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50
A Call to Stand Apart
into the city. Also, there were others who had been raised from the
dead at the same time that Jesus rose. Then Jesus Himself appeared
to some, confirming that He was alive. Thus, from that day on,
it was the greatest dread of the priests that they themselves might
[62]
sometime encounter Jesus face to face.
Just as Jesus’ words about His death had been fulfilled, so now
were His words about His resurrection. He had told His disciples, “I
lay down my life, in order to take it up again. ... I have power to lay
it down, and I have power to take it up again.” And to the priests He
had said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
John 10:17, 18
;
2:19
.
Outside the broken tomb of Joseph of Arimathea Jesus had stated
in triumph, “I am the resurrection, and the life.” Only God could
speak such words. All creatures live by the will and power of God
who made them. We are all dependents; we are all recipients of life
from God. Only He could honestly say, “I have power to lay down
My life, and I have power to take it again.” In His divinity Jesus had
demonstrated His power to break the shackles of death.
At His resurrection Jesus raised a great number of people who
had died. These were people who had worked for God and had given
their lives to speak the truth about Him. The earthquake at the time
of Jesus’ death had broken open those graves, and when Jesus arose,
they rose too. During His ministry Jesus had raised the dead on
more than one occasion. He raised the son of the widow of Nain, the
ruler’s daughter, and Lazarus. But none of them were raised to live
forever. In time each of them died again. The people who came to
life at the time of Jesus’ resurrection, however, rose to immortality
and ascended with Jesus at His ascension as trophies of His victory
over death and the grave.
To the believer, Jesus is both resurrection and life. He said, “I
am come that they might have life, and ... have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10
, KJV. In Him everything that has been lost through
sin will be restored. Life is in Him, and He will bring back to life
everyone who chooses Him as Savior. In fact, the moment we accept
Jesus, we have everlasting life.
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Referring to the Lord’s Supper, He said, “Those who eat my
flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up
on the last day.”
John 6:54
. To the Christian death is a sleep, a time