I Am …      John 11.25-26 - “I am the resurrection and the life. . .”

Just before Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he declares something most incredible of himself to Martha.  Five times in John’s gospel so far, Jesus has made declarations about himself by starting with I AM.  Each of his I AM statements harken back to when God sent Moses to demand the release of the Israelites from Pharaoh, and he described himself as I AM. 

First in John 6.35 ~ “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.  v.35 Only Jesus satisfies.

And then in John 8 ~“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  v. 12

And do you remember the picture of the shepherd, lying in front of the sheepfold, literally acting as the gatekeeper of the sheep?  “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture”. John 10:9

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” John 10:11 ~    Friends, when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, there will be no going back for him.  This final act clinches the decision for the Jewish leaders--Jesus must be eliminated.  We see Jesus moving closer to ‘laying down his life for his sheep.’

And now that Jesus has come to Bethany, Martha looks into Jesus’ eyes, desperately looking for hope, not knowing that what he would tell her would change everything about death—not just for Lazarus, but for all who believed: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die…” John 11:25-26   In this one statement, Jesus gives us the hope of forever.  He draws the distinction between physical death, which is temporary, and spiritual death, which is eternal.  Notice that he ends his promise with a question—“do you believe this?”  For indeed, eternal life is promised to those who believe in him. 

As Jesus looked into Martha’s eyes, and asked ‘do you believe this?’  As he asked Peter, so he looks into your eyes and mine, and asks, “Who do you say that I am?”  There is only one right answer.

Because HE IS,

Christine