HE HAS CROSSED OVER FROM DEATH TO LIFE

Passage: John 5:24-29

Key verse: 24

NIV

24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me(A) has eternal life(B) and will not be judged(C) but has crossed over from death to life.(D) 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come(E) when the dead will hear(F) 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(G) in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge(H) because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming(I) when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.(J)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, (A)whoever hears my word and (B)believes him who sent me has eternal life. He (C)does not come into judgment, but (D)has passed from death to life.

25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, (E)an hour is coming, and is now here, when (F)the dead will hear (G)the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear (H)will live. 26 (I)For as the Father has life in himself, (J)so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he (K)has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for (L)an hour is coming when (M)all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, (N)those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Good news for those dead in sin (24-26)

People who live without God are dead. They are cut off from the source of life; they are like cut flowers, for they look alive, but they are dead. Sin cuts us off from God. We were dead in sin (Eph 2:1). But if we hear Jesus' voice and believe, we cross over from death to life. We have eternal life as a present reality.

2. The judgment to come (27-29)

Jesus' word is life-giving. If dead people hear the voice of the Son of God, they will live. He is the life-giver. But he is also the Judge. When he comes again, it will be as a judge. Those who hear his voice will come out of their graves and stand before his throne, and he will judge the living and the dead. This is the final judgment. How we respond to him and his word now determines how we will fare in the final judgment. He assures us that if we believe God who sent Jesus we will not be condemned.

Prayer: Lord, your word has life-giving power. Help me to hear your voice in the Bible every day, and obey you.

One Word: Hear his word, believe, and live