Summary of the Bible in 66 Days: 43. John

 John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live


This is a bold claim by a carpenter turned teacher. As CS Lewis said, he's either mad, bad, or who he claimed to be: God incarnate- the One in whom we live, and move and have our being. He can't just be a good guy if he claimed to be the Son of God.

Jesus didn't just rise from the dead himself. He is the One in whom we too shall rise. We will either be resurrected to live with our Saviour forevermore, or to be eternally punished by the One we rejected.

Humanly speaking, these words of Christ to a grieving sister seem insensitive, small comfort to a bereaved lady. Yet he went on to raise her brother Lazarus from the dead. He did so partly simply to prove the truth of what he claimed.

Why can't we all be raised from death even in this life? Because the curse of God of death at our sinfulness lies heavily upon us. Yet we can be raised forevermore through faith in Christ, the resurrection and the life.

'Father God, we thank you for your Son, in whom we enjoy life. Please raise us up in the end to be with you forevermore. In Jesus' name, amen'.




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