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I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. John 1. 25,26.
Jesus’ Greatest Saying
In John's Gospel Jesus makes some remarkable claims about himself in the ‘I am’ sayings.
However, nothing compares in its audacity to ‘I am the resurrection and the life’.
Jesus’ boldest claim is that ‘I am the resurrection’ – life after death is related to me and me alone and ‘I am the life’ - life now, true life is found only in me.
Put these words into the mouth of any other person than Jesus and they are bold, arrogant, absurd, laughable! Or as C.S. Lewis famously put it, 'mad, bad or God'!
How can one person claim that they and they alone are the secret to life after death and the secret to real living now! In any other person these words are foolish and dangerous. But Jesus backs up his words with his actions.
Jesus’ Greatest Sign
Just before Jesus went up to Jerusalem to face his death he was summoned to Bethany to heal the brother of Mary, Lazarus. He makes an incredibly bold claim – This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it. 11.4
We’re told that he loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus. In spite of that, Jesus delays going to Bethany by two whole days and Lazarus dies. When they arrive in Bethany, they discover that Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. Many have come from Jerusalem to comfort Mary and Martha.
Martha comes to Jesus and says – If you had come to him, he wouldn’t have died and yet she somehow believes that God could use Jesus if he wants! Jesus says – ‘Your brother will rise again’. He then declares, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. 11.25,26
A breathtaking and audacious claim. Resurrection and life are found in him and him alone.
Martha sends word to Mary and she and her many companions come out to be with Jesus on the edge of the village. All are in a state of deep grief and so they go to the tomb.
We then have the shortest verse in the Bible. ‘Jesus wept’! As the people comment ‘see how he loved him.’ Jesus, still deeply moved, instructs that the stone be rolled back. Jesus prays to his father and then with no other words than ‘Lazarus come out!’ the dead man came out!
Jesus raising of Lazarus was but a sign of the greater sign to come. At Easter we celebrated both his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. Lazarus lived again but would go on to die a physical death. Jesus died, rose again and ascended into glory. He sits in his resurrection body at the right-hand side of the Father and is interceding for us in
We rejoice and celebrate the greater sign - the resurrection of Jesus himself!
Jesus conquered death and demonstrated for all time that he is who he claimed to be - the Son of God - and this was supremely seen in his resurrection from the dead. Jesus had done all that needed to be done in dying on the cross, but death couldn't hold him down and three days later he was alive and made his dramatic appearances to his disciples.
Jesus was the resurrection and the life - he could not only say it and demonstrate it in the raising of Lazarus, but he could do it in himself! Jesus is still the resurrection and the life today! As Jesus raised Lazarus and was raised himself, he promises that you and I can experience the same miracle today! Jesus offers us a double miracle - Eternal Life! Now!
Eternal Life! Now!
When you put your trust in Jesus your resurrection life starts now. You don't have to wait until you die physically to experience a resurrected life in Jesus. Jesus gives us new life now, and this new life goes on into eternity!
How does Jesus do it?
When you truly believe that Jesus is the Lord of life and that you can’t keep on living your own life without him, then Jesus comes and resurrects you! Once you didn't know Jesus - it was as if you were dead to him. But now he becomes alive to you and you're alive to him. It's the beginning of a new relationship that goes on into all eternity!
Eternity, that is, friendship with Jesus, starts now and goes on forever.
More than that this new relationship with Jesus will transform your life now. When you get to know Jesus, you get in touch with the expert in life, after all Jesus helped put life together in the first place. Jesus through his Holy Spirit is seeking to renew and transform you. We share this together in the community of God’s people.
When we do ultimately face our physical death, we have the assurance that we will be raised and will share all eternity with Christ and God’s people. In that sense we never die.
Jesus said – ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.’
As Jesus said to Martha -
Do you believe this?
If you believe, then you experience a resurrected life now!
Eternal life that starts today and goes on forever!
Bishop Stephen Hale
EFAC
