Message
I AM THE RESURRECTION
John 11:17-46
Key Verse 1:25-26
“25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Just previous to this passage Mary and Martha pleaded with Jesus to come and heal their sick brother Lazarus. But Jesus did not come right away. He stayed where he was two more days. Then, finally, after Lazarus had passed away, Jesus came to help. Why did Jesus delay like this? It was to teach us the point in today’s passage – that Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Part 1. I Am the Resurrection
Let’s begin by reading verses 17 through 19 together.
“17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.”
When arriving at the scene, what kind of environment did Jesus find? Verse 17 says, “On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.” After four days, maybe the original shock of their brother’s death had subsided from Mary and Martha’s hearts. Yet substantial sorrow still lingered. Many Jews were also there trying to comfort the sisters. They said many words “I know it’s hard, but you’ll get through it. But their human comfort and words did not help them. Still, sorrow welled up in their hearts. PAUSE Then, somehow, Martha heard that Jesus was coming so “…she went out to meet him but Mary stayed at home.” What did Martha say to Jesus when she saw Him?
Look at verses 21 and 22. Let’s read these verses together.
“‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.’”
Her words show a change of thought. She was so frustrated and sorrowful over her brother’s death that she rebuked Jesus – “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Then, she struggled to give Jesus some proper respect, and say something positive and spiritual – “But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” WOW! WHAT GREAT WORDS TO HEAR! Jesus’ words were compatible with her hope, her true desire to see Lazarus alive again. Unlike the weak words of condolences, Jesus’ words were full of life, spirit, and power. His words could have changed her sorrowful heart completely. But there was a problem. She did not believe him; so she remained the same. With such unbelief she understood his words only as a theological statement. So she retorted, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day (23). The meaning of her words are, “I believe in a future resurrection, but as for now I must be sorrowful; there’s nothing that can be done.” It is good that she believes in the resurrection promised to come at the last day. But it is not good that she missed the point. When there is no faith to believe, we make everything out to be theological only, and lose out on so much that our Lord has to offer us practically right now. Seeing her pains of sorrow, and her problem of unbelief, Jesus challenged her faith. He gave her very clear and very powerful words of promise in verses 25 and 26.
Look at these verses (25 and 26). Let’s read these verses together.
"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?’”
Before we move on let’s stop and think about Jesus’ words of promise. They are profound and deeper than the ocean. But we cannot just cast them aside because of their difficulty to comprehend. Trust me, my lazy spirit wanted to just set these words aside. But these words are so important for our daily lives, so we have to understand them.
Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” The words “I am” define Jesus’ identity. They also describe a present state of being. They don’t talk about a future time, but indicate the power that Jesus is, and is continuously. Yes that means “now” too. It means he’s not talking about resurrection at the last day as Martha supposed. He’s talking about the power that he is, and thus is for us right now in the present. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. What kind of power is Jesus? He is resurrection power. Resurrection is the greatest power; maybe only to be equaled with creation power. Resurrection power is the power that brings what is dead back to life. Jesus is such power, the power to overcome all of our deadness. Again Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Jesus is also the life. People try with all their might and in very creative ways to find life outside of Jesus. Some seek life through building up their social life – they try to have as many friends as possible, or get themselves involved in as many activities, clubs, etc. as possible. Some look for life in building up their career, trying to make it to a top executive position. They dream of a rich retirement, and think “Yeah, that’d be the life.” Still others put all their hope for life in a guy or a girl. But all methods fail to give them true “life” in the deepest sense of the word. The methods fail because even if they get the thing they sought after, those things have no power to give life in their inner being. Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
The question then is, how can we access this life? Jesus tells us this too! Look at verses 25 and 26 again. “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Jesus make two different points here. First Jesus says, “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” This refers to our existence. Day by day our bodies are wasting away. And physically we all expect to die. But what will happen to those who really believe in Jesus? Jesus says, “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” Even after our physical bodies perish, we will live on spiritually. What about the second part of the verse? “And whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Those who live and believe in Jesus will never die. Never is a strong word. This means we can have an eternal life, which exists now and forever. Jesus is in the process of making everything new and will give us a great new resurrection body in the future. But we should not only think of Jesus’ power to give us this new life in heaven – He has power to give us new life right now too. So if we want to experience this new life right now, what do we have to do? We have to live and believe in Him, or in other words, we have to live in Him and believe in Him. Living and believing in him does not mean that you simply believe Jesus existed as a man; it means that you believe that he is the resurrection and the life, and that you open your hearts to receive him. This is true life. Shepherd Jay, do you believe this? Shepherdess Jennelle, do you believe this? Shepherd Andy, do you believe this? I ask each of you, do you really believe this?
How about Martha? Jesus’ words asked her a clear question, demanding a clear answer – Do you believe this? But look at her answer in verse 27: “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.” Still she was struggling to believe. She didn’t fully believe it, so she skillfully avoided the question and made a different declaration instead. She believed that the resurrection will occur, and she believed that Jesus is the Christ. But these beliefs had no spiritual power to help her deal with her practical life problem of sorrow over her brother’s death. There are many who are like her. They believe in Jesus as the Christ, and they believe in the future resurrection. But they don’t believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, meaning they don’t believe that he can help them overcome their wounds, their scars, and their current sorrows. So they remain sorrowful and hurt, shedding continuous tears, waiting only for the resurrection at the last day. The resurrection at the last day should be our greatest hope, but if we don’t believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life right here and right now, and don’t come to him, we miss out, and bear all our problems all on our own. Let’s believe in Jesus, our resurrection and life and really come to Him with our whole hearts. Now let’s take a look at Mary.
Look at verses 28 through 32.
“28And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Jesus wanted to see Mary too, so Martha went to their home and called her, saying, “The Teacher is here, and is asking for you.” So she got up quickly to go meet him. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Because of death Mary’s heart was also full of fatalism and sorrow that wouldn’t go away. Death is man’s greatest enemy, making all people cry eventually. Only in Jesus can we be victorious over such sorrow, because only in Jesus is their victory even over death. What did Jesus think about all of this?
Look at verses 33 through 37. Let’s read these responsively as well. I’ll begin.
“33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34“Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35Jesus wept. 36Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
When Jesus saw this crowd of people weeping, his heart was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Jesus knew that Mary and Martha loved Lazarus very much. But he was troubled when he saw that their love caused them tremendous sorrow. The unbelieving environment was overwhelming to Jesus, and his heart was greatly burdened. Finally Jesus asked, “Where have you laid him?” On route to the tomb “Jesus wept.” There were many times that Jesus could have wept during his years of ministry. When he was persecuted and hounded nearly everywhere he went by the Pharisees or when his disciples sinned against him. Further still, he knew he would soon go to the cross. But never in any of the gospel accounts does Jesus weep for his own sufferings. This verse 35 is the shortest verse in the Bible, yet it is one of the most profound. It teaches us that Jesus weeps when we harden our hearts and remain unbelieving. Jesus weeps when we are perishing under the power of death, and are stuck there because of unbelief. He knows all the consequences we suffer due to our unbelief, so our unbelief is what makes our precious Jesus weep the most.
Part 2. You will see the glory of God
Look at verses 38 through 40. Let’s read these verses together.
“38Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days. 40Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”
Finally Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone laid across the entrance. Upon his arrival he gave out orders: “Take away the stone.” But Martha responded, “But, Lord…by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” This reveals her nature of being a worry-wart. But mostly this reveals her wavering faith. She loved her brother Lazarus. Of course she would like to see Lazarus alive again. But because of her unbelief, she wasn’t sure whether it was a good idea to remove the stone. If they did, and no miracle happened then the bad odor would come out and permeate the air. When our faith is wavering, our greatest temptation like Martha is to avoid the situation completely. But Jesus rebukes us regarding this unbelieving idea. He says, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God.” Jesus asks us to repent of avoiding the situation. He asks us to take action and challenge the situation by faith. He asks us to believe so that we can see the glory of God. To see glory has to do with seeing beauty, splendor, or something magnificent. But only by believing can we see this.
Look at verses 41 through 44. Let’s read these verses responsively. I’ll begin.
“41So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
In hearing Jesus’ rebuke Martha repented of her unbelief. My guess is that she then participated with a few others to roll the stone away. Then Jesus prayed a prayer of thanks out loud for the benefit of the people standing there, that they may believe that God sent Jesus to do this work. After Jesus said this, he raised his voice and said, “Lazarus, come out!” (pause and speak slowly) Then, Lazarus, the man who had been dead for over 4 days, came out staggering, trying to find his sense of direction, and not fall over. Finally, Jesus gave orders to the joyful bystanders, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” All sorrows were wiped away, and chills of joy flowed through their hearts and veins. Probably Mary and Martha leaped for joy before going over to hug their resurrected brother. It was one of the most exciting moments in all of history. [PAUSE] But not everyone shared their joy.
Look at verses 45 and 46. Let’s read these final two verses altogether.
45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.”
Here we learn that seeing miracles alone is not enough for us to open our hearts to Jesus. Some believed but some didn’t. We must truly repent of unbelief, and make a decision to open our hearts to Jesus. If we do, our Lord Jesus will work in us, helping our faith to grow more and more solid. But if we don’t open our hearts we could end up being the very ones who persecute the ministry of Jesus Christ, as some did here. Let us open our hearts fully to Jesus this morning. Let’s make a decision to believe and truly accept Jesus as the resurrection and the life!
In preparing this message I was reminded of the great benefits found in looking to Jesus as my resurrection and (my) life daily. Like Martha, I believe with confidence in the resurrection of the last day and I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. But He hasn’t been the primary one I’ve gone to for daily resurrection and life. In the past I had a problem with depression. In order to overcome it I tried listening to my favorite songs; I tried sleeping a lot, eating a lot, crying a lot, taking long walks outside, etc. But no matter what I did I couldn’t overcome my depressed spirit. Then one day Luke 11:13 came to me: “13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” So I asked God for the Holy Spirit and at that moment he filled me with joy. My depression was gone and my spirit was restored. It’s the greatest moment of resurrection I’ve experienced. I haven’t experienced a long time of depression like that ever since. But my spirit does get down from time to time, especially in frustrating circumstances of life. As time has gone on I have looked more and more for alternative solutions to find resurrection and life. Sometimes I’ve tried to find life in spending a lot of time with my wonderful wife. It helps some, but she’s not the power of resurrection and life. Sometimes I think that more money through a career will bring me more life. And sometimes I rely on time ticking by to restore my spirit rather than going directly to Jesus. In short what I did was try to find resurrection and life on my own. But Jesus is the resurrection and life. He’s the one who’s helped me before and He’s the one who’s helping me now. Yes Lord, I believe that you are my resurrection and my life. You’re the one I will strive to go to daily.
One Word: Jesus is the resurrection and the life.