What is it that Forgives Sins?
“Let me tell you ’bout my Jesus
And let my Jesus change your life.”
If we have been alive during the last three years and if we have listened to popular Christian melodies, then we know Anne Wilson’s lyrics.
There are four, yes Four Scripture passages that definitely jumped off the pages of my Bible this morning, and so amazing is that when my Bible lay upon my lap, All Four Scripture could be seen at once as they lay on facing pages.
Please read with me and SEE the significance of the empty tomb of Jesus!
Scripture #1—
To begin, let us see the 1st witness of the “RISEN LORD!”
“Mary Magdalene came and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.”
(John 20: 18 NASB)
Do we go everywhere proclaiming the forgiveness of sins?
Do we go out of our houses daily boldly sharing our testimony?
How can you and I remit sins?
We can! &
We should! &
We must! &
It is a command of God!
Scripture #2—
“And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
(John 20: 20-23 NASB)
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
“If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
In the King James Version, the words of Jesus are recorded as:
“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain,
(John 20: 23 KJV)
they are retained.”
It is staggering!
Truly staggering!
- Believers, (the church of Jesus Christ, the children of God, the bride of Christ Jesus)—can share the gospel of Jesus &
- The Holy Spirit will lead a lost person’s heart to become pricked &
- The lost person’s heart will become convicted of their sins &
- The unbeliever will begin to see God—standing at his heart’s door—continually knocking!
It is staggering!
Yes, Truly staggering!
- The lost person will turn toward Jesus &
- The lost person will—Believe In Jesus’ Resurrection from the Dead &
- The one who once did not believer will—Accept the Forgiveness of Sins Jesus offers &
- The blood of Jesus will cover their multitude of sins as Almighty God Saves—Saves the person’s soul for All Eternity!
“Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.”
(John 20: 23 KJV)
Oh my goodness, what an amazing responsibility you and I (the Believers, the church, the bride of Jesus Christ, the children of God) have been given!
- So simple. We share our personal testimony.
- So simple. We give out the Word of God.
- So simple. We share the gospel.
- So simple—the greatest work of all we could ever do!
When someone is born again and becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, it is his duty to proclaim the gospel of the grace of God.
- We have a duty!
- We have a responsibility!
Jesus said so Himself!
“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
(John 20: 21 NASB)
Scripture #3—
“Jesus said to him, [to Thomas]
(John 20: 29-31 NASB)
“Because you have seen Me, have you now believed?
Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book,
but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
John told us there was great and weighty evidence, so much that it could not ever ALL be written down, and even if it could be written, never would we have enough books in the world to contain ALL THE EVIDENCE!
John told us there are so “many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book” [the Gospel of John]. (John 20: 30b NASB)
Scripture #4—
“But there are also so many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail,
(John 21: 25 NASB)
I expect that even the world itself
would not contain the books that would be written.”
Now, I have been to large libraries—those on university campuses, those in large cities, the vastly large Library of Congress (but unfortunately I have not yet visited the first known library in the world—the Library of Alexandria but maybe one day, that library too). Every large library contains volumes upon volumes of books—YET—“if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21: 25b NASB)
- The crucifixion of Jesus!
- The death of Jesus!
- The burial of Jesus!
- The resurrection of Jesus!
- The promised return of Jesus!
ALL TRUE!
THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUTH EVER TOLD!
- THE REASON FOR THE SEASON OF ADVENT! &
- THE REASON FOR THE SEASON OF LENT! &
- THE REASON FOR EASTER SUNDAY!
The Question: What is it that Forgives Sins?
The Only Answer: Telling the Gospel message of JESUS!
- Mary Magdalene said it 1st!
- We have received the call to remit sins by sharing the Gospel message with the world.
- Anne sings of this GREAT RESPONSIBILITY & AMAZING TRUTH!
- Today is the 86th birthday of a great testifier of God’s Goodness. She told ALL her children, and one she even prayed for and testified to—for 30 Years! Now they each profess to be a child of God! Happy Birthday Aunt Dorothy LaVerne!
- So many signs were & have been seen—“signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, . . .”
May we NEVER GIVE UP TELLING others about the—ONLY HOPE—
JESUS!
Jesus commands us to “go & tell” the world.
“So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
(John 20: 21 NASB)