LIFE

"Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?" (John 11:26)

It’s interesting that what we call "life" is so temporary!  By the time we think we have figured it out, it's over! And most are in "denial" about death, pretending for as long as possible that death does not exist, somehow deciding it’s about others, "not me!"  (Contrary to what some teach, "denial" is not a river in Egypt).

Have you ever thought about what you really NEED in life?  Some apparently don't think much at all; instead trying to have as much "fun" as possible.  Many in that category end up trapped by alcohol or drugs and the "fun" is gone.  Others devise a distinct set of "rules" for themselves and others, insisting that all around them must live a certain way.  They try to CONTROL everything, saying, "This is the way you MUST live."  Some become religious, forming distinct attitudes about God.  An interesting member of the latter category is the "atheist", who, by insisting there is no God, has created a religion based on faith in that single belief.

But for the injured, the sick, the weakened, there is no doubt about what is needed.  Have you ever spent time around a person with emphysema?  Every gasping, wheezing breath is agony, and each is a message of lessening abilities and impending death. 

If you asked a person with emphysema, "What do you want in life?" they would be statistically NOT likely to talk about having "fun" or insisting on "rules" or whatever.  What would they want? - Why, new lungs!  That would be right at the top of the list.  We always look at our greatest deficiency, our deepest need, and THAT is what we want!  The person who is faced with death, wants new life!  We are ALL faced with death and we all need the Lord.  We need His LIFE.

Try to imagine a scenario, in which someone says: "I'm going to have a man drug you, and then I will use knives to cut open your chest; after which I will break your ribs, and then take out your heart."  What will you do?  Call the police and have them arrested?  No, you will pay them thousands of dollars to do just what they said, because they are doctors who will remove your diseased heart and give you a new one, prolonging your time on earth and restoring your quality of life!  You WANT that, so you don't report them to the authorities - You want to LIVE so you pay!  And just like the heart patient needs a better heart, you need new life.

How many people have you met who are over 200 years old?  How about 150?  100? Not very many.  What if we DO live to be 200?  What then?  Does it mean that death goes away?  No, it's just DELAYED for awhile.  I don't know about you, but I want LIFE, abundant life, not just an EXISTANCE that will soon be over, no matter how full of activity it may be.  At 200 or 2000 years, we would still, as a people, write sad poems about the brevity of life.  More time in life is never enough.

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live, and whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26).  This is especially interesting, because Jesus was speaking at that moment to the upset sister of a man who had just died.  She (Martha) believed Jesus’ words: "though he may die, he shall live".  She had faith in the Lord and believed in the resurrection of the dead.  But she was having trouble with "shall never die".  Lazarus was dead!  She wanted her brother back RIGHT NOW!

“Do you believe this?" Jesus asked (John 11:26).  This tends to be our chief problem.  We believe to some extent, but we’re also like Martha, disappointed in life.  Soon, Lazarus would be raised from the dead, but for now, Martha and her sister just Mary felt alone, and they were very upset.

Soon Jesus would say, “Lazarus, come forth,” (John 12:43-44) and the man would walk out of his tomb, into the daylight and the waiting arms of his sisters.  Jesus would DEMONSTRATE that He is indeed “the resurrection and the life”.  Through this historical account, we SEE that Jesus Christ can deliver you, even from death.

But that wasn’t the end of the story.  The religious leaders of the day were offended that a man had been raised from the dead by Someone not under their control, and so they plotted to kill Lazarus (John 12:9-10).  If he survived that, and didn’t die of old age, the Romans would destroy the place and kill everybody in 71 A.D.  When Jesus said that He is “the resurrection and the life”, He had more in mind than existence in this world.  We need to base our hopes on HIM, not things or people in this place.

Jesus came “that they (Lazarus, his sisters, you and me), may have life, and that they (you) may have it more ABUNDANTLY” (John 10:10).  The Greek word for “abundantly” here is “perisson”, referring to wealth received that is more than you would expect.  In Luke 9:17, the word refers to the twelve baskets left over, after a few loaves and fishes were blessed by the Lord, broken and then given out, until thousands were fed.  Much more than we would expect, HAPPENS in Jesus Christ.

God has in mind that your life will be just like that.  Failure and death are done away!  If your body dies for a time, He will raise you to LIFE in eternity.  Lose it all, and you are GIVEN infinitely more, through faith In Him.  Just like there wasn’t enough food for all those people; just like Martha lost hope of seeing her brother again in this life, this world doesn’t offer enough for you. 

But in Christ, who is OUTSIDE of this world system, you are given abundant LIFE.  William James said, “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.”  In Christ, you are given – everything! – Forever!

Jesus, I trust in You, now.  Forgive me for trying to live life on my own.  Fill my heart and life, Lord.  Let me have the ABUNDANCE found in You.  In Jesus Name.  Amen.

    Ron Beckham, Pastor
    Friday Study Ministries
    www.fridaystudy.org
    E-mail: Ron@FridayStudy.org
    Tel: (562) 688-5559
    PO Box 92131
    Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
    "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)