Thursday, October 27, 2011

"Help Someone To Come Forth"

In the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John, there is an account of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. He had already been entombed four days, and in the face of much wonder and disbelief Jesus miraculously gave him back his life and he walked out of that tomb still wearing the grave clothes he was wrapped with a few days earlier.

There are many factors and facets we can gain from this event. It shows us the power that Christ has over death itself. It shows us the compassion Jesus has toward people. It shows us an example of the resurrection of the body that is available for believers when Jesus comes to gather His Church.

However, for today's intentions, and as an example and encouragement for believers right now, we can look at the story as metaphorical.

Prior to knowing Jesus we were spiritually dead. We were as good as in our graves.

Upon giving our hearts to Christ we were spiritually joined with Him in His death and resurrection.

In essence we died to sin and were made alive to God.

We literally walked out of the tomb of our own sin and degradation, complete with the rags of our shattered and frayed lives falling off of us as we "resurrected" from our former deadness!

This is not just some dry, worn out, dead religious exercise.

This is taking advantage of shouting to the world around us, "Hey, this is what Jesus did for me!. It's what He can do for you too!"

Look at the Scripture for today:

John 5:28-29 (Amplified Bible) - "Do not be surprised and wonder at this, for the time is coming when all those who are in the tombs shall hear His voice,(29) And they shall come out--those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life, and those who have done evil will be raised for judgment [raised to meet their sentence]."

Wow! Yes indeed! This passage points to the day when the literal graves of those who have died in Christ physically will be opened and be raised in new glorified bodies to join Jesus in the air at the rapture of His Church.

But it also may be used to show what has happened to us first in our spirit.

For in order to take part in the grand resurrection of the body, we first have to have this happen to us in our spirit!

This is why it is important that we give our heart to Christ, and that we makes sure others have the opportunity as well.

This indeed a time for rejoicing in what Christ has done for us, and what He is still willing to do even today for those who are dead in their spiritual lives.

Tell someone today what Jesus has done for you!

Keepin' it Real,

Pastor Kevin <><

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