Jesus said, “your brother will rise again” to Martha whose brother, Lazarus, had died and had been buried for four days (John 11:23; 17). Recognizing that death is not final and her belief in life after death Martha says to Jesus, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24). 

Then Jesus says to her that that day has come and says, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die, and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26). 

Jesus was reminding Martha who he was to humanity, a way to spiritual life-giving power, resurrection power and eternal life. The one who has been given authority over death and over the powers of this world. 

John, the baptist, believed that Jesus was who God had sent to bring life to all, but when he was put into prison for preaching that people should repent and turn back to God, he doubted who Jesus was and Matthew 11:2-3 says that when he heard about the deeds Jesus was doing he sent his disciples to ask him, “are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else” (Matthew 11:2-3)?

Jesus tells John’s disciples to “go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” (Matthew 11:4-6). 

Jesus was saying if your leader is lacking in faith, be a witness and tell them exactly what you have seen me do and what you have heard from those whose lives I have touched. 

Jesus had been performing physical wonders in his time on earth and his power to heal and bring life into dead situations is still accessible to people who believe. His power and authority is for the physical world and the spiritual world. Jesus has said that he came to open blind eyes and deaf ears, people who are unable to see or understand who he is and bring them to that knowledge and understanding; and he is also capable to physically heal people who believe and faith in him. 

This message of the present times is good news to everyone who hears it and believes that the authority and power to heal, resurrect, reconcile back to God has come through Jesus. 

Jesus travelled preaching about the resurrection power and life-giving power that he had; and people in every town who believed in him and had faith accessed his power to resurrect and to give life. 

In Mark 6:53-56 Jesus was travelling to Bethesda and crossed the sea of galilee and “landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, people recognized him. 

They ran throughout that whole region and carried those who were ill on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed those who were ill in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed” (Mark 6:53-56). 

However, some people are not able to recognize who Jesus is and that his message of reconciliation brings life. In Luke 12:54-59 Jesus is speaking to a crowd that has gathered to hear him and he is explaining how people are able to recognize other signs about what is to come when he says, 

“When you see a cloud rising in the west immediately you say, “it’s going to rain” and it does. And when a south wind blows, you say, “it’s going to be hot” and it is. You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time” (Luke 12:54-56)? 

Jesus says that this is because, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” And prophesies that “their tables will become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them, that will darken their eyes so they cannot see and their backs bent forever” (Romans 11:7-10).

Jesus is explaining that some people will not come to the knowledge of who he is, they will never be able to understand their need for reconciliation to God. When he says their tables will become a snare, a trap and a stumbling block, he is saying that the paths that they choose to believe in and put their faith in will cause them to miss the gift of salvation, their belief will be what clouds their vision and their hearts and keeps them chained to a life that is marked by oppression and death. Acts 17:27-28 says that “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, we are his offspring.”

Then Jesus uses a parable to help people who are listening to interpret the sign of his coming as the last days. That what follows his arrival is God’s judgement on earth. This is referring to the final days of earth and also an individual’s last day and when that day arrives, everyone will stand before God; and the one who believes Jesus’ message of life will live, even though they die. Jesus councils people in anticipation of that day to be reconciled back to God, that we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone –or any image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by, Jesus who he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. (Luke 12:57-59; John 11:25-26; Acts 17:29-31). 

Prayer

Jesus, do not let us be people whose hearts are hardened against your message of reconciliation, whose eyes are darkened, whose ears cannot hear, but let your word that give life resurrect our spirit, raise our understanding from teachings that do not bring life and give us the life that you have promised to all believers: eternal life, a life filled with the power of your Holy Spirit and bring healing, restore us and deliver us, just as your word promises that you will do.