Dr. Dan Hayden •
One of our great hopes as Christians is that, even if we die, we will one day experience a glorious resurrection. Jesus has the power to raise us from the dead. That is the message of John 11 where we read the story of Lazarus.
Mary and Martha, Lazarus’ sisters, were disturbed that Jesus wasn’t able to come when their brother was sick. In the meantime, he had died and four days later they were still grieving. When Jesus got there He simply said to them, “Your brother will rise again.”
They were a little confused as to what that meant, so Jesus went on to say (as recorded in John 11:25-26), “I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. “ Notice Jesus didn’t say, “I can raise your brother from the dead.” He simply said, “I am the resurrection.”
Resurrection is the Greek word anástasis, which is a compound of the word aná – meaning up – and hístēmi, a word that means “to stand.” So the compound word anástasis literally means “to stand up.” Now the idea of this word is that someone who is laid out in death actually stands up again, exhibiting new life. Well, that is exactly what Lazarus did. He was laid out like a mummy in the family tomb and when Jesus spoke the words “Lazarus, come forth” he simply stood up and stumbled out of the tomb.
Lazarus had a new lease on life. Jesus is the resurrection and wherever He is, there is life.
Is Jesus present in your life? If He is, then you never have to be afraid of death.