February
14, 2003
I
AM THE RESURRECTION
"I
am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25, NKJV).
The miracle
that Christ was about to perform, in raising Lazarus from
the dead, represents the resurrection of all the righteous
dead. By His word and by His works, Jesus declared Himself
the Author of life and the resurrection. He who would soon
die on the cross held the keys of death, a conqueror of the
grave, and asserted His right and power to give eternal life.
"Do not be afraid; I am the First
and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold,
I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades
and of Death" (Revelation 1:17, 18).
"He
who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live."
Jesus here is looking forward to the time of His second coming.
Then the "dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible
has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
'Death is swallowed up in victory.' 'O Death, where is your
sting? O Hades, where is your victory?' The sting of death
is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be
to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"The last enemy that will be destroyed is death"
(1 Corinthians 15:52-57, 26).
In all
that He did, Jesus was cooperating with His Father. He was
careful to make it evident that He did not work independently
from His Father. It was by faith and prayer that He wrought
His miracles. Jesus desired all to know His relationship with
His Father. Thus He prayed, "And Jesus lifted up His
eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You
that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me,
but because of the people who are standing by I said this,
that they may believe that You sent Me.' Now when He
had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus,
come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand
and foot with graveclothes.. Jesus said to them, 'Loose
him, and let him go.' " (John 11:41-44).
Jesus
cooperated with God in all that He did. He said, "The
world must be shown that I love the Father, and do exactly
as He commands" (John 14:31, New English Bible).
That is excellent advice for us today. The world needs a demonstration
of people who love the Lord and who are obedient to Him. To
such it is promised, "If anyone
loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him and make Our home with him"
(John 14:23). These are they that will live eternally.
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