October 20th~The Resurrection and the Life

John 11:38-57

Luke 17:11-18:8

At the end of yesterday’s passage, we read about the death of Lazarus. Jesus said to His disciples, “For your sake, I am glad that I wasn’t there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in Me” (John 11:14, 15). When Jesus met Martha, Lazarus’ sister, on the way to Bethany, He told her, “Your brother will rise again.” She responded that she understood that he would rise again with everyone else on resurrection day. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given eternal life and will never perish” (v.22-26).

In today’s passage, Jesus performed the greatest miracle so far in His ministry, at least in the minds of the people watching. He raised a man who had been dead for four days. Jesus did, in- deed, prove that He was (and is) “the resurrection and the life.” Jesus, who was God in the flesh, has the power over the most feared human enemy — physical death. But in His demonstration of power over physical death, He was also expressing His power over spiritual death.

Not only can Jesus resurrect us from the dead, He can give us everlasting life. In a conversation that He had later with the Pharisees, Jesus dis- cussed His return. “When the Son of Man re- turns, you will know it beyond all doubt. It will be as evident as the lightning that flashes across the sky... Two people will be grinding flour together at the mill; one will be taken, the other left” (17:24, 35).

Who are these people who vanish and where do they go? Paul gives us more detail in a letter he wrote to the Thessalonians. “Dear brothers, we want you to know what will happen to believers who have died, so you will not grieve like people who have no hope... When Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died. We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout... First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves (resurrection). Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever (life)” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Daily Reflection

Paul ended this message to the Thessalonians by telling them to “encourage one another with these words.” Do you find encouragement with the words of Jesus and Paul? Why or why not?

After Jesus raised Lazarus, John continued the story by saying, “Many of the people who were there believed in Jesus when they saw this happen, but some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. They responded, ‘If we leave Him alone, the whole nation will follow Him, and then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation.’ One of them, named Caiaphas, said, ‘Why should the whole nation be destroyed? Let this one man die for the people’” (11:45-52).

Once again, we see the polarizing effect that Jesus has on people. They are either for Him or against Him. Little did Caiaphas know that he was foreshadowing Jesus’ sacrificial death.

BiAY.org | Day 293 — 72 Days to Go