I AM the Resurrection and the Life

Message Title: I AM the Resurrection and the Life

Message Series: The Great I Am (#9)

Text: John 11:17-27

Date: Sunday, April 12th, 2020

Welcome

Good morning friends. Greetings to all of you joining us online this morning, whether you’re here in the Lansing area, or somewhere further away. I’m so glad you found us, and I encourage you to let us know you’re with us this morning by leaving a comment for us on whatever livestream platform you’re using: Facebook, Youtube, or our CCV Website. In addition, if you’re visiting with us and not a regular attender of our worship gatherings, we do now have an online Connection Card available for you to fill out. We’d love to be able to follow up on your visit with us today, if you’ll just take a moment to fill that card out online and submit it. You can find it at HYPERLINK "ccvine.org/connect" ccvine.org/connect.

Also, one quick reminder for all of you tuning in this morning. At the end of our worship service today we will be having a virtual time of communion. So if you haven’t already prepared for that, please be sure to find some bread and juice before the time comes.

2020 Vision Recap

This year (2020) CCV aims to get positioned for greatness

in the kingdom of God by embracing the mindset of humility

and the actions of servanthood that Jesus exemplified for us.

Intro to Worship

1 Corinthians 15:3-6. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.

Worship Set: Micah

Congregational Prayer: Kevin

Children's Message Video: Lydia

Scripture Reading: John 11:17-27

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

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.”

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?”

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

Message Intro:

Alright my friends, if you're just tuning in with us, over the last 2 months or so we've studied and learned from the first five of Jesus' seven great I Am statements from the Gospel of John:

Jesus said, "I Am the Bread of Life".

Jesus said, "I Am the Light of the World."

Jesus said, "I Am the Gate for the Sheep."

Jesus said, "I Am the Good Shepherd."

Jesus said, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

That brings us to number six of the seven, found in John 11:25, where Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.”

We timed that out well just for this morning, don't you think!?

But let me tell you, after 20 years of preaching on Resurrection Sunday, while the message of new life in Christ never gets old, it does get trickier to think of creative ways to tell the story. So here's an idea that I first heard about years ago from a good friend of mine, but I decided it would be better to just tell you about it than to try to pull it off myself.

Illustration: Scott’s Shock Value Message

Now just imagine this scene. Imagine in your mind's eye someone popping up out of a casket to proclaim the good news of Jesus' resurrection. In some places, like the Red Light District of Amsterdam, shock value has some power to it!

But my friend Scott was only acting as if he's been resurrected.

If you want some serious shock value, imagine having a real life conversation with Lazarus after he popped out of the grave!

What would you ask him?

Friends, with that thought in mind, let me take you with me on a journey of the mind and imagination this morning. For the next little while, let's just pretend that we could actually transport ourselves back in time and be present at the resurrection of Lazarus. Will you try that with me?

If you will, I trust you'll discover there are some profound insights to be discovered from this story.

So just close your eyes for a moment - but don't fall asleep - so that you can picture yourself in this scene as I describe it:

The destination of our journey this morning is a sleepy little village known as Bethany, on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives. It's only about 2 miles outside of Jerusalem, so just an hour or so of walking up and over the Mount of Olives would bring you from Bethany past the Garden of Gethsemane and up to the Temple Mount. For this reason, when he visited Jerusalem Jesus would often stay in Bethany at the home of his friends Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus... where things were quieter and friendlier than in the big city.

But on this occasion, Jesus didn't head directly to Mary and Martha's home. For Martha went out to meet him on the road before he even arrived at the city gates. Based on the exclamation she made when he finally arrived, you can imagine Martha's emotions were a mix of grief and disappointment. There was no "Shalom" or "Good to see you." Verse 21 simply puts it like this:

"Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

Now, let's just pause right here for a moment to think about the implication of those words. I don't know about you, but I see two things at play here. First, I see some frustration and disappointment, but then, on a brighter note, I also see some faith.

The question on Martha's mind, and perhaps on some of ours, is what took Jesus so long to get there? Clearly, Martha is thinking it didn't have to turn out like this. She had faith that if Jesus had only arrived sooner, Lazarus would still be alive, for Jesus certainly could have healed him.

What Martha didn't know of course, is that on this particular occasion Jesus took his time, and was late on purpose. And there's a beautiful insight here that I believe is relevant for all of us:

Message Point 1: The timing and purpose of Jesus is always better than we can imagine.

You see, Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to come quickly. As John 11:3 indicates, they even sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick, hoping that he would sense their urgency and make it there as soon as possible. So the fact that Lazarus lay in the tomb for 4 days before Jesus finally arrived was quite a mystery to them. Surely they must wondered what in the world could have taken him so long to get there.

Yet, Jesus was in no hurry. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, verse 6 tells us that he stayed right where he was for two more days, before gathering his disciples to leave for Judea. And to complicate things even further, when the message arrived Jesus was ministering to people beyond the Jordan River, a journey of several days on foot from Bethany.

So think of it like this: If on day one Mary and Martha sent their messenger, Jesus wouldn't have received the message until day three or so. Then he waited two more days to depart, on day five. If it took him three days of hiking to get there, that means Lazarus would have died on the day before Jesus left. In other words, even if he'd left right away it's doubtful he would have made it in time. But Jesus waited for good reason. Are you ready for this? Jesus waited precisely because he wanted to make sure Lazarus was good and dead. Not just mostly dead, like the dread pirate Roberts, truly dead.

Friends, listen, the point of this exasperating delay was that Jesus simply didn't have the same urgency because Jesus didn't have the same purpose in mind. Jesus knew full well, in advance, that he was meant to raise Lazarus from the dead, not prevent him from dying in the first place. He knew it! So he took his time getting there on purpose.

Have you ever wanted something urgently, only to discover that the LORD had an entirely different purpose in mind than you did?

Have you ever thought God was late, only to learn that he was really right on time?

On this occasion, Jesus wasn’t late. He had a divine appointment to show up right when he did, at the opportune moment to resurrect Lazarus with the greatest impact possible.

Illustration: The Divine Appointment -

A divine Appointment is a moment divinely orchestrated by God for the accomplishment of his purposes in our lives.

So remember this: When it comes to keeping time, God doesn't have a watch on. He's not on Chronos time... he's on Kairos time!

Chronos time is chronological or sequential time… the time most of us live by from day to day. It refers to minutes and seconds. It refers to time as a measurable resource.

Kairos time, on the other hand, signifies a proper or opportune time for action. It’s an appointed time. Kairos time is God's perfect time to accomplish his perfect purposes. Jesus always operated on kairos time. He was always tuned in to what the Father wanted him to do.

Now why was Jesus so intent on waiting for Lazarus to die well before he arrived? I've hinted at it already, but this question brings us to the declaration Jesus made in verse 25:

Ref. John 11:25 "I am the resurrection and the life."

In fact, this statement actually reveals to us the essence of why Jesus waited to arrive on the scene.

Message Point 2: Jesus intended to show who he really was through Lazarus’ resurrection.

Did you notice that Jesus actually made this statement before he raised Lazarus up, not after the fact? He made it as an announcement to Martha, though I expect the disciples were listening in. But he made it even before he arrived at the tomb.

Here again, activate your imagination and picture the scene: He's just arrived at the city gate, without a chance to wash his feet from the long dusty hike. But with a deep sense of purpose and confidence in his eyes and in his voice, Jesus responded to Martha's frustrated questions and comments something like this:

She said: Lord, what took you so long... if you would have been here sooner Lazarus wouldn't have died.

And he said, without missing a beat: Martha, your brother will rise again.

Then she said: I know, I know, at the last day of course he will eventually be resurrected. I do believe that.

And he said: Martha, you don't get it. I am the resurrection and the life... in other words, I'm not talking about later. I'm talking about now!

Again, my friends, the whole point of this incredible story is that Jesus knew exactly what he was meant to do in advance. And then he did it.

Jesus wasn't surprised by Lazarus untimely death. He expected it. He saw it coming. And that's because he was so in touch with what the Father wanted him to do that he realized this was the perfect opportunity to illustrate his resurrection power.

Now, let me point out two significant facts about this.

First, I want you to know that when Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life", he wasn't just talking about what was about to happen to Lazarus. I believe he was also foreshadowing his own resurrection, and ours as well.

Jesus didn't just do resurrections now and then to extend someone's days on earth.

Jesus is resurrection, and Jesus is eternal life.

So here's the point of connection between Lazarus' resurrection and Jesus' own resurrection. Jesus was giving his followers a prophetic illustration. He was showing them in advance that he held ultimate power over death itself. In so doing, I'm convinced he was preparing them for his own resurrection. He was building their faith and their expectation... and thereby bringing them into a deeper awareness of his purposes.

And that brings me to the second fact, which is more personal for us.

Listen: Do you realize that because Jesus is resurrection, Jesus is also the hope of our resurrection. So this story in John 11 doesn't just foreshadow Jesus' own resurrection. It also point forward to ours. It tells us and shows us that one of the primary purposes for which Jesus came to earth was to release his resurrection power over death.

Illustration: Face to Face With Death's Finality

I was there just moments after this young man passed from this life into the next. That's the closest I've ever come to seeing death happen.

And I remember being struck by what seemed to be the finality of it. Yet, I knew that death holds no true power over those who are in Christ Jesus, the resurrection and the life.

I love the way the Apostle Paul puts it when he describes this reality in 1 Corinthians 15. He states it as a joyful and powerful declaration!

Ref. 1 Corinthians 15:16-21. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

Now, with that truth ringing in your thoughts, let me bring you to one final insight from this story.

Message Point 3: To believe in Jesus is to receive his resurrection life!

My friends, this is the most amazing truth about the good news, or gospel of Jesus Christ. There's no doubt that theology can be complicated and tricky business. And we can come up with all sorts of analytical objections to Christianity if we really want to. But the bare essence always comes back to a very simple choice that each person has to make: Do we, or do we not, believe in Jesus? Do we or do we not trust him with our lives?

If there's someone listening to me this morning that has never made that choice... never answered those questions for themselves... then let me implore you to listen closely for the next few moments, and really consider the simplicity and beauty of what Jesus offers you.

To see what I'm describing for you, we have to return to the text, and notice what Jesus says next, after he declares himself to be the resurrection and life. And then we have to take particular notice of Martha's response.

Here's the interchange just as John records it:

Ref. John 11:25-27 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?”

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

Ok... so let's get right to the heart of Jesus' statement first. He said this: Whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?

Let me explain here what he meant, especially for those of you who may be thinking, 'What did he mean we'll never die? How could that possibly be? Everybody still dies, don't they?

Yes, they do, in the sense that everyone will die physically. No body here, no matter how strong or beautiful it may appear to be, was built to last for eternity. If you haven't noticed, ageing is still a thing. As one senior citizen I heard put it rather comically, "I'm old. And that means I got parts layin on other parts, and everything's goin' down."

But here's the hope we have in Christ. No, we don’t all die, in the sense that not everyone will die spiritually.

You see, the problem is with our thinking when we presume that the body is the most important part of who we are. It's not.

The most important part of who we really are, according to Scripture, is the human soul given eternal life by the Holy Spirit.

The body is like a tent, Paul says, that just wears out over time. But the human soul is the true essence of our being. And when the soul is inhabited by the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised it would be for those who believe in him, the soul becomes immune to death. This is the part of us in Christ that is imperishable, as Paul puts it.

Ref. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

If I can coin a phrase, what Jesus meant is that our soul becomes "unkillable" when it's inhabited by his Spirit. How do you like that? By faith in Jesus, your soul becomes unkillable!

So this then, is what Jesus is asking us to believe. He's asking us to believe that he holds the power to give resurrection life to the human soul. He's asking us to believe that his power is greater than the power of death. Death may take the body, but Jesus keeps the soul alive.

And here's the really remarkable thing: all it takes to receive that kind of resurrection life is to believe Jesus really has it, and offers it to you.

Do you believe this? Jesus asked Martha. And he's still asking the same question all these years later, to each and every person who walks on the earth. Do you believe this?

Martha did, but do you? Martha answered him this way:

"Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

If I can translate that into terminology that may be easier to grab hold of I'd put it like this:

Yes, Lord. I do believe you're the one that God promised to send. You're the one God anointed to save us. You're the one who came into the world as God's Son in order to defeat the power of death and offer mankind true abundant and eternal life... You are the Great I AM!"

I believe, Martha said. And I believe, says Pastor Kevin.

Important Reminders/Announcements:

Uganda Mission Trip - not yet cancelled.

Prayer Focus for April - Prayer Ministry

⠀

Communion: Kevin

Benediction:

The Aaronic Blessing from Numbers 6:24-26

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’

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HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A29-34&version=NIV" https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A29-34&version=NIV

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