When he said this, Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with linen bandages, and a cloth over his face.
John 11:43-44
by the power of his word
Do you have any weight in your words? Sure, there are times when I ask people to do something and they do it. I can tell my kids to clean their rooms or do the dishes, and they will do it. I can tell my dog to get up off the couch, and she will…sometimes. And yet, sometimes, that doesn’t happen. Children don’t always do their work. And my dog often ignores what I say.
But when Jesus spoke, his words were filled with passion. When Jesus spoke, amazing things happened. Once, when he and his friends were caught in a terrible storm, he simply asked the storm to stop, and it did. There was another time when Jesus simply by the power of His word cast out some demons who were oppressing a young man. And in our Bible reading today, we see that by the power of His word, Jesus raised a dead man. He simply said to him, “Lazarus, come out!”
Why do Jesus’ words have so much power and authority? This is because He is the Son of God. He is not just the head of a household. He is sitting on the throne and ruling heaven and earth. And whatever he says, he does.
So I want to tell you about another thing Jesus said. One of the last things he said as he lay dying was, “Paid in full.” This is what Jesus said about the sins of humanity—about your sins and mine. He paid their full price by His death on the cross. He paid the price for them with his life.
Because our sins have been wiped away, you and I are sinless before the holy God. And He sees us as His children whom He loves dearly, children whom He will someday welcome into our home with Him in heaven. All through the power of the Word of Jesus.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for saving me through your death on the cross. May I find comfort in the power of Your Holy Word every day. Amen.
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used with permission from Zondervan. All rights reserved world wide.
