“I am Resurrection and the Life” - John 11:25
This is the final message in the “I AM” series. Jesus has described Himself as the “Bread of Life”, the “Light of the world”, “the Door”, “the Good Shepherd”, “the Way, the Truth and the Life” “The True Vine”, and “the Alpha and Omega”. Here He says, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
He spoke these words to Martha before raising Lazarus from the dead. No doubt many had come to see Martha, hugged and kissed her and said, “Your brother will rise again”. She had probably lost track of the number of times she heard it as she stood by the coffin and at the tomb of her brother Lazarus. And now Jesus comes along and said the same thing “Your brother will rise again.” Vs.23…
As she was choking back her tears, she says, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day” Vs.24 but that would be a long way off - and didn’t give her much comfort at that moment.
Then Jesus says, “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” The resurrection was not a long way off as she thought the resurrection was standing right in front of her.
I. I Am the Resurrection
Have you ever thought how the resurrection of the Lord differed from other raisings from the dead that we find in the Bible? Most have probably not given that much thought, because it may not seem relevant, but it is.
Have you ever wondered what Paul meant when he said in 1 Corinthians 15:20 that “Christ is risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” – Why would he say that when there are earlier records of people being brought back to life in both the Old and New Testaments. For example:
1. Elijah raised the son of the Zarephath widow from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-22).
2. Elisha raised the son of the Shunammite woman from the dead (2 Kings 4:32-35).
3. A man was raised from the dead when his body touched Elisha’s bones (2 Kings 13:20, 21).
4. Many saints rose from the dead at the resurrection of Jesus (Matt. 27:50-53).
5. Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain from the dead (Luke 7:11-15).
6. Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead (Luke 8:41, 42, 49-55).
7. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44).
8. Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36-41).
9. And Eutychus was raised from the dead by Paul (Acts 20:9, 10).
How did their raisings differ from that of Jesus? Well the answer lies in the fact that in each instance, the person raised died again. Jesus’ resurrection was unique. When he was raised, he did not die again – he ascended into heaven and lives today. Jesus was not only raised from the dead He is the resurrection of the dead. His resurrection proves His word is true.
His resurrection proves that He is the Son of God (Rom. 1:4) Salvation is completed and His sacrifice accepted (Rom. 4:24-5) Believers can live holy lives (Rom. 6:4) We have an intercessor in glory (Rom. 8:34) He is Lord (Rom. 14:9) He will one day come to judge the earth and the works thereof (Acts 17:31) The dead will one day be raised (John 5:24-9)
If He be not risen we have no hope… 1 Corinthians 15:12-22…I know there are skeptics out there and they deny His resurrection, there are people that say His resurrection cannot be proven and anybody that believes it is a fool. But did you know there is more evidence for His resurrection than there is for most court cases?
How many believe that Timothy McVeigh was guilty of the OKC bombing? Did you know no witnesses watched Timothy McVeigh load explosives into a Ryder rental truck, drive the vehicle to the front of the federal building in Oklahoma City, detonate the bomb. Yet he was convicted of that crime.
While not one of the 137 people called to the witness stand had seen McVeigh commit the crime. A businessman said McVeigh rented a Ryder truck, a friend said McVeigh talked about bombing the building out of anger against the government, and a scientist said McVeigh’s clothes contained a residue of explosives when he was arrested. All adding up to a convincing web of evidence from which McVeigh was unable to release himself.
Many have denied the resurrection of Christ because they did not see His resurrected body for themselves. They say there is not enough evidence to prove it. Yet, there is more evidence that Christ is risen, than there is that McVeigh is guilty of the bombing.
1. The Bible tells us that the risen Lord was seen 1st by 2 women, Peter, John, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, 10 apostles, Thomas, by more than 500 brethren, James, and finally by Paul.
2. That alone is more evidence than they had against McVeigh. But the resurrection is also confirmed by the change in the attitude of the believers of Christ. On the day of the trial they were afraid of any hint of trouble. But after the resurrection they were bold in their witness. Acts 4:6-20…
3. It is also confirmed by the growth of the Christian church. Both Jew & gentile denied Christ on the day He was crucified, but thousands were added to the church on the day of Pentecost after hearing Peter preach about the resurrection of Christ.
4. No one has ever been able to find the body of Christ. You would think that when the disciples began to preach about His resurrection that the religious leaders would have produced His body to prove that He was still dead, but they couldn’t because His body wasn’t there.
5. The greatest evidence is that Christ lives within every believer.
II. I am the Life
Story: A Muslim in Africa became a Christian and some of his friends asked him why. He said, “Well, it is like this: suppose you were going down a road and suddenly the road forked in two directions. And you didn’t know which way to go. If you met two men at the fork – one dead and one alive – which one would you ask to show you the way?”
Muslims and other cults serve a dead lord… Romans 1:18-25… But as Christians we serve a living savior. He loves us, guides us, strengthens us, enables us, comforts us, etc. because He lives…
Not only does He live, He is the source of life. He is our creator, redeemer, and our sustainer. “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” – Vs.26… BECAUSE HE LIVES>>>
Conclusion: Isn’t it comforting to KNOW that when this old body will die, our spirit will live on. It must have been comforting for Martha to have Lazarus back, but that was only for a short time, he would die again physically, but because spiritually he will have a new body, incorruptible, immortal.
