Thursday, June 9th – Out Of The Morgue

In Luke 7, Jesus encountered a large funeral procession; a widow was on her way to the ceme- tery to bury her only son. With a heart full of compassion, Jesus spoke to the woman, touched the coffin, and with a command brought her son back to life.

What happened to that young man is an illustration of what happens to a person who is converted to Christ. Until you and I come in contact with the Savior, we are “dead in trespasses and sins” according to our text today, and on our way to the cemetery of what the Bible calls the second death (Revelation. 20:6). We will be eternally separated from God’s love unless we are spiritually reborn.

If you were to ask most people why sin is a problem, and why we need a Savior from it, they would say that sin makes us guilty before God and brings us under condemnation; and so we need a Savior who can forgive our sins and take away our punishment. And that is absolutely right but that is not all we need.

The reason we need a Savior is not just that we are in the doghouse with God and need to be forgiven for offending his glory. We need a Savior because we are in the morgue. In the doghouse you might whimper. You might say you are sorry. You might make some good resolu- tions. You might decide to cast yourself on the mercy of God. But what can you do if you are in the morgue?

Without the Saviour, we had no spiritual life within us but only death, everything we did was sin. For what is sin but falling short of the glory of God, and who does anything for the glory of God when he is spiritually dead? And so before the Saviour came, before He quickened us and made us alive, all we did was sin. But when Jesus speaks to the needy sinner through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and the person puts his faith in Jesus, instantly he receives new life. Peace, joy, and blessing will follow.

Friend, have you heard the life giving words of Jesus? He alone can take away the deadness of your soul and give you a thrilling awakening that brings forgiveness and joy right now, and the prospect of heaven forever. If Jesus has rescued you from eternal death, ask Him to use you to tell others of the One who gives new life.

.