Three Years That Changed the World – Lesson 13

Jesus – I Am the Resurrection and the Life

(Jesus in John 11)

This chapter (John 11) introduces the story of Lazarus and his two sisters Mary and Martha. All three of these individuals have a very close relationship with Jesus and in addition to what John records here in chapters 11 & 12, Luke has a short narrative about Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. The chapter (John 11) begins by mentioning that Lazarus was very sick and quickly succumbs to whatever ailed him and he subsequently dies. Lazarus is not the focal point of this story but the events surrounding him, his sisters and his ultimate death will bring about a miracle in which Jesus will raise Lazarus from the dead.

There was a total of 4 days that passed before Jesus went to the location where Lazarus was. By the time Jesus arrives – Lazarus had already been dead. Jesus knowing what he was going to do (raise Lazarus from the dead) declared that himself and God were to be glorified through this, and the delay in the time of his arrival had nothing to do with Lazarus and everything to do with God’s plan.

Jesus knew full well that Lazarus was dead and that he would raise him from the dead (something the disciples would witness) to bring glory to God and to confirm himself to be equal with God (only God can raise someone from the dead).

Jesus uses this moment to reveal to Martha that he was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Martha, though she believed in Jesus, may not have fully understood what Jesus was about to do. Jesus boldly declares the 5^th of the 7 “I am” statements recorded in the Gospel of John – “I am the resurrection and the life”. Each of these “I am” statements are claims of deity (Jesus declaring himself to be God) and will cause some to believe in him and others to reject him.

The purpose of raising Lazarus from the dead extended beyond seeing Lazarus alive again. This was a sovereign act of Christ, designed to glorify himself and the Father by putting his resurrection power on full display to not just Martha and the others at Lazarus’ tomb but to all who read John’s Gospel.

The whole purpose for why John wrote his Gospel account is this: “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20:30-31). My hope is that you too will believe and in doing so will have eternal life in the presence of God.