Jesus: The Great I Am - Resurrection and Life

I have repeatedly emphasized the significance of Jesus saying in John 8:58: “before Abraham was, I Am.”

By making that statement Jesus is stating unequivocally that He is God.

Not like God.

Not equal to God — God.

So, John 8:58 gives us the foundation for another 8 “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John.

Statements that reveal who He is to us.

John 20:30–31 (NIV) Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

The 7 miracles, the 9 “I Am” statements, the 12 unique discourses all lead us to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and through believing we have life in His Name.

The “I Ams” of the Gospel of John:

Which total 9 when you count the original John 8:58 passage

The 9 “I AM” statements of John’s gospel are:

“I am” (8:58)

2. “I am … the bread of life” (6:35).

3. “I am … the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5).

4. “I am … the gate” (10:7, 9).

5. “I am … the good shepherd” (10:11).

6. “I am … the resurrection and the life” (11:25).

7. “I am … the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).

8. “I am … the true vine” (15:1).

9. “I am … the Messiah” (4:26 NLT)

Last week we looked at the 5th “I am” from John’s Gospel:

Last week I talked about a video I had seen of a shepherd being attacked by a sheep.

Video

I wonder how many treat Jesus this way?

May God help us to honor Jesus as the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us.

But tonight, let’s go on and look at the 6th “I am” from John’s Gospel: “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25).

John 11:17–28 (LSB) So when Jesus came, He found that [Lazarus] had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away; 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them about their brother. 20 Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 “But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One who comes into the world.” 28 And when she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

Disappointment

Disappointment in our relationship with God is something that every Christian has had to deal with.

It comes from our failure to understand that God’s ways are not our ways.

A failure to understand: Isaiah 55:8–9 (NLT) [Where God says… ]“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

This failure in understanding causes Christians

to lose faith,

get angry

and sometimes stay angry with God and even go so far as to break off their relationship with God.

Sometimes this hurt and anger can be directed at God and His messenger as it was here.

Mary, Martha and Lazarus were all very good friends of Jesus and were big supporters of His ministry.

Yet, all that good will and support suddenly changed when Lazarus took sick and died.

Jesus did not respond to an urgent request to be at Lazarus side while he was sick.

Instead Jesus purposely stayed away waiting until Lazarus died and then He waited a further two days before setting out to Lazarus funeral.

Bethany was only a few miles walk from Ephraim where Jesus was staying but Jesus waited and showed up four days late.

John 11:3–4 (LSB) So the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

This logic of Jesus makes no sense to the Disciples nor to us but there is eternal purpose in it.

Though we cannot see it or understand it there is eternal purpose in our waiting on God as well.

When Jesus did arrive he was met first by Martha’s strange greeting. Mary ignored His arrival entirely and stayed inside the house.

Martha’s greeting to Jesus is almost accusatory… “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.

Your Brother Will Rise Again

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Martha knows her Bible and mentions that Lazarus will live again once “The Great Resurrection of the Dead” occurs.

But Jesus tells her that day is today for Lazarus.

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” John 11:27

It seems (to me) that Martha gives Jesus a perfunctory, “Sure, Sure. I know You are Messiah. But that doesn’t change the fact that my brother is dead and buried.”

And she leaves.

Having said this Martha goes back to the house and tells her sister Mary that Jesus wants to see her.

Mary’s hurt and disillusionment seems to have run deeper than Martha’s.

Maybe that is why she did not run to meet Jesus when He arrived and instead waited for Him to call to her.

She was the one that sat at Jesus’ feet when we first meet Mary and Martha:

Luke 10:38–42 (LSB) Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the preparations alone? Then tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things, 42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Mary seemed so close to Jesus.

When Jesus visited, Mary hung on every word.

Now those words seem like ash.

“He healed others. Why didn’t He come and heal my brother? Why?”

She greets Jesus with the same veiled accusation that Martha used but John tells us that Mary falls to Jesus feet as she cries… “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

In verse 33 we read that Jesus sees her weeping.

And in verse 35 we read the shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept.

Jesus weeps with her.

Friends Jesus weeps with all of us when we experience the death of a loved one.

This is the rule rather than the exception.

Our God is not immune or ambivalent about such pain and loss instead He shares it.

God is not a respecter of persons.

God grieves over every one that dies.

Sinner and Saint alike. John 3:16 bears out this truth.

Come Forth

Saints, Jesus arrives in our lives as “The Resurrection and the Life” willing and ready

To resurrect hope that has died

To give us life beyond the grave of our disappointments.

Jesus stands ready to heal our broken souls and heal our hearts.

In our text, Jesus validates His claim of being the Resurrection and the Life by walking over to the tomb and ordering it opened.

Then Jesus calls out “Lazarus come forth”

Invite Jesus Into Your Life

Saints invite Jesus into the hurt of your life today, let Him order the stones to be rolled away so that you can step out of that place of mourning and death and into His love and light.

Jesus is the only one who can reach deep enough into your soul so as to revive it like He revived Lazarus.

His voice is the voice of life.

His voice is the voice that penetrates into the darkest of places in life and draws us towards the life that only He can give us.

A restored life, a new life, a restored hope, a new and eternal faith that leads to eternal life.

No it is not an easy life but it is a rewarding life.

Colossians 1:11–14 (NLT) We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Let Jesus’ voice strengthen you here and now.

Jesus can birth TRUE life into us, right before the eyes of our loved ones and friends.

Jesus can restore the relationships that have died and give you back to those who long to embrace you.

Hear His call and be drawn to His gift of everlasting life.

Believe in Jesus today and let Him command the stones be removed that separate you from the life He gives.