Christ the Creator according to John 11. Part 11
Dr. Rafat Amari
Jesus is the One who restores spiritual life to the human heart when it’s in the depths of corruption.
Angels and prophets have never released men from sin. They have never stood in front of a corrupt sinner and changed him. Moses never pronounced words of forgiveness for the sins of any of his contemporaries. Corruption spreads irreversibly and unceasingly to anyone who’s separated from fellowship with God because of sin and rebellion.
The corruption of Lazarus’ body resulted from the death of his body. Similarly, the corruption of a man’s heart is the result of his spiritual death and ensuing separation from God. Nobody except God, who was separate from sinful man, can stop the corruption of man, revive his heart, and restore his lost spiritual fellowship.
Restoring spiritual life to a person who is spiritually dead in sin is something Jesus accomplished. He restored life to a decomposing body already disappearing into dust. He did this so that we may know who it is that heals our spiritual sickness and restores to us the most precious thing we have, spiritual life and fellowship with God.
He did this to teach us not to call upon anyone who has not approached a person in Lazarus’ condition, whether he be human or angelic. When Jesus came to the most evil of sinners, He turned them into the most important saints in history. Changing people is a sign of His ability as the Creator.
For example, Jesus changed Mary Magdalene, possessed by seven evil spirits, and she went through Bethany preaching the Gospel. Jesus changed Levi, the sinful tax collector, and he became the apostle Matthew.
He changed Saul, the persecutor of the church and the murderer of disciples, who became Paul the apostle after Jesus showed himself to him on the road to Damascus and saved him from his sins, and he has saved millions like them in every generation.
All these examples show that the creative way Jesus approached the body of Lazarus is the same way He approaches any person who seeks Him and prays to Him.
The path of divinity is clearly marked by His grace, power and forgiveness every day of our lives which is, in itself, a testimony of the identity of the true Creator. Every day He revives humanity.
Are you denied opportunities? Do you feel your circumstances are so difficult that they present no expectation of hope? I ask you to remember that Jesus is the God who creates opportunities and brings blessings out of your despair. He gives you new hope to change your life and overcome what is so difficult for you to do on your own.
Trust Jesus for the impossible to happen. Continue following Him by faith. He will unveil His plan which will free your life and lead you out of that difficult situation you suffer.
Although prophets like Elijah raised a few people from the dead, we fail to find anyone but Jesus bringing to life someone who is buried and already decomposing. In the case of the raising of Lazarus, Jesus did so to declare His glory and to raise Lazarus back to life.
This is not the first time Jesus breathed into dust and made it a living person. He was with the Father in the early hours of creation when history began. No principles limit His work. There is no aspect of the creation of man that Jesus cannot bring into existence with a word from His mouth.
No organ or cell refused to obey when Jesus Christ spoke to the dust and it became a living soul. In the case of Lazarus, no mechanism in the human body refused to obey that creative, divine voice that ordered him to stand up and live.
In Jesus are the springs of order, creation and life. That which is not, He wants to bring into being. In His presence is the secret of creativity for our lives.
Copyright 2006 by Dr. Rafat Amari. All rights reserved.