Crossed from death to life

THE GIFT ALREADY RECEIVED 

JOHN 5:24 | “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

During the holidays, life can become so busy and overbearing that we forget why we celebrate Christmas and how what Jesus did completely changed our lives. My hope is that this devotional today will be a reminder to appreciate who we are now because of what Jesus has done for us.

John chapter 5 is a point in time where Jesus makes claims about who he is in relationship to God. He’s not a prophet, or just a wise teacher, but the Son of God! This is important because he therefore has the authority to speak the words from our devotional today:
“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.”
John 5:24 NLT.

When Jesus says “I tell you the truth”, or “Truly I tell you,” take a moment to pause and really consider what he is trying to tell us. This is a spiritual truth that can and will forever alter the course of your life. Those who listen to his message of salvation and believe in God (and therefore believe in him) will now and forever have eternal life. True belief in the Father is belief in the Son, and true belief in the Son is belief in the Father.

Jesus is taking a stance for truth and giving us an opportunity to everlasting life. This is the biggest decision you make on this side of eternity. I’m reminded of C.S Lewis’ quote, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance; the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

For us who have made that decision, we have crossed over from death to life forever. But, I think that is something that we can easily take for granted. If we truly believe the words Jesus says here, we were spiritually on our deathbeds, waiting for the inevitable to come, similar to a patient in hospice care. Life without Jesus’ sacrifice for us is one of going from one thing to the next, hoping it will satisfy the needs and desires of our hearts, and ultimately coming up short.

We have new, everlasting life and a legacy that will outlive us forever. We have a new identity where we’re told we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in all spiritual realms. We have direct access to God because of who Jesus is and what he did for us.

My hope is that you would pause and reflect on this truth today, and that it might shift your thoughts away from the business of the holidays, and instead set your eyes on an eternal truth that will give you peace in all circumstances, and the courage the share this truth with others. If we truly believe and appreciate that Jesus died for all of us, we will share that to everyone we meet so they can experience the new life that we have.