John 20:21-23 “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!’ As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven.’”

Jesus places a high priority on delivering forgiveness. Consider the timing of this command.  It was still Easter night. The grave had not been empty for 24 hours. The disciples had not grasped the full implications of the resurrection. They didn’t yet understand why it happened or what it meant.

Nevertheless, as soon as Jesus had proved to them that he was alive, he told them that he was sending them to announce forgiveness. Couldn’t he have spent more time explaining what happened? Couldn’t he have spent more time explaining the meaning of his resurrection for them?

But the assignment sort of does that, doesn’t it? Forgiveness of sins is what Easter is all about. When the disciples went out to forgive people in Jesus’ name, it was not forgiveness based on their say so. It was not forgiveness based on wishful thinking or human philosophy. It was not forgiveness with no basis at all. It was forgiveness based on God’s mighty acts in living human history! God had become a man. He lived with us, seized responsibility for our sins, and died for us as our substitute. He rose from the dead to announce to the whole world that it worked, that forgiveness of sins is ours.

See how important he considers forgiveness! His resurrection has many other messages, many other assurances and promises, too. It tells us he is God, that we will rise and live forever, that Jesus is alive and well even now to fight our battles and preserve his people. But the very first message he sends his disciples to preach in connection with Easter is the message of forgiveness, for without forgiveness, none of the others would even be true.