Learning DAILY

 

John 11:25-26, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"

 

Lazarus had been in the tomb four days when Jesus finally got there.  Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, approached Jesus and said to him, "My brother would not have died if You had been here.  But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you.”  They knew Jesus had power over sickness and now was to discover His power over death.

 

For the person who believes that Jesus hung on a cross, taking their place for the sin they committed and will commit, death is not a tragic end.  It is instead a gateway to abundant life and eternal fellowship with God.  The Life in the Spirit Study Bible tells us, “The words “shall…live” of verse 25 refer to the resurrection; the words ‘shall never die’ of verse 26 mean that resurrected believers will never cease to exist.  They will have new bodies, immortal and incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:42, 54), ones that can never die or deteriorate (Romans 8:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16) and ones that are perfectly designed by God for the greater life to come hereafter (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).”  The resurrected body is an essential doctrine of scripture; a doctrine that will need to take its own page of the blog.

 

Jesus told Martha and Mary that their brother would rise again.  Martha replied to Jesus that she knew he would be resurrected at the last day.  But, Jesus wanted to teach her and us that He had power over death not just in the last day but also at that moment.  David Jeremiah says the Jesus “is ever the resurrection and the life.” Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, “in order that they (the Jews there) might believe You (God, the Father) sent Me.”

 

But, Jesus went further when He spoke about those who believe in Him shall never die.  He was talking about living eternally with Him.  Notice that within Jesus’ words there is a time limitation; He said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.”  Belief and acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Lord must come during one’s lifetime.  After one dies it is too late to believe.  The hope of all believers, those born again, is to be resurrected into eternal life with God.  The only way for that to happen is through Jesus, the resurrection and the life.

 

Jesus asked an important question, “Do you believe this?” That is the question every person must answer for themselves.  In one of my Bibles I have a sticky note with some notes on it about this question.  I do not know where I got the words but they are worth passing on.  First, Jesus made the question personal – “Do you believe this?”  It does not matter what anyone else thinks or believes.  You have to answer the question for yourself.  Second, the question was very pointed.  “Do you believe this?” The answer to the question is not something you just intellectually believe.  No, your belief takes on a whole new set of moral standards.  How you act, think, and talk will change.  And third, the question was precise, “Do you believe this?”  Do you believe Jesus’ claim about His deity?  Do you believe Jesus’ claim about death?  We are all going to die.  Do you believe Jesus’ claim about His (and our) destiny?  He is going to die but live again.  So are we! Do you believe His claim about deliverance?  Eternal life – salvation – is through Him and Him alone.

 

The question each of us must answer remains the same. “Do you believe this?”  I have made my decision; I believe Jesus is the resurrection and the life and through Him I will live eternally in fellowship with Him.

 

 

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