I AM Bible Study (Session 4)
Notes
Transcript
I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
Read Genesis 2:7
then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Read Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
Discuss:
Who gives life?
Read Proverbs 21:21
Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.
Read Deut 30:19-20
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
Read Psalm 119:33
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life.
Discuss:
Is life more than a heartbeat and breath? What is the life that God formed us to live?
(For the following passages - have the class read on their own and try to answer the question)
Read Psalm 71:19-20
Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.
Read Isaiah 26:19
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
Read Ezekiel 37:7-14
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army. Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
Read Daniel 12:2
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Discuss: Based on the writings of the prophets, what was the expectation among many in Israel regarding the dead? When would this happen?
Read John 11:1-16.
Discuss: What does Jesus say is the purpose of Lazarus’ sickness and death (verses 3-4)? Does this mean that God caused the illness?
Why was Jesus glad that He wasn’t present when Lazarus died (verses 14-15)?
Read: John 11:17-27.
Discuss: How does Martha approach Jesus and what does she display (verses 21-22)?
When Jesus tells Martha, “Your brother will rise again,” how does Martha interpret that timeframe (verse 23)?
What is the difference between “resurrection” and “life” in Jesus’ claim? Is Jesus talking about physical or spiritual life and death?
In verse 26, what guarantee is given to believers in Jesus? What is the condition?
Jesus is making an incredibly bold claim of power over life and death. What is He communicating here that goes beyond the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead?
What is the point of the miracle?
Read John 11:28-44.
Discuss: Both Martha and Mary tell Jesus that Lazarus wouldn’t have died if He had been present. How does Jesus respond to this constant claim (verses 33-35) and their doubt (verse 39)?
More specifically, how does Jesus not respond?
In verses 33-36, what Is Jesus emotionally doing and displaying to those around Him? Why is He doing this?
What does Jesus prove in verse 43?
Jesus’ statement that I AM the resurrection and the life can be understood distinctively in two parts as Jesus stating:
I AM the resurrection
I AM the life
Jesus’ claim is that He not only has the power over resurrection, from the perspective of the “last times” or “end days”, but that He also has power over life now (as He demonstrated by raising Lazarus from the dead.)
Discuss: What event is being foreshadowed in the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead?
How does this story give us hope now and for the future?
Read Romans 6:4
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Read 2 Cor 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
What does baptism signify?
Read Rev. 20:12-13
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.
How does your name get included in the Book of Life?
Next Week:
I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE (John 14:6)
