Discover the Person of Jesus in the Gospel of Johnናሙና

Scripture

“So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother [Lazarus] would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’” John 11:20–27

Today’s Thought

A few years ago, while in Slovenia eating lunch with our friend, Steve Telzerow, he told me this story. A Roma family had been visiting a nearby church and were learning about Jesus, yet not saved. While on vacation, their 3-year-old son drowned in a pool. After the emergency team could not revive him, the old grandma stood over his limp, lifeless form and looked to heaven. She cried out, “Jesus, the man from the church said you could do anything. I ask that you give my grandson back now!” The boy suddenly sat up and told the account of how he was leaving his dead body when Jesus sent him back at the prayer of his old grandma. Resurrection!

2,000 years ago, Jesus told a distraught sister to fear not, for her brother would rise again. She could only think of the end of the age when God would raise up all the righteous to their reward with Him in glory. The Son of Man brought the resurrection out of the far distant future into her and our now by saying, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He didn’t say, “I will be.” He said, “I am”! Because of our unbelief, we want to push so many of His promises, miracles, blessings, and power into the distant, spiritual future. But Christ says, “I am the resurrection and the life—now, here, today, for you!”

When I ponder the depth of the idea of His being our resurrection today, in the here and now, my mind runs. It runs far and wide. As our resurrection, He declares that the irreversible can be reversed. The unthinkable is now possible. The most difficult challenge, the greatest threat, and the most undoable feat are now in the realm of possibilities. Everything is reversible, death is never final, and I am the One who breathes life to the dead!

We live in a world with broken dreams, dead promises, and hopes and futures that have been abandoned in tombs of despair. Many of you reading these words today have given up on bold faith because years ago, Satan stole something from you, and things didn’t turn out as you had asked for. “I am the resurrection and the life.” Receive Him afresh as the resurrection of old, dead dreams. Receive Him again as the resurrector of dead, stinky faith, for He IS the resurrection and the life!

Think It Over

• What dreams, hopes, and faith have died inside you that you need resurrecting?
• What would it be like to meet this Son of God, who IS the resurrection and the life?
• Why do we often postpone His promises and blessings into heaven when many are meant for now?

Let’s Pray

Jesus, I believe. Today, I believe that You are the resurrection. I believe that You are the life. I receive You anew in my life. Today, I surrender to You my dead ___________. I ask You to release Your power and Your faith in me, for me, and toward me. I ask You to raise these things I’ve surrendered from the dead, but above all, raise from the dead faith, hope, and love in my heart. Make me once again a person of bold faith and contagious hope. I pray this in Your name, oh resurrector of all things! Amen.