The Call That Raises The Dead
Jno. 5:24-25
While on earth Jesus had to Power to raise the dead. Performed
this miracle three times.
Mk. 5:21-43. Jairus had a 12 year old daughter who was ill. Asked
Jesus to heal her.
a. While traveling there, word came that she had died. Jesus insisted
on going there.
(A) Jesus took Jairus and wife into the girls room and raised
her from the dead.
(1) Lk. 7:11-18. Stopped funeral procession outside the city of
Nain raised from the
dead the only son of a grieving widow.
(a) Jno. 11:1-44. Jesus performed the most remarkable of these
3 miracles.
Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha had been dead in the tomb
four days.
Stood before the tomb and shouted, Lazarus, come forth.
Marvelous demonstration of the power of Jesus. Proof of His Deity.
(2) Jesus is still raising men from the dead today. That may startle
you, but, its true.
Thats the claim of the scripture we read at the beginning
of this lesson.
Jno. 5:25.
(B) Thats saying, Every time a person is saved from
sin, they are raised from the dead.
The Bible describes men in sin as being spiritually dead.
THANATOS, Dead. Does not mean that you cease to be.
It means a separation has taken place.
Physical death is a separation of the body and the soul. Spiritual
death is the separation of the soul and spirit from God who is
righteous and holy.
When you are saved from sin you pass from a state of spiritual
death into life.
Lk. 15:11-32. The story of the Prodigal Son illustrates Gods
willingness to accept the repentant sinner, Vs. 24, This
is my son who was dead and now is alive again.
That tells us that as long as we are in rebellion to God we are
separated from Him and in a state of spiritual death.
(C) There are numerous scriptures that illustrate this important
concept.
1 Jno. 3:14, We know that we have passed from death to life,
because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains
in death.
Rom. 8:6-8.
Eph. 2:1-2.
(a) As long as we live apart from God we are dead even while we
live in the flesh.
Only when you come to God through Jesus do we find life.
b. The Bibles teaches that when men live apart from God they are
dead while alive in
the flesh.
Living in sin is living in death. Jesus came to destroy death
by loving us and encouraging us to reject sin and exchanging death
for life.
Rom 6:3?7.
There is a way to choose life instead of death. Eternal spiritual
life with God.
How is this spiritual life that brings eternal life obtained?
The answer is found in the New Testament. Lets look at it.
When you are born into this world a human bein, you are born pure,
sinless, holy and in fellowship with God.
As you grow to maturity there comes a time when you will choose
to do wrong.
The moment you choose to do wrong you commit sin and you are,
at that point, separated from God and the Holy Spirit leaves you.
You are lost in sin.
That breaks Gods heart because He loves you and wants you
with Him.
He does not want you to die and live in the darkness of eternal
torment. He wants you to live eternally with Him in joy and peace.
God did not make you sin. If you sin its not Gods
fault. God has provided a way for man to be redeemed and in fellowship.
2 Pet. 3:9, says, God does not want anyone to perish, but
for everyone to come to repentance. Thats why Jesus
came to earth and established the Church.
Thats what Lk. 19:10, is talking about.
John 3:15?18.
2. There are some conditions for receiving the life Jesus gives.
You must hear His voice and
follow Him. Mark 8:34?37.
2. You must die to self so Jesus can reign supremely in your life.
(A) Jno. 5:25, I tell you the truth, a time is coming and
has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God
and those who hear will live. Thats not talking about
resurrection at the day of judgment. Thats talking about
spiritual life on earth.
John 14:15?16, "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
John 14:23, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.
(1) John 14:24, He who does not love me will not obey my
teaching.
(2) Acts 5:32, God gives His Holy Spirit to those who obey
him.
(B) John 3:18, Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe
stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name
of God's one and
only Son. How do I come to believe in Jesus? Rom. 10:17.
Belief convinces me I
must follow Jesus and obey every command He gives. He has said
that I must
believe and do what He commands. What else has He commanded me
to do besides
believe?.
b. Luke 13:3. Unless you repent, you will all perish.
Means to not walk in rebellion to Him.
(A) Rom. 10:9, Confess Jesus as the Lord of my life.
Lord means Master, the one who
rules my life Confess means I live His commands in my life so
all can see.
(1) Acts 2:38
(2) Do what the apostle Paul was told to do in Acts 22:16.
(2) By that process I die to self and sin and Im raised
to walk in Gods new life.
(1) Rom 6:3?6.
(2) Thats the call that raises the dead. Have you obeyed
that call? Why not?
(3) Acts 20:32.
Spur - 10/07/2001 pm
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