The out pour of the Holy Spirit
Have you ever found out that you missed the finally? That right after you left the game was won. It was the bottom of the nineth and the team was loosing 5 to 3 with two strikes and no one was on base. The batter whom was least expected to hit was batting. So, you decided to take off and do some house shores and turned off the tv. Later on the news you found that the batter got on base along with another and a home run was hit and the game was won; you missed it! The fact is that each and every one of us at one point or another we have missed the boat; we could not wait. With God a day is like a thousand and there is no telling when he is going to do something (2P3:8). God does not share his plans with just anyone, he only shares them with his prophets (Am3:7). He is a revealer of secrets and Daniel knew this and it is why he was always present waiting on the revelation of God (Da2:28). That is why we need to wait to see what God is going to do and not wonder off. Sometimes, the lack of patience, faith and trust robs us from the blessings of God.
John 20:21-25
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymusa]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
Now, after the crucifixions Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, and in turn she runs and tells the disciples and Peter and John run to the grave. All three come to the grave and find it empty, so Peter and John leave, but Mary stays and she has the first encounter with the Lord and his angels (Jh20:11-13). If she would have gone with Peter and John she would not been the first one to witness the power of the resurrection. She needed to know what had happened to the Lord and she was not about to leave. Peter and John allowed fear, confusion and whatever else troubled them miss out on one of the greatest experiences ever. But, God is good and his plans did not regard how the apostles felt to be deterred it, they just needed to be there where they usually met waiting (He10:24-25). And, sure enough Jesus appeared them with them expecting him, John says that with the doors being closed Jesus appeared to the disciples. The first thing Jesus speaks to the disciples is peace and the sending them to fulfill the great commission. With this experience of his manifestation was the baptism of the Holy Spirit to equip them for their mission.
But, someone was missing at this usual gathering place, Thomas! From the experience at the tomb to that in the house Thomas was no where to be found. He did not experience the resurrection power nor the baptism of the Spirit; two of the most important experiences. Kind of like what happened to the five of the ten virgins in the parable of the ten virgins (Mt25:10-12). The five that went to buy oil missed out on the arrival of the groom; the once in a life time experience. We don’t know if Thomas missed out on other experiences with Christ, but once one begins to miss out on what God is doing most likely he did miss more.
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Amos 3:7
7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
John 20:11-13
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Matthew 25:10-12
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.