Why It Matters //
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). In a time when selfishness, evil and violence seem to be an everyday reality, it is tempting for us to grow fearful and wary, worrying more about our own safety and health rather than others’. As followers of Christ, however, we believe and trust in a God who has authority over body and soul, life and death. Knowing Jesus as the resurrection and the life gives us hope and freedom to live in boldness and in faith, regardless of the fearfulness and evil around us. Without Christ, we try to avoid danger and death (or mere inconvenience) at all cost; in Christ, we entrust our lives to the One who has full and ultimate authority and victory, who cannot be stopped by any sort of physical harm that may come our way.
What It's Talking About //
The Gospel of John, like Matthew, Mark and Luke, tells the story of Jesus, highlighting more of the personal encounters and conversations people had with Him. More importantly, John records Jesus’ seven “I am” statements, describing who this Messiah, the Son of God, really is. In this fifth statement, Jesus calls himself the “resurrection and the life,” that he is the one who gives and sustains life, life to the fullest extent, life everlasting. In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus demonstrates his spiritual authority and power, not just in this moment but in his ultimate victory over the tomb, over death itself.
John 11:17-27 NIV
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 11:38-44 NIV
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.
42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”