“ ‘I Will Raise Him Up’ ”

In one of His miracles, Jesus fed 5,000 people with just a small

amount of bread and fish (John 6:1–14). Perceiving that the multitude

then intended to proclaim Him king (John 6:15), Jesus sailed with His

disciples to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. But the next day the

multitude followed Him there, where He delivered His powerful ser-

mon on the Bread of Life, with special emphasis on the gift of everlast-

ing life (John 6:22–59).

Read John 6:26–51. How did Jesus associate the gift of everlasting life

with the final resurrection of the righteous?

In His sermon, Jesus highlighted three basic concepts in regard to

eternal life. First, He identified Himself as “ ‘the bread that comes

down from heaven and gives life to the world’ ” (John 6:33, 58,

NIV). By declaring that “ ‘I am [Greek egō eimi] the bread of life’ ”

(John 6:35, 48), Jesus presented Himself as the Great “I Am” of the

Old Testament (Exod. 3:14). Second, Jesus explained that everlast-

ing life can be secured in Him: “ ‘he who comes to Me’ ” and “ ‘he

who believes in Me’ ” will have this blessing (John 6:35, NKJV). And

finally, Jesus linked the gift of immortality with the final resurrection,

assuring His audience three times, “ ‘and I will raise him up at the last

day’ ” (John 6:40, 44, 54, NKJV).

Jesus also gave this amazing promise: “ ‘Very truly, I tell you,

whoever believes has eternal life’ ” (John 6:47, NRSV). So, the gift of

eternal life is already a present reality. But this does not mean that the

believer will never die, for the very expression “raise him up” (John

6:40, NKJV) presupposes coming back to life after one has died.

The picture is clear. Without Christ, one does not have eternal life.

But, even after accepting Christ and having the assurance of eternal

life, we continue for now being mortal and, therefore, subject to natu­

ral death. At the Second Coming, Jesus will resurrect us and, then and

there, He will give us the gift of immortality that was ours already. The

gift is assured, not because of a supposed natural immortality of the

soul but, rather, because of the righteousness of Jesus that comes to us

by faith in Him.

Dwell on the words of Jesus that, if you believe in Him, you have

(as in right now) eternal life! How can this wonderful promise

help you deal with the painful reality of our present, though only

temporary, mortality?