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. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’” (EZEK. 37:12–14)

Resurrection. It’s the most powerful word in the entire Bible, yet because of its familiarity to us we pass right by it. Resurrection. It means to raise the dead from the grave never to die again. This is the ultimate and fullest and final ­awakening’the most unbelievable, unfathomable, and, yes, impossible thing in the world.

And it has already happened. It’s underway. It goes like this: on the third day he arose from the dead.

And because Jesus is raised from the dead, we too will be raised from the dead, when he comes in the fullness of his kingdom. We declare it in our creeds and proclaim it from our Scriptures.

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:20–22). We live between these great awakenings: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and the resurrection of the dead at the end of the age. Every awakening is an echo of the resurrection of Jesus and a foreshadowing of the great resurrection to come.

By the miraculous mercy of God, we now walk in the power of the resurrection as agents of awakening, standing on the promise living in its fulfillment.

PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER
Almighty God and Father, thank you for raising your Son, Jesus, from the dead, and thank you for the promise that you will one day raise us from the dead. And thank you for filling us with the life-raising power of your Holy Spirit. I ask you to awaken us to more of your resurrection life, love, and power. I pray in the name of Jesus, amen.

CONFERENCE TOGETHER
Have you gone to sleep on the significance and power of the word “resurrection”? Are you waking up to the truth and power of resurrection life in a new way? Share with your band.