Speaking Life to the Dead

Speaking Life to the Dead

Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.

Luke 7:14-15

Christ speaks life to the dead. As we continue our consideration of this notable miracle, we come today to dwell upon the actual transformation which Christ effected, which brought life to the dead man. In our experience as humans, nothing is so permanent and irreversible as death. Once death has well and truly taken hold, there is no coming back. We have only what we can do to pay our respect and to honor the memory of the departed. Christ halted the procession of death, but then He did above what the family could ask or think. We find in our text, ‘Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. And He said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” So he who was dead sat up and began to speak. And He presented him to his mother.’ Christ spoke life to the dead. It is even so with us. We are born ‘dead in trespasses.’ All our life is but an ongoing procession of death. God said to Adam and Eve, ‘dying, you shall die,’ and that summarizes the physical and spiritual history of the human race. By the power of His Holy Spirit, Christ speaks life to us in the midst of our deadness. He grants unto us regeneration. He gives life in exchange for the death which has reigned. Our hope lies utterly in this life-giving Christ. We look not to man, in his philosophy, morality, or religion to give us what can come from God Alone. Today, let us rejoice in this all-powerful Christ, Who speaks life to the dead.

Our Glorious, Living Christ,
we rejoice that You speak life to the dead.
We praise You, that because of You,
we shall live and that forever.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning