“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.’”
Whenever a theory is presented, no one will take it seriously unless it can be proven. When we look at sports, it doesn’t matter how much someone talks about how good his game is; it must be demonstrated on the field.
For example, people think martial arts is a philosophy, but martial arts imply combat. Thus, one has to prove how good his martial arts skills are in a real-life combat situation or in a dojo in a full-contact competition.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He was saying that His truth leads to an ultimate demonstration by being able to take that which was dead and making it alive. (Raising something from death to life is the ultimate demonstration of power in this universe.)
All other religions are merely beliefs, rules, ceremonies, and philosophies that do not lead to a true demonstration of resurrection and life. The proof of Christianity is not water baptism, but a heart transformation that comes from the living God who takes our heart of stone and gives it a heart of flesh, bringing us from death to life (Ezekiel 36:26).
Jesus is the resurrection.
John 11:17–23 (ESV): “Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to 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.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’”
Sometimes God waits a long time before he brings deliverance or answers to prayer because He wants to receive the glory! The greater the challenge, the greater the testimony.
In this case, He even allowed his dear friend, Lazarus, to die before He even attempted to visit him. Of course, this account in John 11 shows how Jesus eventually raised Lazarus from the dead even after he was in the tomb for four days.
“Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life…’ (John 11:24–25).
It seems here that Martha thought that Jesus was only referring to the doctrine of the last day judgment. Hence, she was limiting Jesus to a future hope or event. However, Jesus brought the ultimate future to the present and showed that He could bring a taste of eternity and the power of the age to come into a person’s real life situation.
Consequently, Jesus clarified the many ways He is the resurrection. For one, He is able to raise a person physically deceased back to life the way He did with Lazarus.
(I have heard of many people resurrected from the dead in modern times. Evangelist Smith Wigglesworth is said to have raised about 11 people from the dead. It has been reported that Heidi Baker who is in Mozambique, has also raised the dead. Great African prophets such as Joseph Babalola have reportedly raised numerous people from the dead (see the book “Great Revivals, Great Revivalists” by Abi Alowe.))
Secondly, He raises the spiritually dead to life.
John 5:24 (ESV): “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life..”
On January 10, 1978, a man by the name of Michael Pierre led me to Christ while we were having dinner together in Washington DC. That moment, I felt peace for the first time in my life. Looking back, I realize that I was brought from death to life, from the power of Satan to the power of God. From that point on, I understood the Bible and had a hunger to read the Scriptures more than my necessary bread. Before I was saved,, the word of God was boring to me. However, after I was saved, it was life to my soul! Since that day, I have seen thousands of people come to Christ and experience their spiritual resurrection from the dead (Ephesians 2:1–6).
Finally, He will raise us all up on the last day and unite our souls with our mortal body that returned to dust (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).On that day, we will have a spiritual body that can exist and function in both the physical and spiritual world at the same time. This body will be multi-dimensional. It will be like Jesus’ in the way He was able to walk through walls, appear and disappear, and at the same time eat bread and fish with his disciples.
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He is no longer dead, but is alive forever more. He has the keys of hell and death (Revelations 1:17-18).
On this day, you too can experience the reality of Jesus the way I did. You could see yourself forgiven and saved. You can pass from death to life, from the power of the evil one to the power of God‘s kingdom
Finally, if you’re already a Christian, Jesus could take your hopeless situation in life and give you hope again. He can restore your life, your relationships, and your sense of purpose.
My prayer is for many to turn back to Jesus and turn away from conforming to this world.
