The Hour is Coming and is Now Here...
2/28/2013
John 5.19-29
Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.
“Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself; and he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be astonished at this; for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.
The Hour is Coming and is Now Here....
Many of us have heard talk of the approaching end-date of the Mayan Calendar, Winter Solstice 2012. People are always fascinated with eschatology, the idea that there will be an end to life as we know it, and a new age to follow.
In this discourse on his own authority, Jesus talks about the coming of the Son of God who has already come. Amazingly, all in one sweep, Christ transforms the past, the present and the future!
There is a prayer that is prayed in the Tibetan healing art, reiki, in which one asks for healing in this way: "heal everything that has ever happened to this person, everything that is happening now, and everything that will happen in their future." How often do we pray like that? As a mother I am familiar with praying like this for my children.
As Christians we know that Christ offers a healing that is more than one- dimensional. Not only does Christ heal the whole person, but heals us for eternity, forgiving our past, redeeming our present, and assuring our future. Perhaps the world is changing, but one thing remains the same. Jesus, the Son of God, has the authority to offer and give us life.
This is a mystery that we proclaim by faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Prayer
Almighty God, we thank you for entering our world through Your Son, Jesus. We understand that You have placed our lives in his hands. We understand that he is the judge of our past, present, and future. We believe in You, Lord, and we cling to Jesus, in every time and every circumstance. The eternal life that we know in Jesus Christ, is already here. Amen.
Carol Lakota Eastin is directing pastor of Rantoul UMC.
