“…The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life -- only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father" (John 10:17-18, NIV).
The great power of Jesus Christ is being experienced in the life of every true believer. In your case, what God did for you that you always thank Him? Did you experience healing? Did you experience supernatural protection? Are you enjoying abundant provision?
In my case, the geat favor I also enjoyed from God was when He restored my breath. There was a time in my life that I could not breathe anymore -- I could not even think of anything, not even God! I just realized and was alarmed that I could no longer breathe! At that moment, what I needed most and so important to me: air!
But before I could totally lost my consciousness, I felt I could again take in air -- and as if I could taste it -- it was so "sweet"!! By His grace, I was breathing again.
As we go on, we will realize that God did manifest His Divine Power for His followers that most of us fail to acknowledge and appreciate!
According to Jesus Christ, God the Father loves Him – “The… Father loves me…” He also prayed for His followers, “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR ME MAY BE IN THEM and that I myself may be in them" (John 17:25-26, NIV).
Indeed God the Father loves the Son, for there is love that permeates among the triune God. And if the love of God for men is so great, the kind of love that reverberates in the Trinity is much greater – with all the capacities and power of the Divine Being. Jesus prayed that the love the Father have for the Son may be also in us – loving Him – “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37, NIV).
Next, notice the words: “I lay down my life…” For WHOM He laid down His life? Verse 11 says, “…for the sheep” and it is more specific in verse 3: “…HIS OWN sheep.” We read in Matthew 1:21 that He was given “the name Jesus, because he will save HIS PEOPLE from their sins."
Caiaphas, who was the high priest during the time of Christ, “…prophesied that Jesus would die FOR THE JEWISH NATION, and not only for that nation but ALSO FOR THE SCATTERED CHILDREN OF GOD, to bring them together and make them one” (John 11:51-52, NIV).
And in John 15:13 we read that Jesus “lay down his life FOR HIS FRIENDS.”
If you ever have the conviction that He died for you, you should rejoice as you realize that He came to die for you not because you are just a “part” of mankind, or just one of the lost and sinners in the whole world. He died for you specifically – you are among His own sheep, you belong to His people, you are one of the children of God and one of His friends!
You did not choose Him to become your Friend. He chose you (John 15:16). And He chose you to become His sheep, or to be in His fold NOT after He was resurrected, nor after you change and improve your lifestyle. He did not decide to adopt you as His child only when you started to trust Him or when you are baptized.
Paul wrote the Christians in Ephesus: “For HE CHOSE US IN HIM BEFORE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will -- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves” (Eph 1:4-6, NIV).
Yes, if we consider ourselves Christians – His sheep, His people, His children, or His friends, we need to realize that “…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NIV).
Remember also His great concern for us. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this…” (John 15:13, NIV). He laid down His life in His “own accord.” No one pressured or persuaded Him to lay down His life.
And it is also significant to note – He did not just gave up His life voluntarily, but He had the authority to do so. He said, “I have the authority to lay it down…”
No human being has that kind of authority. Only a Sovereign Being can have that prerogative and power.
Aside from that He has the authority not only to lay down His life, but – to underscore His power – He has also the “authority to take it up again”!
Indeed, what great power He has!
Christ told Martha whose brother, Lazarus, was buried for four days, “I AM THE RESURRECTION and the life…” (John 11:25, NIV.) Referring to His own body, Jesus told the Jews: “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19, NIV). A mere human being who would make that claim is out of his mind.
And Paul strongly defended and proclaimed that the claim of Christ was fulfilled. He wrote:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (1 Cor. 15:3-8, NIV).
Let’s continue in verses 12-19:
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (NIV).
The reality of the resurrection of Christ established the ministry of Paul and the other preachers of the gospel. And so vital in the life of every believer.
That’s why in the next verses (vv. 20-24) Paul assured his readers: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power” (NIV).
The power of Jesus is not only to give you “life, and have it to the full,” not only to keep you from dying – but even to raise to life the dead body, though already buried and in the state of decomposition. That’s what He did to Lazarus (John 11:38-44).
But His true followers today not only can look forward with confidence in the future resurrection. They should also look backward and appreciate what He already did for them. His demonstration of giving life is not limited to those who are physically dead. Actually, He is so concern to give life to those who are spiritually dead.
Study carefully these words of the Son of God: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 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” (John 5:24-25, NIV).
Consider this comment from the Third Edition of New Bible Commentary: “In this statement (referring to John 5:21) either physical or spiritual resurrection may be intended, but v. 25 must be understood spiritually and vv. 28, 29 physically.”
In the Commentary on the whole Bible by Jamieson, Fausset and Brown the word “dead” in verse 25 is also referred as “the ‘spiritually’ dead.”
Another commentary: “The dead in this case (John 5:25) are not in the graves, as in verse 28, but are dead in sin” (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press).
Paul wrote:
“As for you, YOU WERE DEAD in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:1-6, NIV).
We also read in Colossians 2:13-14, “When YOU WERE DEAD in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, GOD MADE YOU ALIVE WITH CHRIST. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross” (NIV).
The chosen people, without any exemption, had been spiritually dead – buried in their sins – formerly, their concern and reliance for the self really stinks!
Actually, our own personal belief does not make God decide to grant us spiritual life. It’s because of His grace. Because of His mercy. He did it to the elect and granted them the gift of faith, so they believe He is not a mere human being, but the Christ – the Son of the Living and Powerful God!
In the early part, I mentioned that I suffered my "inability" to breathe. When my breath returned, even without praying for it (for my mind went blank), it was emphasized to me that my physical life and it was prolonged because of God’s grace. And so with our spiritual life.
We may not all experienced the joy of physically "living again" like Lazarus, but true believers know what it means to be "born again" -- to be "resurrected" and to have spiritual life.
Finally, consider these words from the Word of God:
“At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another…” – we were spiritually dead – “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,.. “ – made us spiritually alive – “not because of righteous things we had done,…” -- not even of our own personal belief – “but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may BE CAREFUL TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO DOING WHAT IS GOOD..” (Titus 3:3-8, NIV.)
PRAYER: Our Merciful Heavenly Father, we thank You so much for Your Grace… for giving us the new life, so we can appreciate and behold Your Great Power. We truly honor and exalt You for choosing us to experience Your love. Help us now to devote ourselves to whatever task You want Your Glory be displayed. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
