Dead Not Dead: When the Dead Man Walked

“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’ ” (John 11:43-44)

Can you imagine being there in this moment? Even if you had followed Jesus for years and believed him to be the Messiah and really really missed your friend or brother Lazarus – this would be terrifying. Wouldn’t it?

deadnot_350One of the primal fears of humanity is that the dead will come back to life. That’s one reason zombie stories can be so scary. The dead are supposed to stay dead, even the ones we miss most. If you have even an ounce of imagination, you’ve felt a little chill in a graveyard. You have to remind yourself that death is final. Nobody comes back.

Until now.

But after that moment of horror passes – once you realize Lazarus is no slobbering monster, just himself alive again – the truth begins to come up over the horizon of your heart: Death is beatable. It doesn’t have to win. It is not the last word. If Lazarus can come back after four days gone, all the rules are changed. We can live forever. But how?

Jesus. We need Jesus.

Think: If someone asked you to explain how a person can beat death and be resurrected, what would you say? How would you explain the good news about Jesus and living forever?

Pray: Thank God that Jesus proved he is more powerful than even death.

Do: Read about your own resurrection from the dead in 1 Corinthians 15:12-28.