Tag: John 11:25
Appealing to God
Scripture reading for October 5: Isaiah 38:1-5 “In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, “Thus says the Lord: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover.” Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Please, O Lord, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the Word of the Lord came to Isaiah: “Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.”
John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?””
How would you process a prophetic Word telling you to prepare to die? This incident was recorded by God for us through the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah was told to tell King Hezekiah to set his house in order because he would die of a sickness that had beset him. Many would follow the instruction and submit to the inevitable, but Hezekiah cried out to God. He humbly besought the Lord for more time. His appeal came from his walk of faith and his faithfulness to follow God’s Word. Hezekiah had dedicated his whole heart to God. An amazing thing happened: God heard his plea and saw his tears and was moved to add fifteen more years to his life!
In John’s Gospel, he recorded an incident where Jesus’ friend Lazarus had died. The sisters, Mary and Martha, had appealed to Jesus to come but Jesus had delayed and Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Martha declared her faith that Lazarus would rise again at the last day. Jesus then stated that anyone who lived and believed in Jesus would never die. He was the resurrection and the life! Jesus called Lazarus by name to come out and he was restored to life.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for hearing and answering the prayers of Your people. Eternal life is available to all who live and believe. Jesus has called us out of the grave! Amen!
The Truth of Jesus Alive
Scripture reading for May 2: John 20
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness for any, it is withheld.”” John 20:19-23
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is foundational to our world view as believers. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, we have no hope of resurrection ourselves. (1 Corinthians 15:14) But in fact, Jesus did raise and God’s Word is recorded for us as truth about this fact. Jesus had proclaimed many times that He would be raised from the dead on the third day. He had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44) after four days as a demonstration that He was the “Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). After the crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples many times and invited them to touch Him and His wounds. He ate with them and instructed them further concerning their mission.
Jesus spoke peace over the disciples’ troubled hearts as they had been in fear for their lives. He repeated His call on their lives, sending them to a lost world to proclaim the Gospel and call all to repentance. He breathed on them a spiritual anointing of the Holy Spirit and gave them authority to proclaim forgiveness of sins or to withhold forgiveness for the unrepentant. They would share His mission and have His anointing to accomplish His world-wide vision to reach all mankind. Their witness is the reason we are still proclaiming Jesus as raised from the dead and King of kings!
If you doubt, have you humbly asked Jesus to have proof that He is alive from the dead? Have you examined the eye-witness reports of those who saw Jesus alive following the crucifixion? Are you going to the world you live in with the message that Jesus is alive?
Prayer: Father God, I rejoice in the resurrection of Your Son, Jesus Christ! Thank You for the Word that proclaims this truth through the prophesies of Scripture and the eye-witnesses. Thank You for giving me the Holy Spirit to confirm to me personally that Jesus is alive and that I belong to Your family! Amen.