Lawrence: Amuse the dying or Raise the dead

God’s words are not just true, they are effectual. God speaking is God acting.

• In Genesis 1, the void could not resist him.
• In Ezekiel 37, when Ezekiel calls out to the valley of the dry bones with God’s Word and Spirit, the bones didn’t say to Ezekiel, “We don’t want to get up.”
• In John 11, when Jesus calls out to the corpse of Lazarus, Lazarus didn’t say to Jesus, “Not now, ask me again next year.” No, when the voice of God rings out in gracious, creative power, not even death or unbelief can resist him.

God’s voice is irresistible because it is powerful and because it is the voice of love.
Do you see a typological pattern developing here? Could it be that God is doing things among physical realities to teach us something about spiritual realities? If God’s Word effectually creates every time, what do you think happens when Jesus calls out to sinners to come to him in repentance and faith? Does his Word all of a sudden become less effective, less powerful, just because he’s talking to us?

Also, if God’s Word effectually creates every time—“my word will not return back to me void,” he says in Isaiah 55:11—what do you think churches should do when they gather? Should they concentrate on entertainment or on preaching the Word?

I suppose it depends on whether they want a ministry designed to amuse the dying or a ministry aimed at raising the dead.

Lawrence, M. (2010). Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church: A Guide for Ministry (pp. 123–124). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

Comments

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