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.25Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29and 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. 30By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5)
Thoughts: Those who hear will live. Hearing God leads to life. This is the lesson in these verses: Hear God and live. If you hear His word and respond in belief- you have eternal life- not after you die, but right now. Eternal life begins the minute we hear and respond. At the end of time the real power of hearing the word will become evident- (vss. 25,28) people will hear his voice in the grave and come out. In fact this is repeated twice so that no will doubt he said this. The power of Jesus to change us will be ultimately shown in changing us from death to life. In the end, God's word will be heard. Even those who don't follow God but do evil will also rise- but to judgment.
Prayer: Lord, open my ears to hear your voice- both now and when I am in the grave.
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