Resurrection and Life

John 11:3-4 - Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha and all were very close friends with Jesus. When Lazarus became ill his sisters called for Jesus to come and heal him.

Jesus didn't go immediately but lingered where He was. In the meantime, Lazarus died. The sisters were consumed with grief and disappointment because they believed had the Lord shown up sooner, He could have healed their brother.

But God...has perfect timing in any circumstance. As noted in verse 4 above, His timing would glorify God! That's His way. There are things we absolutely cannot do on our own, but when God, Jesus and/or the Holy Spirit steps in, BAM, it is finished! It is done.

Lazarus was raised from the dead, even after he was wrapped in burial cloths and put in a tomb. Though Jesus seemed to be late, He did show up. And all He was call out: "Lazarus, come forth!" I think it was our pastor who said he'd heard, or he surmised himself, that had Jesus not specifically said the name of Lazarus, all the dead might have come out of the tombs!

This is what Jesus does for us. We are all dead in this life until He calls us to come forth. To come out of our tombs, to follow Him that we may have life. He called me. He has called others and He may be calling you.

We cannot get to God in our own ways. It has to glorify God, not ourselves. It has to be through Him. Last Sunday we had a mother and son water baptized in church (Fleet Farm water trough!). Both had been delivered from hard lives. She from a life of lust and drugs, he from crime, at 17! What joy in the faces of both when they committed themselves to this baptism, death to life in and through Christ. Nothing they did apart from believing He would remove them from their lifestyles, relying on Him, trusting in Him and maintaining their lives in Him.

When Jesus died He said, "It is finished." His death would bring life to all who would humble themselves and accept His free gift of life through Him alone.

The old lives are finished for this mother and son, providing they do not turn their backs on Jesus. They walk in the newness of a life in Christ.

Like Lazarus walked out of his grave clothes and the tomb into a resurrected life, so does anyone who chooses to live by, through and for Christ. Has this happened to you? Do you recall a time when a drastic change took place?

Jesus is no more than a call away. He will hear if you are serious. Is He calling, "Come forth?"

James 1:16-18 - Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.

From Before the Beginning

Revelation‬ ‭21:6‬ ‭- And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts."

These words never fail to excite me. It's like I can't breathe. 

The First and the Last, Beginning and the End, Alpha and Omega. All encompassing. God has created all things, provides life and knows when life is over. He knew before the beginning of time when we would be born physically. He knew before the beginning of time He would come to earth as a man to offer us the free gift of eternal life because man would royally mess up the perfect life they had in total communion with Him in the garden. He knew before the beginning of time there would have to be an end. And He has carried out His plan. 

Just imagine, walking and talking with God...the God of the universe...the First, the Beginning and the Alpha. What a privilege for Adam and Eve. 

He also knew sin and disobedience would enter and what the outcome would be. He knew we would all fall into sin. But He knew, again, that He would offer us a way to return, by grace through faith, not works, in His Son Jesus Christ...who was in the beginning, is now and who will return some day soon. The Beginning and the End.

He is also the Supreme and ultimate judge and in the end, for some, there will be an end that involves eternal life and for others not so much. 

Jesus made this claim numerous times:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last..." (Revelation‬ ‭1:11‬)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” (Revelation‬ ‭22:13‬)
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation‬ ‭1:8‬)

...who is to come. He was in the beginning. He will be in the end. Every part of His existence from Old Testament to New Testament was that we might be saved, that we might see Him and believe, obey. My mind cannot fathom the Alpha and Omega. 

• In the beginning God...created...and it was good. Completed. Done. Finished.
• At His crucifixion Jesus said "It is finished." He gave His life as THE way to overcome, as He did, sin, temptation and death. He gave us Himself. It is a done deal for those who call on Him, who follow Him. 
• Then in a prophetic moment in Revelation, after a time of His judgment upon those who have rejected Him, Jesus will say...again: ...“It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." (‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21:6‬)  He will have defeated the enemy. All who have remained faithful to Him will finally live a life of peace, no pain, no sorrow. 

Do you believe this? Can you wrap your head around the truth that Jesus was, is and is to come? That He is the only way, truth and life? That heaven is for those who admit they are sinful beings in need of a Savior? Do you hunger and thirst for something only to find when you think you've found it you are not satisfied? In the beginning God...knew you, knew your needs, knew your sins, even knew whether you would seek Him or reject Him. Do you know if you walk closely with God? Do you know that you know Him? You can receive Him and live or put Him out of your mind and...hard word...perish. 

Only Jesus can take your sins away. You cannot do it yourself. His blood washes you of all unrighteousness. His blood cleanses. He will wrap you in a white robe of righteousness. Without Him we are nothing. He has done it to innumerable people. Be counted among them. Receive Christ. You needn't be an addict or hardened criminal. You may believe you are right with God because you go to church or are kind and generous. But if you have not experienced a touch from God and can't say you know you have changed, you may still need to give your life to Him. 

He knew you before the beginning of time. Do you truly know Him?

Isaiah‬ ‭55:1-3‬ ‭- “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance. Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you...”

It Is Done!

Just as Jesus came into this world to live and minister to many people to bring them into relationship with Him through repentance of their sin, so Jesus will return to bring eternal life to those who have repented...and judgment upon those who have not, who have rejected Him and hardened their hearts to Him. (The Book of Revelation)

Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. (Luke‬ ‭23:44-46‬)

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew‬ ‭27:50-53‬)

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!”... (‭‭John‬ ‭19:30‬)

Similar words used upon His death will be used upon His return. Similar experiences will occur. In both instances, of death and His return, the glory of the Lord is seen. 

Darkness, an earthquake and supernatural events occurred at Jesus' death. When He returns there will be more darkness and an even greater earthquake along with thundering and lightning. How awesome His return will be. I think about the awesomeness of the veil of the temple being rent in two by the power of God to show and bring about the availability of the access between people and He, through His Son, through His death, through His Resurrection...and our decision to receive Him. Hallelujah!

When He returns another voice will proclaim encouraging words to all believers. It is done! Vengeance which is God's alone to administer will be brought about upon those who have rejected Him, who have persecuted God's children through all the ages, those who have waited a long time for this vengeance. 

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation‬ ‭6:9-10‬)

Jesus came to redeem mankind. He will return to exact judgment one final time. Those who received Christ for the redemption of their sins will watch as God brings vengeance upon those who did not. 

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ‭‭(Romans‬ ‭12:19‬)

It Is Finished!

John 29:23-30

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: "They divided My garments among them. And for My clothing cast lots." (Psalm 22:18) Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"

Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.


In this section of John it is shown that scripture was fulfilled. All scripture pertaining to Jesus, the Man, and His death was fulfilled. As it had been written all throughout the Old Testament. All the things the Jewish priests could not see...which was scripture being fulfilled. That His death could now occur. Just like events playing out today are more of scripture being fulfilled...that He might return!

Those soldiers cast lots for His clothing. Even that was to fulfill scripture. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots. (‭Psalms‬ ‭22‬:‭18‬) And what about this seamless woven garment? Why the subtle emphasis here? I'd heard once or twice that seamless garments were worn only by the high priests (and perhaps those of royalty). It was not sewn in pieces but woven in one piece.

So why was Jesus wearing a seamless, woven garment? Someone who knew Him and believed made it for Him. He was the King of kings and Lord of lords. He was the King of the Jews! Yet His importance was not of the earthly kind. And this garment was not worn on top like many others would have been. His was underneath other garments. Worn in humility rather than for show. Oh, how we need to realize this. We come humbly to Him because this humble King died for us.

When we come to Christ, are born again in the Spirit, we become yet another part of the body of Christ, part of the great family of believers. When one part of the body suffers the whole body suffers. We uplift each other in our times of need, like John did for Jesus' mother, Mary. When we are part of that body we are taken care of, physically but more importantly spiritually. Jesus no longer needs to seek us that we might be saved.

Jesus saw that His mother was taken care of. He could say "It is finished!" Imagine how He feels when He knows yet another person has taken the step to be well taken care of by receiving Him. He might also say in that life, "It is finished!" His work on the cross was not for nothing. Little by little people realize what He has done and the meaning of those words. That this King of kings chose to die a horrific death for the life of anyone who will call on His name, become born again, that those words, "It is finished!" might be satisfied.

Like I alluded to before, scripture is still being fulfilled. The Gospel is being preached throughout the world. And when He returns He will judge all people, both believers and non-believers. We will have eternal life or eternal death. It will be finished.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. (Matthew 24:14, Acts 17:30-31)

Hallelujah, For All You've Done

Isaiah 49:6 - "I will also give You as a light...that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth." 

The beating alone should have killed Him. But this was no ordinary man. This was Jesus Christ, Son of God...God incarnate. He was a Man with a mission, to do the will of His Father. That will was to die for the sins of every man, woman and child that has lived, is living and will live. This Man suffered many things. ...so His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 52:14, Isaiah 53:4-5)

We complain about being mistreated, about being wrongfully accused, about life not being fair. Who are we...to think like this? Jesus was rejected, wrongfully accused and mistreated. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him (Romans 5:8, Isaiah 53:3). He suffered all of life's trials and temptations, but He chose to because He loved us so much. Has Buddha made this claim? Or Mohammed? Has any god one might worship actually done this for anyone? Can our sports, music or movie heroes do this? Can even His mother? And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent (John 17:3).

Only God could do this. Only the King of kings and the Lord of lords, Maker of heaven and earth. He stepped down from His throne that He might come to earth to live among sinners so He would experience every temptation, sadness and challenge so that He would understand and He alone could provide the Way for us and tear apart the veil that separated us from an all loving, all powerful God. He did this for you. He did it for me. He did not consider it loss. He was wounded that we might be spiritually healed. He died for our gain. His death brought life. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

The crown of thorns, the blood that was shed. We might not like to hear of or see such gruesome details. We might turn our eyes away, but it happened just the same. We might try not to consider it all and what's more we might not be able to comprehend how one Man could withstand it all. But He did it because He loved us so much. As He carried the cross up the road to Golgotha the suffering continued. Who could withstand such agony? Then being nailed to the cross...all this was His passion. He did it because He loved us so much that He gave...period. He gave. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

He gave and we take. We feel we are deserving of so much in life when we don't deserve a darn thing. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). He already knew He would do this but still did not count as loss His life for us. 

It's not all about us but all about Him. He died so we might live. Only Jesus Christ, Son of God could have done that. While He hung on that cross you were on His mind. Every step He took to get there, with every word He spoke during His ministry He thought about your salvation. Imagine His head full of the sad realization that one person would reject Him and then the joy knowing another one would be with Him some day in Paradise, our Promised Land.

At 3:00 in the afternoon, after six hours on the cross, He finally gave up His Spirit. He proclaimed: It is finished. Access to God was restored as the veil was torn. He took His last breath still thinking only of you and me and loving us even in our sinful condition. I wonder if all the lives of all the people in the world flashed through His mind? Wouldn't it be just like Him to have no thought about Himself but to think about the world which He just gave His life for?

It might be easier to dwell on the thought of baskets filled with candy and chocolate bunnies and the fun of hunting for Easter eggs, but I guarantee these thoughts did not enter His mind. His life was lived knowing He was going to and willing to pay the price with His death. 

This part of the agonizing story doesn't end there. He arose again. Hallelujah! He brought good out of something that seemed so horribly wrong. That's why God can make the claim that He brings good out of evil in our lives, if we are followers of an all-loving, all-powerful God. This dreadful story has the most glorious ending. And we can experience the same.

He became the Lamb that the people of the Old Testament sacrificed during their very first Passover. It was His blood that was applied to the doorposts and lintels of the houses of the Jews held captive in Egypt to keep the firstborn of every household safe from the angel of death and a jealous Egyptian Pharaoh. It is that same blood that covers our hearts and a multitude of sins, rejections and miseries as only man may withstand. It is His blood that courses through our veins when we receive Christ as our own personal Lord and Savior.

He lived, He died, He rose again. He became the Way that we might have eternal life. Isn't this something to celebrate? We will never be able to wrap our heads around all He's done for us but we can make a simple declaration of our faith in Him. We can submit our wills to His as He did to His Father. We can receive Him that we might also be raised up from a spiritual death. We can be resting in His love and His life the rest of our days. Thank you, Lord, for all you've done!

Philippians 3:10-11 - that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Remember This

Hebrews 10:1 - For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.

The animal sacrifices that were done continually in the Old Testament could do no more than keep reminding Israel of their sins and could never release them of their bondage. In Hebrews 10:11 we are told and every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifice, which can never take away sins.

Two things stood out in our study of Hebrews by the Life Change Series. The phrase make perfect is defined like this: not sinless perfection, but "that definitive removal of guilt which makes free access to God possible." Hallelujah! And in Hebrews 10:11 the word stands means the priests never sat because their work was never done.

Oh, here's the answer to an underlying question. I knew this but this definition added to my understanding! I questioned the work being done in me...and in all who have received Christ.  We don't always see in us what God sees. We're at a bit of a disadvantage, if you want to call it that. I think we don't see all our goodness for a reason...to keep us closer to the Lord, to keep us seeking and searching...perhaps even to keep our pride in check. However, and this is a big however, we have been made perfect at the defining moment when we received Christ as our Savior, when we became in Christ. But that perfection, as noted above, is not sinless perfection.

What good news. At the moment we receive, our cracked pots are forever being perfected! Sometimes reading this in a different context is sometimes necessary...and this definition could have just been waiting for me...or had I done my Hebrews lesson sooner, might I have not gone through a few days of discouragement...or did I go through the discouragement to learn another valuable lesson or confidence? Food for thought...bread of life!

Back to Hebrews 10:1...it is talking about Jesus. Nothing new. So many things in the Old Testament speak of Jesus. Jesus is the shadow of good things to come throughout the Old Testament. All the dreaded, but at the time necessary sacrifices, which did nothing to alleviate the sin of the people, only remind them of how sinful they were. And, oh, those poor priests. In a study Bible I have, the futility of their work was pointed out in these words which nail the feeling they must have felt: utter helplessness. They could never finish the work set before them. They knew their work would never be complete. 

That's why Jesus came, to mend cracked pots and forever perfect us who are forever in need of perfection. His single, perfect, human sacrifice did what the animal sacrifices could not. He did it all and only one time for anyone who wishes to receive Him. He even said: It is finished. What a glorious ending of a magnificent life for us. 

In the same vein, none of the good works we attempt do before knowing Him will get us to that place of true salvation. They, too, are all futile. Those who try will only be like the priests...utterly helpless in achieving that goal of salvation, working, working, working and getting nowhere until, hopefully, acknowledgement of Jesus as the only true Savior and the simple act of receiving Him is finished. 

Quit trying to work at it. Easter is upon us. Rejoice that Jesus has He died for all our sins and raised up from the dead. Just as we die to ourselves and give our lives to Him, we are raised up. No repetitious prayers, no great works. Just a contrite heart willing to fully accept what Jesus has done for us. No one can do what He has done. If there's anything He will accept as payment, it's our lives poured out for Him like a drink offering. Our hands must be open to receive. If your fists are clenched, loosen them up!

Hebrews 9:9 - It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—