"Rhea, was it your intent to make me drink so much and eat like there is no tomorrow so that I can't possibly stand tomorrow?"
"I told you to not go heavy on the drinking. You may be twenty one but that doesn't mean it gives you free range to challenge everybody to drink over and under the table. What were you thinking? Was the food not to your satisfaction?"
"Ohh, the food was to my satisfaction and you saw me. I may have been young but I still held my own for my size and shape."
"That is true. I thought you would go down after five but you got to the teens before you said no more. What kind of spirit do you have in you girl?"
"The same power that rose Jesus from the grave is within everybody so I'm certain that if the Holy Spirit can create water both in the sky and on the ground then I am confident he can hold down a few sips."
"That was more than a few sips you drank but if it passes you out tomorrow then that will be a relief. They will eat you alive and make you denounce everything you hold dear if you cannot rain true."
"Then I will raise the girl from the dead and restore her spirit."
"What? What does that have to do with anything?"
"Ohh, just thinking of when uhhh...I forgot the scripture but it goes something like this. There was a girl in a small village who died the night before and in that village was a magician. The mother brought her dead daughter to the magician and asked him to raise her. When he could not; one of Jesus' disciples spoke up and said I will raise her from the dead. Upon walking past the magician he spoke to the disciple and said, 'If you cannot raise her back to life then these people will kill you."
"That's what's going through your head at the moment?"
"Why yes. If the people indeed did kill a magician everytime they professed to do a miracle but couldn't make due on their promise then why didn't that magician die that day? He wasn't stoned for his false promise but instead went on to try to baptize himself; that is until the disciple went over and said you can't receive the Spirit just for acts of power alone. It is only by faith and belief that He enters you."
"Sister, I feel that the wine has done a number on you and out of fear you're talking of death because you're afraid that will happen to you if your tongue cannot utter what your brain wants it. Don't be afraid because I believe in you and will share with you words of encouragement. Even if you were to die then relating to the Bible there are over fourteen recounts of people raised from the grave.
In fact Jesus only raised less than half of these people to life although His spirit technically raised all of them. Besides Jesus being the prominent bringer of life the next runner up was Elijah who performed some amazing feats as well. The first was found in 1st Kings 17:17-24. Zarephath's son unexpectedly died while Elijah was staying at her house. She accused him that he brought the wrath of God on her home and told him to get out. Instead he brought her son to the upper room and laid out on the boy's body three times until the boy came back to life. The next comes from 2nd Kings 4:18-37. This story is of Elisha who raised a Shunammite woman's son back to life. Story goes that a woman pleaded with God to grant her a son and when He did several years later the boy complained of a pain in his head and then died. Elisha sent her servant so that his servant could report on the condition and possibly heal him but when that failed Eli went down himself and laid full out on the body. I'm talking mouth to mouth, eye to eye, nostril to nostril and as close as glue to a glue gun can be. There Elisha went to sleep and a few moments later the boy sneezed and came back to life. Just be thankful you are sleeping on a decent enough bed tonight instead of the cold dead body of a little boy. Next we have another 2nd Kings but this time 13:20-21. Here Elisha sadly died. While Elijah was whisped away in a cloud and never succumbed to death, Elisha was not so lucky but her bones still gave power. Moabite raiders attacked Israel while a funeral session was going on. They killed many and stole a man for whatever reasons. The man died while in their clutches and fearing for their own lives the Moabites threw the body in the closest tomb they could find which happened to be Elishas. As soon as the Israelite man's body touched the bones of Elisha; he was brought back to life. I'm sure that the Moabites feared for their life then and there and thought that immortals were real. This man could never die but we may never know the full story of their encounter after his resurrection.
Finally we move to the New Testament. Here we find Luke 7:11-17 awaiting us. Jesus arrives in Israel and a funeral procesion has begun. The funeral is for a Nain's son but once the mothers eyes lock with Jesus' He can't help but start to cry. So he walks up to the coffin; touches it on the side and says, young men get up. There is a time for sleeping and there is a time for work. This young man is not that time. Then the boy raises to life."
"I don't think that's how that story ends but you may continue."
"Thank you. I think the wine has clouded my memory as well. Nevertheless we arrive at Cappernaum in Luke 8:49-56. Here Jarius' 12 year old daughter lays dying in her home and while Jesus is making the journey to her house; she dies. A messeger tells Jesus not to bother anymore but He says nonsense to strangers. He goes; touches her on the hand and says, 'Child wake up. Your room is filthy, there are toys everywhere and you smeel like you need a shower. When your mom says go to your room and clean up, that doesn't mean go to your room and sleep.' So out of trembling she wakes up."
"Maybe you need to lie down. Your memory is starting to fail you."
"I'm fine. There are only a few more I promise. Next is found in John 11:1-44. Here is where Jesus raises his older brother Lazarus from the grave. That must have been a somber reunion because most of His brothers, his mom, and his other closest girl Mary all meet. There they start laying into Him why He hadnt come sooner. If He had then His brother may still be alive. Jesus then goes away to cry and is like Lazarus you best wake up. Mom called you three times already to come downstairs and is now taking her anger out on me for your overtiredness. I say again; wake up this instance or else I'll give my powers to mother and she'll walk in there and grab you by the ear you hear me. Boy, Lazarus wakes up like a pistol and rushes out of his with his bathrobe on and all. His bathrobe falls to the ground but he doesn't care. He says bring it in mi famlia; then he embraces them all in a hug. Next we have Jesus' resurrection Himself which there is no one Bible scripture to reference this. His resurrection is plastered all over the New Testament."
"Are you done yet? I can barely see you with my eyes."
"I have two left…..wait; I forgot a butload. When Jesus died there were earthquakes, lightning, and darkness but when He rose three days later; earthquakes and everything happened again but this time the earthquakes broke a ton of dead graves and they came back to life with Jesus. Almost done. The next one we have is Acts 9:36-42 where Peter raised Tabitha back to life. In the small city of Jappa Tabitha was known as the best of the best. She helped all, cared for all and gave to all but one day she died. Peter went to her mothers house and told Tabitha to wake up and she did. The last one was of Eutychus in Acts 20:7-12. It was during one of Paul's long long loooong speeches in Troas where Eutcyhus sat on the windowsill in the back of the room. He fell asleep like many people do during a speech and then he fell backwards a few stories down to his death. Paul catches Euty falling out of the corner of his eye and Paul stops mid sentence; rushes downstairs and outside to Eutychus' body. There he brings Euty back to life then goes back inside and shares Communion like nothing happened."
"What are your motives here? Are you trying to scare me from giving my speech tomorrow; comfort me in death; wanting me to stay up all night or; oddly enough telling me scary fairy tales in hopes of a good night?"
"To be frank with you I really don't know. I wanted to share and I shared so hopefully that brings you inspiration for your speech tomorrow?"
"How are dead people going to bring me inspiration on getting people to believe in Jesus. Jesus is not dead. He is alive and well even to this day."
"Well Jesus died but was raised from the grave as well. What other god can you say has died and come back to life without the ability of immortality?"
"Wait, hold on a minute. What did you say?"
"Uhmmm Jesus is the only one out of all the gods that has died and has been brought back to life. Why? Is an idea forming in your mind?"
"Something like that. My speech will be talking about the dead. The way is shut. It was made by those who are dead, and the dead keep it; until the time comes. The way is shut."
"You're not making any sense at all, girl. U sure you are ok?"
"I'm totally fine. Just have a lot of thoughts flooding my mind right now. It was a quote by a cool guy above the surface but you probably wouldn't recognize the name."
"Ohh…..k! You have a great night and can't wait until what comes out of that brain of yours in the morning."
"Thanks. Got a lot of writing to do tonight. Thanks for the welcome feast."
"You're welcome. If there is anything, just ask."
"Uh yes, I need paper. Lots and lots and lots of paper plus a butload of pencils. Ohh, and light. I need light."
"I'm afraid to ask."
"Let's just say this is one of those nights where Jesus hits you with something or a super cool idea forms in your mind but you know that once morning strikes; you will lose it."
"Ok. I'll be back."
"Thanks bunches!!"