The Dead Will Hear His Voice, and Live!
*John 20:1-10; 5:21-29*
Easter 2020

People without Jesus are spiritually dead. John 5:18
18 This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
• They see Jesus but fail to recognize who he is.
• They hear Jesus but do not believe what he says.
John 1:10-11 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

Those who dishonor Jesus will be judged one day by the only one who could have given them life. John 5:21-23
For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, he can raise those who are dead in sin unto new life in himself. John 5:24–25
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “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
• People who are spiritually dead are raised to life by hearing God’s Word and believing on God’s Son.
o Romans 10:17 faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
o Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
o Eph. 2:1–10

The grave could not hold Jesus because he is the author of life. John 5:26-29
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
• Jesus laid down His life and then took it up again
o John 10:17-18 I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again.

• Our life is derived, but His life is original, “in Himself.” “In Him was life”
o John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
o Acts 2:23-24 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
o Acts 3:15 you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

• Because the risen Christ has life in Himself, he can share that life with all who will trust Him.

Because Jesus rose from the dead, he will someday call the dead back to life. John 5:24–25

• One day our risen Lord Jesus will call to those who died trusting in him, and they will hear his voice and be raised from the grave to life. (5:28–29a)
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,

• Those who died rejecting Christ will be called fort to face judgment. (John 5:29b)
and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

John 12:47-48 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.