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.