August
15, 2003
THOUGH
HE MAY DIE, HE SHALL LIVE
"He
who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live"
(John 11:25, NKJV).
Jesus
here was talking with Martha, the sister of Lazarus who had
died. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went
out to meet Him. She said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had
been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I
know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."
Jesus said to her, "Your brother
will rise again." Martha answered, "I know
that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection
and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he
shall live" (John 11:21-25).
Jesus
raised Lazarus from the dead (see John 11:41-44). He had also
raised the daughter of Jairus, and the son of a widow of Nain
from the dead (see Mark 5:21-42; Luke 7:11-15). Never in the
history of the world, other than Jesus, has anyone had the
power to speak the word and a dead person is raised to life.
Jesus could speak the word and a dead person would be resurrected.
He could speak the word and the lame would walk. He could
speak the word and the blind could see. He could speak the
word and a leper would be healed. He could speak the word
and the wind would obey His voice. Jesus could speak the word
and instantly what He said was so.
Why in
our world today do people ignore the obvious power of the
word of our resurrected Lord? By His word and His works, Jesus
declared Himself the Author of the resurrection. He who would
soon die on the cross stood with the keys of death, a conqueror
of the grave, and assert His right and power to give eternal
life.
"
'And behold, I am coming quickly, and
My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his
work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the
End, the First and the Last.' Blessed are those who
do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree
of life, and may enter through the gates into the city"
(Revelation 22:12-14).
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