The Cost: of Life

As we move closer to Holy Week, we see Jesus confront our great enemy—death. In our Gospel text, death strikes close to home. A close friend, Lazarus, dies. Jesus was deeply moved but also moved to take action. He called to Lazarus and commanded him to come out of the grave. Lazarus was alive once again. This was not the first time, God had raised the dead. In our Old Testament reading, we see the Lord work powerfully through his servant, Elisha, to raise a dead boy back to life. As amazing as each of these miracles were, the gift that our Redeemer gives us is far greater. The one who believes in Jesus will live eternally—even though they die temporally. This Sunday, as we get closer and closer to the cross, Jesus fills us with the hope of the resurrection for all who believe in him revealing himself as the resurrection and the life.