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Jesus: The Resurrection and the Life

By James Jeffery

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

A number of years ago, I resolved to walk through a cemetery at least once a year. The idea was to keep me aware of the fact that I will one day die, and my body will be laid in a grave. Unless God intervenes, I cannot prevent the reality of my impending death.

My commitment to visiting a cemetery was driven by my desire to live a life that matters here on earth. After all, nothing is more sobering than realising that billions of others have lived before me and now lie silent in the grave.

While I have not religiously stuck to my resolution (I just made an annual calendar alert to ensure it happens from now on!), death is something I think about quite often. Given that I now work as a chaplain in a nursing home, I come face to face with death more often than I would like.

As they say, there are only two things you can be sure of in life: death and taxes.

Death is the reality we must all face, whether we like it or not. It reminds us that we are not in control of our destinies as we often imagine. The Bible says that death is our great enemy. Yet, death is not the final word.

This week, we come to the fifth of Jesus’ ‘I Am’ statements in John’s gospel. Perhaps one of the boldest claims in the Bible, Jesus declares, ‘I am the resurrection and the life.’ Jesus declared that whoever believes in Him will receive resurrection hope. In the face of death — whether you are young or old — there is no greater promise to embrace than that of resurrection life in Jesus Christ.

Understanding the Context

In John 11:1, we learn that Lazarus — Mary and Martha’s brother — was terminally ill. The two sisters called for Jesus, because they knew He loved them and had the power to heal Lazarus.

By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been cold dead for four days (11:17). His heart had stopped beating and his body had begun to decompose. In spite of this, Jesus declared to Martha, ‘Your brother will rise again’ (11:23). Jesus didn’t stop here. He said to Martha, ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ that will revive Lazarus’ corpse.

Facing the tomb, Jesus exclaimed, ‘Lazarus, come out’ (11:43). Immediately, Lazarus — bound with linen strips and a cloth over his face — began to breathe and walked out of the tomb. Jesus did something no man had ever did before. He had brought a man back from the dead.

What does this mean for us today?

First, we are reminded of Jesus’ love and compassion. Although He knew that Lazarus would be raised from the dead, Jesus was ‘deeply moved’ at the sight of his dead body. We read that ‘Jesus wept’ (11:35) when He encountered His friend’s lifeless body in the tomb. Jesus does not distance Himself from those who are suffering; He draws near to us.

Second, Jesus truly has the power to raise the dead. No other religious leader in history has ever raised someone from the dead. When Jesus raised Lazarus, He demonstrated that He alone has the authority over life and death. If you want to have resurrection hope after death, you must come to Jesus who is the resurrection and the life. There is no other way to receive this hope.

Finally, consider the invitation to believe. After declaring that He is the resurrection and the life, Jesus asked Martha, ‘Do you believe this?’ This is the question Jesus asks all of us. In response to the miracle, many believed in Jesus (11:45). However, others who had witnessed Jesus’ power rejected Him and reported Him to the authorities.

Responding to Jesus

Will you entrust yourself to Jesus? Just as He raised Lazarus, so He will raise those who trust in Him. There is only one way to die in peace, and that is to trust in Jesus Christ. Trust is not merely a matter of intellect, but of casting yourself upon Christ as the Saviour of sinners.

Those who trust in Jesus have no need to fear death. As pastor Steve Lawson once said, “If you have only been born once, you will die twice, but if you are born twice, you will only die once.” If you trust in the Saviour, allow this reality to cast out all fear, anxiety, and doubt about death, for not even the grave can separate you from His love.   

Outside of Christ, there is no resurrection hope, only the fearful expectation of God’s judgment (Hebrews 10:27). If this describes you, repent and trust in Jesus today, with the confidence He is a merciful Saviour who will forgive you of all your sins.

At the end of His life, American evangelist D.L. Moody (1837-1899) said:

“Some day you will read in the papers that D.L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t believe a word of it! At that moment, I shall be more alive than I am now. I shall have gone up higher, that is all; gone out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal, a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint, a body like unto His own glorious body. I was born of the flesh in 1837. I was born of the Spirit in 1856. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit will live forever.”

The same is true for all those who put their hope in Jesus who is the resurrection and the life.

Closing Prayer

Dear Father,

We praise You for blessing us with hope beyond the grave through the resurrection of Your Son. So often, we are tempted to lose hope because of the death and suffering that surround us. Holy Spirit, give us faith to trust in Your promises, and comfort us to remember that death is not the end.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.