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Why this is important: Jesus tells us everything we need to know. We know God’s plan. We know what God wants.

If nothing else, we know God wants us to love. So, we can find someone to love right now. Jesus makes everything clear. There are no surprises with God.

God gives the plan to men of God way in advance. God makes it well know. There shouldn’t be any surprises at all.

Here are the key ideas:

  • We need to focus on what God wants us to do. Jesus has commanded that we love. That should not be a surprise.
  • God’s goal for us is that we live the right way.
  • It is God’s choice what happens. God is God. God will be the judge of our life.
  • God wants us to walk in a resurrection life.
  • God is all powerful. God gives us the strength and wisdom on how to live the right way.

Truly, truly, I say to you, an 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 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 marvel [be surprised] at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

English Standard Version. (2016). (John 5:25–29). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

For a second time, Jesus introduced His words with the solemn “truly, truly”. More than twenty times in John’s good news book you will find Jesus using this solemn form of address. It is as though He was saying, “Pay attention to this! What I am about to say is important!”

In this fascinating paragraph, Jesus spoke about four different resurrections. He described the resurrection of lost sinners into eternal life.

  • The lost sinner is as lifeless and helpless as a corpse.
  • No matter how an undertaker may prepare a corpse, it is still dead; and no corpse is “deader” than any other corpse.
  • If you are dead, you are dead!
  • The lost sinner is helpless to save himself and he certainly cannot give himself life.

How are dead sinners raised from the dead? By hearing God’s Word and believing on God’s Son. Jesus healed the paralyzed man at the pool by His word. Each time He raised somebody from the dead, He spoke the word. His Word is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12) and can raise sinners from spiritual death. “Everlasting life” means that they can never die spiritually again, nor can they ever come into judgment. To hear His Word and believe means salvation; to reject His Word means condemnation.

The second resurrection mentioned is the resurrection of our Master Himself. Our life is derived, but His life is original, “in Himself.” “In Him was life” (John 1:4). The grave could not hold Him because He is “the Prince of Life” (Acts 2:24; 3:15). Jesus laid down His life and then took it up again (John 10:17–18). Because He has life in Himself, He can share that life with all who will trust Him.

The third resurrection named is the future resurrection of life, when believers are raised from the dead. Keep in mind that resurrection is not reconstruction. It does not imply that God “puts the pieces back together again.”

  • The resurrection body is a new body, a glorified body, suited to the new heavenly environment.
  • Death is not the end for the believer, nor will he live in heaven as a disembodied spirit.
  • God saves the whole person, and this includes the body.
  • This resurrection of life will take place when Jesus Christ returns in the air and calls His people to Himself.

The fourth resurrection He mentioned is the resurrection of condemnation. This resurrection involves only the lost, and it will take place just before Jesus the Messiah ushers in the new heaven and the new earth. What an awesome event that will be, when the dead “small and great” stand before Jesus! The Father has committed all judgment to the Son and has given Him the authority to execute judgment. Today Jesus the Messiah is the Savior, but one day He shall sit as the Judge.

The title “Son of man” is a definite messianic title. It is used twelve times in John’s Gospel and over eighty times in all four Gospels. The Jews would know this title from their reading of the Book of Daniel; and they would know that, by using it, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, and the Judge.

Believers will be given resurrection bodies so that they might reign with the Messiah in glory. Unbelievers will be given resurrection bodies—but not glorified bodies—that they might be judged and then suffer punishment in those bodies. Bodies that were used for sin will suffer the consequences of that sin.

The fact that Jesus has the authority to raise the dead is proof that He is equal with the Father, and therefore He is God.