The I Am’s of John –“RESURRECTION”

“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 11:25-27 (ESV)

The fifth time Jesus uses the “Ego Eimi” (I AM) formula to reveal Himself it is when He said “I am the resurrection and the life” to Martha (John 11:25-27). It has been four days since Lazarus lain in the grave and it could be that Jewish leadership from Jerusalem came to Martha and Mary to comfort them. Martha is the first to be able to speak with Jesus and I would venture that in her faith she was able to feel confidence in the healing power of Jesus. “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.”

This moment in the times of Jesus ministry is considered to be the seventh sign proving that Jesus Christ IS the Son of God. There is so much to glean from this proclamation of “I am” that I don’t think I can fit it into this Freedom Fighter.  Even after this moment Caiaphas, the Roman appointed High Priest, condemns Jesus to death because he thinks he is saving the nation of Israel. All he did was in essence was to give his blessing for the lamb to be slain…powerful stuff found in this 11^th chapter of John. But I think I better get back to just the “Ego Eimi” that Jesus shares with Martha.

What has to come out here is in what expression of faith Martha does share with Jesus. That would be her faith in the resurrection is being one of principle and it would be Jesus revealing the resurrection as a person. “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?” Now Martha had faith in her brother rising again in the resurrection in the last day and In Christ as the Son of God but couldn’t say she believed Lazarus could be raised before the resurrection.

Jesus didn’t rebuke Martha for any of this uncertainty in her beliefs but used this moment in His ministry to help her grow in her faith. We are also not able to grasp all of God’s truths at one time and really need to grow from faith to faith (Romans 1:17). And like in Martha’s case The Lord can overlook our weak faith (Romans14:1) ,still see that our hearts are right and still is willing to receive us…”Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans15:7).

How about us? Do we believe this truth about Jesus? The dis-comforts and the very comforts of this present day may not be able to make the impressions that they do if we really believed the eternal things like we ought to. Matt Henry puts it like this, “When Christ our Master comes, He calls for us. He comes in His word and ordinances, and calls us to them, calls us by them, calls us to Himself. Those who, in a day of peace, set themselves at Christ’s feet to be taught by Him, may with comfort, in a day of trouble, cast themselves at His feet, to find favour with Him. Amen… 

Team YOU: Isaiah 7-8; Proverbs 20; 2 Corinthians 12

Motivations: “No matter how difficult or uncomfortable your circumstances become, you are free because you have come to accept them all from the hand of God. The greatest thing is to suffer without being discouraged.”—Fenelon

Practice to Remember: Level 1:Philippians 4:8; Level 2: Philippians 4:25-23

Powered Up:  Remember, you have to ask things which are in keeping with the God whom Jesus Christ reveals. Oswald Chambers