CHAPTER – 7
JESUS CHRIST – THE RESURRECTION AND LIFE
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. (John 11:25)
The concept of resurrecting oneself after death is known as resurrection. Many religions have different perspectives on the concept of rebirth. Some religions believe that when a holy person dies, he or she returns to life or reincarnates in a different form for a variety of reasons. Even within Jewish cultures, some supported the concept as well as those who opposed it. The Bible mentions a popular group known as the Sadducees, who were opposed to the concept of resurrection. They were the ones in charge of the temple's upkeep. They were serving as priests in Jerusalem's temple, where they offered sacrifices to the Lord. However, not all priests were Sadducees; only high priests and aristocrats belonged to the Sadducees, a group of high social status. They refused to go beyond what was written in the Torah or the law of Moses. They denied the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body.
The people of the Old Testament followed Moses' law, which prescribed various concepts such as the types of sacrifices, different festivals to celebrate, guidelines for treating someone with ailments, the foods to eat, the clothes to wear, and even specific instructions for burying the mortal after death. There was no mention of the concept of resurrection in the law. However, there were prophets such as Elisha who, by praying to God, was able to bring a dead boy back to life. Elisha's bones were kept in a tomb after his death, and they resurrected a person who had also been kept there after his death.
Miracles such as healing from illness, destruction of enemies with the help of nature such as the sun and lightning, the appearance of angels who visited people, and prophets prophesying were all common during the time. God's servants, such as Job, believed that on the Day of Judgment, God would resurrect everyone based on their deeds.
During Jesus' earthly ministry, he traveled to various locations to share the gospel of salvation with the people. Many people accepted him as the son of God and welcomed him. His presence gave many people hope and comfort. He visited various houses and was invited to dine with the residents. Everywhere Jesus went, there was a large crowd following him. Now, Jesus frequently visited Bethany, where he befriended a family of two sisters and a brother named Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. They were close to Jesus, and Jesus loved all of them. According to the Bible, he would preach to them while they were sitting in their home, and Mary would sit at Jesus' feet and listen to his words while Martha was busy with household chores.
When Jesus went to Jerusalem with his disciples to preach the gospel, he stayed with them. While he was there, the sisters summoned him to an emergency where Lazarus, the one whom Jesus loved, was dying on the bed of death. The disciples assumed that as soon as they heard the news, Jesus would rush to Bethany to assist Lazarus. But, to their surprise, Jesus stayed for another two days. After two days, Jesus told the disciples that they needed to go to Bethany because Lazarus had fallen asleep and needed to be awakened. The disciples misinterpreted Jesus' statement that the sick man was resting and that by sleeping, his illness would improve, implying that he was dead.
And when Jesus arrived, he discovered that Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for four days. Many Jews from the neighborhood came to the mourning house to console them. When Martha heard that Jesus was on his way, she hurried to meet him. She ran into him on the road and told him, "Lord, if you were here, my brother would not have died." Jesus responded by telling her that her brother would rise again. Hearing it, Martha realized that on the last day, everyone who died physically would resurrect before God's throne. Jesus then made an important statement, saying, "I am the resurrection and the life."
Jesus went to Lazarus' tomb and commanded him to come out in a loud voice. The dead Lazarus came back to life after being dead for four days, and it was a surreal moment for everyone who witnessed it.
What did Jesus mean when he said, "I am the resurrection and the life?"
When the first man sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, he was expelled from the garden and God's presence. The curse of God turned the breath of God in his nostril that made him immortal into a mortal man. Death came into the world as a result of sin. Everyone born on Earth is doomed to die at some point. Death manifested itself in various ways in a person's life, such as sickness, accident, or sudden death. Life became chaotically unpredictable, and living in the next moment became a risk.
Nevertheless, Jesus stated that if someone believes in him, even if they die, they will be raised from the dead. When she heard it from Jesus, Martha was perplexed?
According to the Bible, we must die to our earthly selves, which are wicked and evil in their thoughts and actions. Jesus declared, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Life on Earth was destroyed by Satan, who took the souls and enslaved them in hell or hades. Jesus, who came to restore the lost's life, demonstrated a way to enter eternal life. Since Jesus defeated death on the cross, it no longer has any power. Death could no longer hold him as Jesus was resurrected by the power of the Holy Spirit and triumphed over it. Through the resurrection of Jesus, death and the grave were destroyed. Anyone who believes that Jesus has risen from the dead and places their hope in God will also be resurrected (i.e., to eternal life).
Through Jesus, we can avoid the second death, which is hell's captivity. Because the light of Jesus Christ would lead us into God's kingdom, our souls are no longer bound to the darkness and its dominion. We are called to crucify our worldly desires, thoughts, and actions that are contrary to God. We are resurrected like Jesus when we are crucified like him. Now, the crucifixion does not imply carrying a huge cross on our shoulders because Jesus has already paid the price. It simply means killing the sinful nature of the inward man. We are given the privilege to rule with him in his kingdom if we endure and share in his sufferings.
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ABUNDANTLY AND GUIDE YOU INTO ETERNAL LIFE. AMEN!
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