Focus: The Offer Still Stands! (Pt.3)

Text: Mt.11:28

"Come unto me."

Today, we are focusing on another aspect of the invitation to come.

Jesus Christ stood in front of the grave of Lazarus and said to him, "Lazarus, come forth" (Jh.11:43). He was sick and eventually died, and for four days he had been in the grave. It was a lost case. The sisters did everything in their power to stop him from dying, but he died all the same. Now death cannot be remedied. It's all over once a man dies. There is nothing any human being can do about it. Humanly speaking, once death occurs, man reaches a point of no return. Apart from what God can do, death has no solution.

Except a miracle happens, the case of Lazarus was a hopeless one. Amazingly, Christ came into the place of death, and He reversed the situation and called Lazarus out of the grave. He simply, but authoritatively said to him, "Lazarus, Come forth." It was a power-laden invitation to step forth from the world of the dead. The power behind the invitation shook his grave and restored him to life. 

Paul declares, "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" (Act.26:8). Christ says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live" (Jh.5:25). 

As far as the power of God is concerned, dry bones can live again. God can revive dead hopes or dreams.

Jesus Christ says, "I am the resurrection and the life." The word 'impossibility' doesn't exist in God's dictionary. Faith brings God into your situation. The Lord said to Martha, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (Jh.11:40). The Lord is telling here that believing is seeing. The return of Lazarus from the land of the dead is a revelation of the glory of God, and Christ makes the impossible possible. 

Whatever is as good as dead can come back to life by the power of our God, and faith in Christ is the key to making it happen.

Jesus says to Lazarus, "Come forth." Even in the place of death and hopelessness you can heed His authoritative voice. The authority and ability in His voice can change your story and make life come out of dead place. His offer still stands.

Bishop Moses E. Peter