“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “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?”
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
When our boys were young, we went through a number of family pets. We had a couple of hamsters; we had a couple of lizards; we had a turtle for a few days (our boys found it in the back yard), and we had a whole series of goldfish. We had so many goldfish because we had bad luck in keeping them around very long. The goldfish would do fine in our little tank for a few days, but within a week or so one of our boys would find the goldfish floating in the water and we would have a somber “burial at sea” (if you know what I mean) – and go looking for another goldfish.
Finally, I decided that the problem was in the quality of fish I was buying. So I decided to upgrade our goldfish. I went to the pet store and found a fancy goldfish that cost three times what I had been spending – and this one came with a very interesting guarantee. If anything happened to the goldfish within two weeks – I could bring the dead fish back to the store for a free replacement fish.
We can smile at the promise of a “replacement guarantee” for a fish – but what about a replacement guarantee for our lives? The astonishing truth is that’s what Jesus is saying right in the middle of this story about death.
Jesus said to her, “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.
Death is inevitable. Pets die: dogs, cats, hamsters and fish all die. People die: grandparents, parents, and sometimes brothers, sisters and children all die. Someday you and I will also die. And death is always painful. Death brings grief and tears – because life is precious and great love results in great grief. But here Jesus proclaims with complete confidence that death is not the end! He offers Jesus offers an audacious guarantee that death will be replaced with life for all who believe in him.
This is the heart of the gospel – the good news that through Jesus we can receive forgiveness for our sins and the certain hope of eternal life. In another well known and well loved verse, Jesus says it this way:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.” John 3:16
If you have not anchored your hope of eternal life in the promise of Jesus – you can do so right now by simply asking him to forgive your sin on the basis of his death on the cross, and to take up residence in your heart by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that when we open our hearts to Jesus we receive the gift of eternal life – as well as the gift of his Spirit that lives in us. If you have received Jesus as Lord and Savior – thank God for the hope that Christ brings – even in the face of death itself!
Pastor Brian Coffey
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
When our boys were young, we went through a number of family pets. We had a couple of hamsters; we had a couple of lizards; we had a turtle for a few days (our boys found it in the back yard), and we had a whole series of goldfish. We had so many goldfish because we had bad luck in keeping them around very long. The goldfish would do fine in our little tank for a few days, but within a week or so one of our boys would find the goldfish floating in the water and we would have a somber “burial at sea” (if you know what I mean) – and go looking for another goldfish.
Finally, I decided that the problem was in the quality of fish I was buying. So I decided to upgrade our goldfish. I went to the pet store and found a fancy goldfish that cost three times what I had been spending – and this one came with a very interesting guarantee. If anything happened to the goldfish within two weeks – I could bring the dead fish back to the store for a free replacement fish.
We can smile at the promise of a “replacement guarantee” for a fish – but what about a replacement guarantee for our lives? The astonishing truth is that’s what Jesus is saying right in the middle of this story about death.
Jesus said to her, “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.
Death is inevitable. Pets die: dogs, cats, hamsters and fish all die. People die: grandparents, parents, and sometimes brothers, sisters and children all die. Someday you and I will also die. And death is always painful. Death brings grief and tears – because life is precious and great love results in great grief. But here Jesus proclaims with complete confidence that death is not the end! He offers Jesus offers an audacious guarantee that death will be replaced with life for all who believe in him.
This is the heart of the gospel – the good news that through Jesus we can receive forgiveness for our sins and the certain hope of eternal life. In another well known and well loved verse, Jesus says it this way:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.” John 3:16
If you have not anchored your hope of eternal life in the promise of Jesus – you can do so right now by simply asking him to forgive your sin on the basis of his death on the cross, and to take up residence in your heart by the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that when we open our hearts to Jesus we receive the gift of eternal life – as well as the gift of his Spirit that lives in us. If you have received Jesus as Lord and Savior – thank God for the hope that Christ brings – even in the face of death itself!
Pastor Brian Coffey
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1 comment:
Death used to cause me great anxiety and fear. My dad had walked away from any faith from his youth and my mother was angry with God and wanted nothing to do with Him if He existed. My dad quickly came to faith, when it became evident that he was terminally ill and lived a year and a half longer. My mother almost missed the boat, coming to know God's love and trust God just one week before her death (our constant prayer that was answered when a Christian hospice nurse shared God's love for her one last time). She was happier those last few days then she had been in a very long time. The sting of death had been removed and the joy and comfort of knowing that they were now in no pain and at peace with the Lord had replaced it. Now I pray for those who walk away and reject God's message of salvation and for those who haven't heard it yet.
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