February 9-15, 2020: John 11:1-45
Jesus: The Resurrection and The Life
Reflect: David H. Stern, Messianic Jew and author of Jewish New Testament Commentary, shares on pp. 189-190 that although this is not the first time someone was resurrected from the dead (See I Kings 17:17-24, II Kings 4:17-37, Luke 8:41-42 & 49-56, and Luke 7:11-17), this is the first and only time that someone was dead for four days (to the point where there was an odor) and was physically raised from the dead. Stern writes, "The incident is reported in such a way that no one misses its significance...and this miracle crown's Jesus' career prior to his own death and resurrection. This is what produced the profound reaction among the populace and authorities reported in the rest of this and the following chapter."
Who is this Jesus, and how is He able to do such a miracle? Well, Stern helps us understand by sharing the following, "In addition to Jesus' absolute 'I AM' statements in John 4:26&N, John reports seven predicated 'I AM' statements: I AM the bread of life (6:35), the light of the world (8:12, 9:5), the gate (10:7), the good shepherd (10:11, 14), the resurrection and the life (11:25), the way and the truth and the life (14:6), and the real vine (15:1). The book of Revelation adds that Jesus similarly spoke of himself after His resurrection as the "A" and the "Z" (Rev. 1:8) and as the first and the last (Rev. 1:17)." Friends, Jesus is none other than God in the flesh, thanks be to Him!
Recalibrate: How will Jesus' raising Lazarus from the dead impact your life this week? How does the resurrection of Jesus and return of Jesus to come impact you from the inside out?
Respond: Pray that God will live in and through your flesh in the week to come and that He will resurrect within you anything that has died in regards to you loving Him and loving your neighbors.
Research: Watch these YouTube clips (3 minutes each) which praise Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life
Scripture Song about Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N0rDTsSSeI
Jesus Is the Resurrection & the Life (declaration, song, and video clips of Jesus' life, death, resurrection):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB57meQtaNI