“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16
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It was the ninth inning and the Florida Marlins had a huge lead, but the Atlanta Braves were still batting. In baseball, the clock can’t run out. If you’re still batting, you have a chance. The Braves were still batting on May 20, 2018, and it paid off. They scored six runs and won the game, 10-9. Dansby Swanson hit a two-run single to cap off the rally. It seemed like the Braves came back from the dead on that Sunday.
In a spiritual way, we need a diagnosis from Jesus, the Great Physician. The Lord is the source of physical and spiritual life; we depend on Him for every breath. “‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring'” (Acts 17:28).
The Lord gives us life on earth and also wants to give us eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Long ago, God showed the prophet Ezekiel a vision of how He brings individuals, churches and nations back to life when it seems hopeless. “Then he said to me: ‘Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.” Therefore prophesy and say to them: “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel”‘” (Ezekiel 37:11-12).
When the Gospel is spoken on paper, online, on radio or in person, hearers and readers have opportunities to move from death to life in a spiritual sense. Though it cost them their earthly lives, the apostles kept on speaking the message about Christ, because it is the word for eternal life. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
— Bill Kent, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church, Sylvania, Georgia
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