John 11:25 “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
INTRODUCTION
One of the most powerful verses of Scripture is the one we focus on tonight, “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.” Jesus said this to Martha during her grief over the death of her brother, Lazarus.
This verse has been a source of comfort and strength for countless millions while they have grieved the loss of people they have loved. These words contain the promise of life after death; that as Jesus was brought again from the dead we too will walk in newness of life.
Still, there is more to this verse than the assurance of life after death. There is that haunting phrase, “and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”
SIGNS OF DEATH
In order to talk about life, we need to talk a little about death. The definition of death and the signs of death have changed over the years.
For centuries the absence of breath or a heartbeat was the sign of death. This changed when we were able to sustain breathing and the heartbeat artificially.
We now define death and the absence of brainwaves for a twenty-four hour period of time.
For Christians there are different signs of death.
· The first sign of death is the cross. Paul writes in Galatians, “I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives within me.” According to this verse, we are already dead and today are alive in Jesus.
· Another sign is the baptismal font. Paul writes to the Romans, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead, through the glory of the father, we too may live a new life.”
RESURRECTED AND LIVING
Ernst Becker notes in his book Denial of Death that all of us are preoccupied with our death. We deal with our death by constantly pushing it from our minds and denying it. We put off making out a will, because we have plenty of time. We focus on safety, while at the same time taking little chances because nothing will happen to us.
Our denial of death keeps us from fully experiencing life. We are so focused on leaving a legacy and creating memories, that we become controlled by our fear.
The Christian is freed from this denial of death. We’re already dead! Now we can focus on living.
When we focus on living, does that mean that we see to seek pleasure and comfort and milk life for all it’s worth? The hedonists would agree with this, and so would a large portion of our society. But for the Christian it’s different, because our lives are in Christ.
· The lives of Christians are focus on being obedient servant of Jesus; of doing God’s will.
· We devote our talents and abilities to serving God by serving others.
· We renounce fear and embraced in God’s love we face life courageously and with purpose.
CONCLUSION
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. We have already experienced that resurrection in our lives and today we experience that life.
Our lives are different, because Jesus lives.
Amen
