In John 4:46-54 Jesus was approached by a certain nobleman whose son was sick. He implored Jesus to come and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke and he went his way. And as he was now going home, his servants met him and told him, “Your son lives!” What beautiful words! Your son lives!
When Jesus was born into this world we are told that an angel of the Lord appeared to a group of shepherds and said, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:8-11). Then in verse 13-14 we read, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” The Son lives!
In 1 Peter 1:10-12 we read that the plan of God and the mission and passion of Christ was something that the prophets searched the scriptures for diligently. We are told that even the angels desired to look into these things and acquire the knowledge of God’s plan of salvation. When Jesus was raised victoriously over death (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) we can certainly imagine the joy in heaven at His glorious, victorious resurrection. Your Son lives!
The dark veil of spiritual death drapes each sinner and God mourns the loss of every one of His children (James 1:15). The separation sin causes (Isaiah 59:1-2), between God and His children, is more painful and sad than any heartache known in this temporal realm. Imagine then the joy in heaven when the sinning child is reconciled to his Father. In Luke 15:10 Jesus speaks of this elation when He says, “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Notice the joy is “in the presence of the angels of God…” God is rejoicing! In the parable of the Prodigal Son, immediately following this statement, we read the father’s response to his son’s return from the far country. “…this my son was dead and is alive again;… And they began to be merry” (verse 24). My son lives!
The most memorable and precious moments of my life have been the honor, privilege, and elation I felt in assisting each of my children in being baptized for the remission of their sins. I joy in each soul I am privileged to teach and lead to God in Jesus Christ through the gospel (1 Corinthians 4:15). John writes to Gaius and expresses his joy in hearing that his “children walk in truth” (3 John 4). What a joyous expression when we can say, “Our children live!”
Friends, Jesus came to give us life and that the life we live would be an abundant life (John 10:10). He died and lives so that though we might be dead in “trespasses and sins” we might be made to live again (Ephesians 2:1). Jesus said if a man will believe in Him “though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). It is in Christ that we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring (Acts 17:28). In Christ we live!
How then do I gain this resurrected life? By hearing the word (Romans 10:17), by believing that Jesus is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:15-16), by repenting of sins (Luke 13:3, 5), by confessing your faith in Christ (Romans 10:10), by being baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27) and resurrected to walk a new life (Romans 6:3-6). This new life is lived in Christ (Galatians 2:19) and in subjection to our Father (Hebrews 12:9). What a great statement and life, to be able to look to the heavens
and proclaim, “Your son lives!”