Knowing Jesus Better Series
John 5:21-29
One of the points of contention in our faith today is the divinity of Jesus. Some religions say that Jesus is not God but a mere prophet. In the Bible, like all of us, the prophets sinned. And we know from the Scriptures that Jesus was and is the only One who was sinless; and being sinless means that He is God. Secondly, if Jesus was a mere human being called to do some divine tasks, then why is it that He has complete authority over life that no other humans had? The Bible teaches that God alone is the source of life and grants it to whoever He desires. Jesus is equal with His Father in this regard.
1. Jesus is the Source of human life.
“21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it… 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. John 5:21, 24
God intricately made us.
Psalm 139, 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful I know that full well.”
Jesus gave life to all mankind.
John 1:3-4, “3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.”
God is able to restore the dead to life.
Examples: The son of a widow in 1 Kings 17; The Shunammite’s son in 2 Kings 4; Dorcas in Acts 9. God granted the prayers of His servants to raise the dead to life.
Jesus showed His equality with God by raising the dead back to life. E.g. Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8; Lazarus in John 11.
2. Jesus is the Source of eternal life.
John 5 says, 24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”
What is eternal life? Eternal life also speaks of a perpetual life that has no end. It is the life that one enjoys in the presence of God. It is given as a gift to those whose object of their faith is Jesus (See Eph. 2:8-10). It is received by faith at the moment a person completely believes that Jesus is equal with God the Father and that He is the exact image of the unseen God (Col. 1:15).
Those who believe Jesus as He claims to be had been given eternal life.
Eternal life starts at the moment of acceptance of Jesus’ words and believes in his/her heart that He is from God and is God. See John 1:1-3.
3. Jesus is the Resurrection and eternal Life.
“25 Very truly I tell you, 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. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” John 5:25-26
“25 I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
Unity of Jesus with His Father as the source of eternal life.
Jesus appoints a time in the future for bodily resurrection.
“15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so, we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.
Here’s four simple things you can say to Jesus today.
Ask Him to forgive your sins, your unbelief, and believe that He will forgive you. Then, tell Jesus that you accept Him as your Creator, the source of resurrection and eternal life. Then ask Him to come into your life as Lord and live in you. Finally, thank Him for giving you eternal life.
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