Jesus is the resurrection and the life

Death is one of the great tragedies of life.

It comes to everyone, we all feel its sorrow at some point.

It was never supposed to be this way.

Death came through the fall.

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

Is there an answer to death?

The worlds answer is to try to live for as long as possible and make death as painless as possible.

Is that as good as it gets?

What if there was someone who can take the sting out of death? What if there was someone who could remove the power of the grave? Who can turn death from something that separates from life to something that actually ushers the person into true life?

Jesus is the one who does this for those who believe in him.

In our passage we have a demonstration that this is what Jesus came to do for those who trust in him.

John’s gospel- 7 signs.

This is the final sign. The greatest sign.

I. Lazarus is dead

a) Lazarus dies

Tell narrative

b) His sisters mourn

v.19 many came to comfort them

v.32,33 Mary weeps at Jesus feet

c) Jesus is touched by human suffering

v.33, 38 He groaned in his spirit- angered by sin, suffering and death.

v.35 He wept- at the effects of sin and human suffering

Proof of true humanity Isa 53:3 A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief

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God is not untouched by our suffering

It isn’t wrong to mourn believers. Jesus knew he would raise him but still wept.

II. Jesus claims the power to raise Lazarus v.23, v.25

a) Lazarus will rise v.23

b) I am the resurrection and he life v.25a

I am- claim to deity.

resurrection-

eternal life-

I am- apart from me there is no resurrection or eternal life

He accomplished this by his own resurrection

i) v.25 b those who believe and die physically will live again- resurrection- I am the resurrection

ii) v.26 those who live spiritually will never face spiritual death- heaven/eternal life- emphatic οὐ μὴ - I am the life

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Do you believe this?

Christian- what hope we have!

Unbeliever- There is only one who can give you hope of eternal life.

III. Lazarus is alive v.39-44

a) unbelief

b) impossible- 4 days v.17, 39

Decomposition v.34 There is a stench.

Some Jew’s believed the soul hovered around the body for 3 days after death, seeking to reenter it. After 3 days they believed death was irreversible. Jesus waited 4 days to prove his power

c) Miracle

Jesus prays to the Father- to demonstrate he came from the Father. v.41-42

Commanded life- Lazarus come forth.

He raised him from the dead. 

He spoke the Lazarus revived.

This is not a resurrection in the proper sense of the word.

Lazarus would have died later in life- perhaps he had died by the time this gospel was written.

what does it prove?

Jesus is the resurrection and the life-

Jesus has power over death

Jesus has power to resurrect his people- certain hope. The dead will one day hear the voice of the Son of God and rise from the dead.

Jesus has power to give eternal life John 5:21

This miracle was a foreshadow of a greater miracle that gave greater proof Jesus’ own resurrection. Which if the cause of our own and the pattern of ours.

Conclusion

There is the well known saying- only two things are certain in life; death and taxes.

The worst of these being death.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus is the one who gives eternal life. He saves from eternal death in hell and gives the certainty of the resurrection.

He has defeated the grave and conquered death. Yes Christians still die, but for them death brings eternal life.

Jesus didn’t just claim this, but he demonstrated it.

He demonstrated it by raising Lazarus from the dead.

But he also gave a more certain demonstration- his own resurrection.

As Christians our relationship to death has changed.

If you are not a Christian you need Christ to give you eternal life before death separates you from God forever.