in allowing us to take part in His work on earth.

The risen Christ showcases the blessings of salvation like gems from a treasury. Having accomplished on the cross, the Lord Jesus announces to the disciples these precious gems of sonship, worship, and peace.

Mary, who was the first to see the risen Lord, loved Him. She showed it through her dedication, her emotion, and her submission. She loved Him with a depth of feeling, but that is not where her love ended. She loved Him as she was taught to love Him, through her obedience to His commands. May the Holy Spirit warm our hearts to love our Lord who is worth of our supreme love, and may we thus sing joyfully His praises and eagerly keep His word.

John provides the evidence of Jesus’ death, burial, and the empty tomb. But instead of merely giving the evidence, John weaves the stories of the five people through whom the evidences come. These are the five witnesses seen in this passage: Joseph, Nicodemus, Mary, John, and Peter. Each of these individuals also provide an opportunity for us to reflect upon lessons of faith. May our Lord teach. us how to live as men and women of faith who trust in Christ, stand up boldly for Him, and love Him with earnestness.

After giving two evidences of Jesus’ death, John reveals that His unbroken legs and spear wound also signified the fulfillment of a type and a prophecy of Scripture, namely, that Jesus is our Passover and coming Judge. These have implications. Jesus as Passover means that we must clean out the old leaven of hypocrisy and compromise. We are to be devoted to Him in sincerity and truth. Jesus as the coming Judge means that He will one day evaluate every one of us according to our deeds. Scripture repeatedly says that all who profess faith will give an account of himself before the Lord one day. The Lord will evaluate our hearts based on our deeds on that day. All who believe will have demonstrated their faith by their deeds. All the tares will be exposed by their deeds. Jesus is our Passover and the coming Judge. His unbroken legs and spear wound demonstrate these to be true. May the Lord give us grace to live as true believers in Him.

“It is finished” is a statement full of meaning, but at the very least, it was about His work of redemption. It spoke of His full payment of ransom to free us from sin and judgment. It also ushered us into the new covenant relationship with God. The Lord’s final words “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit” shows us how believers ought to die, with hearts wholly trusting in God. May the Lord teach us and propel us to stand firmly on His finished work and trust in Him more in life and death in His footsteps.

This sermon is part 1 of a multipart series on our Lord’s cries from the cross that accomplished redemption for His people. In this first installment, the focus is on Jesus’ words “I thirst” and its significance. This cry fulfilled prophecy, signified impending death, demonstrated Jesus’’ humanity, and evidenced His substitutionary work for sinners. May the Lord’s love demonstrated on the cross woo us to trust and love Him more, for He is worthy!