John 20:19-23
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
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.”
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
John 16:25-33
In this World You Will Have Troubles
25 “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”
29 Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. 30 Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”
31 “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. 32 “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
St. John said, when Jesus appeared to His Disciples after His death, He stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”...After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side...The Disciples were overjoyed when they saw the LORD...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; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”...
St. Matthew said when Jesus appeared to His Disciples after His death, and when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted...Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me...Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you...And surely I AM with you always, to the very end of the age.”..
Just as God, Jesus' Father had sent Him to teach, He would be sending His Disciples out to tell others about God and His Son...Jesus gave His Disciples all the authority they needed to serve others...And the words He spoke to them (and to us) were words of encouragement...But He never said in this world we would not have troubles...In fact, He made the point to tell His Disciples, more than once that they would have troubles and problems and persecutions in this world...But even though we will have problems in this world, He gives up this encouragement and this hope...And now we are His followers, His Disciples...We are the ones who today carry on after Him, and after His Disciples...He has shown us that there is this hope of eternal life...There is this peace that only He can give, because He has overcome death and this world...
The Risen Jesus is the greatest hope we have...The Risen Jesus is the greatest sign and miracle of God...The Risen Jesus is the most important fact of mankind...