“I am the Resurrection and the Life”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” John 11:25-26 (NIV)

When people face the loss of a loved one, they often cling to the hope that they will see them again one day.

This was the hope that Martha held onto when her brother Lazarus had died and she said to Jesus, “I know that he will rise again on the last day” (John 11:24). Like most Jews, Martha believed that God would raise His people to life when He restored all things. They believed that the vision of dry bones in Ezekiel 37 was a picture of this future: “Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live” (Ezekiel 37:5).

Jews had long recognized that only God had the power to bestow life in the future resurrection. What was revealed in Jesus was that the same resurrection power resided in Him. Jesus proves this by raising Lazarus from the dead, and in this way proves that He is God.

Those who believe in Jesus can share the confident hope that we will be a part of the resurrection written about in Ezekiel. The guarantee of this promise is the gift of the Holy Spirit who lives in us today. “I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live” (Ezekiel 37:14; John 20:22; Ephesians 1:13-14).

SHADOW: The vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37, where the dead are raised and given the Spirit of God, which brings life.

CONTEXT: Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would rise again, which she understood to be in the far future, at the final resurrection.

SUBSTANCE: Jesus holds the power of eternal life. Only those who believe in Jesus can receive the Spirit of God, share in the resurrection, and have eternal life.

Reflect:

As you read John 11:1-44, consider the implications for your own life of Jesus’ claims in this passage. How does the passage from Ezekiel shed even more light on the nature of His claims?

For believers, the resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our hope in times of difficulty, and the gift of the Spirit is our guarantee that we, too, will experience resurrection. How are you currently seeing the Holy Spirit at work in your life? In what areas do you think the Holy Spirit desires to do a greater work? Surrender these things to him today.