He Can't Be Less

John 5:25–29 (ESV) “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, 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. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

When you read the things Jesus said, especially like this, you can't leave Him at good teacher, religious reformer, moral example, or inspirational figure. He can't be anything less than He is - GOD in FLESH.

God who raises the dead with His voice.

God who has authority to judge.

God who judges perfectly.

Even much much more.

John is painting a picture early on that the other three Gospels hesitate to do. He wants to be clear that everything Jesus is doing is clarifying everything Jesus is.

As C.S. Lewis' classic "trilemma" recounts, when you read what Jesus said in places like John 5 he either is a liar who knew he wasn't God but wanted to convince us otherwise, a "lunatic" who thought he was God but was sadly mistaken, or "Lord" - THE God of Israel and the Universe.

He can't be anything less than one of them and the fact that we still talk about Him, people still die for Him, and billions are looking forward to meeting Him might suggest that 2 of those three options are completely unfathomable.

If He is liar then you can't trust Him.

If He is lunatic than you must avoid Him.

But if He is Lord than you must serve Him. No other option is available. And no other life is truly life. He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." John 5:24 (ESV)

Notice the past tense of this phrase. It is not life only after you die. It is life now passed death. Death is a doorway now to the true and better life of ultimate reality found only in Christ. This is your standing now in this Earth. Not waiting to die to start living, but living now and only anticipating a clearer reality of it. 

And how does it start? It starts by hearing, "whoever hears..."
It continues by believing, "and believes Him..."
And completes in doing, "those who have done good to the resurrection of life."

Believing in Jesus results in doing what He says. Not simply hearing about Him, agreeing with Him or recognizing Him as God, but obeying Him... as LORD.

PRAYER:

Father, I thank You for Jesus, I receive Him as Lord. I pray for the power to live for Him and do what is best according to Him. Glorify yourself in my life. Amen.