Thursday, June 28
Before raising His friend Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus uttered these words: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25, NKJV). Rather, though, than just asking people to take His word about such an incredible claim, He then proceeded to raise Lazarus from death, who had been dead long enough for the corpse to start stinking (John 11:39) .
Those who believe in Jesus do, indeed, die. However, as Jesus said, though they may die, they will live again. This is what the resurrection of the dead is all about. And this is what makes the second coming of Jesus so central to all our hopes.
According to these texts, what happens to the dead in Christ when Jesus returns? Romans 6:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 53-55.
The great hope of the Second Coming is that the resurrection from the dead that Jesus Himself experienced will be what His faithful followers of all the ages will experience, as well. In His resurrection they have the hope and assurance of their own.
What happens to those who are alive when Jesus returns? Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
The faithful ones alive when Jesus returns will retain a physical body, but not in its present state. It will be supernaturally transformed into the same kind of incorruptible body that the ones raised from dead will have, as well. “The living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.’ At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air”. — Ellen G. White, The Great controversy , p. 645.
Make a list of all the things of this world that are so important to you that you would rather sacrifice eternal life in order to retain them now. What’s on the list?
