He’s Up!
By Pastor Tom

Jesus said to [Martha], “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11.25, 26)

He’s up! He’s alive! Friday, He was dead and Sunday, He was alive. The fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the one truth that sets the Christian faith apart from all other religions of the world. Every other religion on earth entombs and often enshrines the remains of its dead founders. We can’t. We can’t because we didn’t have a dead founder to entomb. We tried, but it seems He would have no part of it – Jesus had other plans.

Some time before His own resurrection, Jesus took advantage of a teaching moment with His followers. A friend named Lazarus had died and his sisters were sick with grief. They knew that Jesus could have healed their brother of his terminal illness. But He didn’t come in time, and now it was too late – Lazarus was dead. So Jesus (always doing what He saw the Father doing) made his way to Bethany, having already missed the funeral by several days. Jesus silenced the family’s complaint about His poor timing with an announcement followed by a question. The announcement was simply “I am the resurrection and the life.” Resurrection, said Jesus, was not something that He could do; it was something that He is. It was not simply something in his arsenal of amazing abilities, resurrection and life flowed from His very character and being.

Being around Jesus means being around resurrection and being around life, because that is what Jesus is. As you celebrate the Risen Jesus today, be sure to enjoy the incredible power of His company. Some people have such strong personalities that you are affected by merely being in their presence. Jesus is resurrection and Jesus is life. Be sure to invite Him to have His own personal impact on the dead or dying parts of your life today.

Jesus followed up His amazing statement with a simple question: “Do you believe this?” As we end our 40 Days of Faith today, the abiding question is whether or not we believe (have faith for) the words of Jesus over the words of the world. The world says that once you’re dead, you’re always dead, etc., etc., etc. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” This is not just a question for today as we celebrate Easter, this is a question for every day we wake up and walk out a day as a follower of Jesus Christ. Do you believe this?

Oh by the way, in case you don’t know how the story ends – Jesus went ahead and actually raised Lazarus from the dead. Why? Because you can’t be around Jesus and stay dead. Have a great Easter!