Jesus "i Am The Resurrection And The Life" Series

Key Opening Verses: John 11:25, 26: "Jesus said to her, '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. Do you believe this?"

Introduction:

The Question of the day: “Do you believe this statement from Jesus? That He is the Resurrection and the life and you will not die but live even though you die?”

Illustration Story: The promise of eternal life and being sent off with a song:

Kathy was working out last week at our hotel in Shipshewana with a devote Christian elderly lady in her 80’s who was also working out. They got to talking about their parents passing and the lady shared with her this amazing story. When her day was passing on from here to eternity, he shared a vision with her of all his children singing to him as he passed. So, when the time came for him to go home to be with Jesus, she gathered all the family in his hospital room – it was a challenge to get them all there. But she did! Her dad had been comatose for days, but all the brothers and sisters gathered in the hospital room anyway and started singing, “It is well with my soul!’ When they reached the second chorus her dad started singing it with them and then the miracle happened. They finished the song and their dad passed!

Wow! What a way to go to heaven and face eternal life with all your family sending you off with a song! What a way to understand what Jesus meant when he 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. Do you believe this?"

Back to the question of the day “Do you really believe this???”

Can I be honest with you? I really don’t think all Christian believe this! Why would I say this you ask, “Because of the way people live their lives – how they seem to take Jesus for granted – how they view the Bible and church!” How so many fear death and don’t want to die!

John the apostle wants us to really believe Jesus is who he said He was “The Great I Am! “

T.S. - The Gospel of John’s key verse keeps reminding us of this John 20:31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

I. The message of the Gospel of John is crystal clear!

a. The Gospel of John and Jesus’ “I AM” statements reveal that Christ is the God of the Old Testament and He is the Promised Messiah the Jews were looking for. He was from the beginning and He will be there for us in the end because He is the great "I Am", He is the living Word manifested in the flesh.

i. Revelation 1:8 states, “I am the Alpha and Omega, “says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

ii. I am the beginning and the end – Jesus said this to wake us up – to who He is!

b. The Gospel of John emphasizes the deity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. No other Gospel portrays more clearly His humanity, nor does any other assert so directly the prerogatives of (HIS) deity (198, Tenney).