ESOCS Devotional 15 August 2026 – The Lord’s Messenger
MEMORY VERSE: John 20:21 “Again Jesus said, peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
TEXT: John 20:11-23
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
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A messenger has the mandate of his master. Jesus is our Master. He conquered death and brought us victory over sin. We who are born again and truly converted bear the mark of the Lord and have the mandate to continue with the mission of bringing salvation to the lost. Jesus paid the prize with his life but was raised from the death and we have the record that it is true. John 20:20.
We thus have all it takes to serve the Lord and lead men into the kingdom. We have peace and we have the power of the Holy Spirit both of which are evidence of the truth that he who has called us is with us.
It therefore follows that each one of us should do a self-verification. The standard of which should be self-confidence and an inner assurance that we are safe in the hands of God no matter what. Secondly is the feeling of the Spirit of God in us and the bold and loud manifestation of the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Whoever God sends, He equips. He equips us with the power of the Holy Spirit. Anyone who is not sure of it should ask for it. John 20:22.
Again, it is up to us to use the power of the Spirit with which we should serve God to perpetuate the word and will of God. It does not end with possessing the power of the Spirit of God. There is great emphasis on what we use the power to do. The power should be used to perform the teachings of the scripture. Let us use the power of God to show and practice true love. It is a testimony that we are of God and have the Spirit of God. Jesus lived in and showed us the love of God. Let us practice forgiveness and thereby win people over to God. John 3:16, John 20:22.
A servant is bound to propagate the message and life of his master.
Question
Can you say that you are a truly converted servant of God?
Prayer
Father, may I have the opportunity to serve and the grace to live in love like you did. In Jesus name. Amen.
Further Reading:
Ezekiel 38:10-end, Deut. 11:1-12, Heb. 7:11-end.
ESOCS Devotional 15 August 2026
