Overruled!

GETTING STARTED

We’ve all done it. Lived hopeless and meaningless years in our life that were independent of God and rebellious against who he created us to be. Preteen years, adolescence, or those dreadful college years we want no one to know about were full of fun and futility and sin. God is clear that when we live in sin we are separated from him spiritually. But the good news is that he continually makes us new, and one day, he will restore all things to himself. That day can’t come soon enough.

  • What dead situation in your life do you need God to speak and restore life to?

READ THE WORD: JOHN 5:25-29 (ESV) 

25 “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. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 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, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

1. What things has God given Jesus the power and authority to do? List them.

2. Why was Jesus given the authority to judge?

3. Jesus referenced twice that “the hour is coming.” What exactly was he referring to?

4. How will the dead be resurrected? What will be the fate of those who are resurrected?

5. What are the implications of resurrection in your life now and after death?

RESPOND TO GOD

In the eyes of the Jewish council and religious leaders, Jesus was a lawbreaker, as he continued to challenge their ideas of the truth. Nothing upset them more than to hear Jesus speak with power and claim to have been given authority over death from his father God. Those who persecuted him didn’t understand that they were objecting to the ultimate and supreme judge and king. For us, this passage should give great comfort that the hour is still coming. Jesus has the power to overrule spiritual and physical death because he is the life and resurrection.

  • God is able to resurrect your life now. Pray that he overrules death and the destruction of sin in your heart.