I AM the Resurrection and the Life

Have you ever watched a movie or TV show where they are trying to resuscitate a patient? Many times, we see the desperate doctor offering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while the rest of the medical staff say "no" with their heads. The assistants and nurses in the room have already accepted that the patient is dead, but the doctor does not want to accept it. This type of scene always impresses me and makes me very emotional.

However, sad as it may seem, for there to be a resurrection, there has to be death; we must accept it. Let me explain a little better.The Word of God says in John 11:3-6, 11-14:

3 So, the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”4But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.6So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.

11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”13Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep.14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died,

In this story of Lazarus' death, we see several, very interesting types, of people. We see Jesus' disciples who do not understand what Jesus is trying to tell them. Jesus is telling them that Lazarus was dead and that He would resurrect him, but they did not understand that Lazarus was dead, much less that Jesus was going to resurrect him.Many times we find ourselves in the same situation; God, trying to explain to us what has happened and what is going to happen, what His plan is, and we are completely lost. Sometimes we go through a difficult situation or some loss, of a loved one or something material, and we are trying to find the logic, but we end up more confused.

 Let us now look at the conversation that Jesus had with Martha in verses 21-25, 40:

21Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”23Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.

40Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

 First interesting point, Martha told Jesus that, if he had arrived earlier, Lazarus would not have died. How many hidden messages could we find in this sentence:

1. Jesus, you were late. 

2. It seems you did not love Lazarus that much. 

3. You heal strangers, but not your loved ones. 

Later, Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would be resurrected and she answered, "Yes, on the last day." I can see a lot of sadness in these words. I can almost feel the disappointment Marta may have felt at the time. Why did my brother have to die? There is a certain denial on Marta's words… I didn't want my brother to die… that's why we sent you a message… several days ago!!!

How many of us resist death, resist loosing things, resist God's plan!When Jesus told the disciples that He would die, they resisted ... Impossible! We will not allow it! They did not understand that it was part of a Master Plan. For there to be a resurrection, there must be death; we must accept it.Going back to the story of Lazarus, Jesus DID NOT say to Martha "I am going to make a resurrection." He said to her; "I AM the resurrection and THE LIFE." In other words; “Marta, do not try to reason my words, just believe that I AM is here, RESURRECTION is here, LIFE is here; and if I AM here, everything that is dead MUST COME BACK TO LIFE”.Then Jesus gives an order: "Take me where you laid him." Jesus tells us; “Take me to the place where that dead thing is laying, stand in front of that dead situation, observe it; take me to the place of sadness, take me to the place of disappointment; take me to the place of defeat, take me to the stone”. In both cases, the death of Lazarus and the death of Jesus, there was a stone, a stone that served as a reminder that everything was over. Jesus waited until Lazarus had been dead for four days, so that everyone would know that he was dead, really dead. Jesus was dead for three days. Nevertheless… the stone can be reversed! Death has no place where Jesus is, death has no place where THE RESURRECTION is, where LIFE is!!!

 I don't know what could have died in your life; I don't know what you are trying to give CPR to, because you don't want to accept that it's dead. Perhaps, you feel lost, like the disciples, that you don’t know what is happening or why. Or perhaps, like Marta, you already accepted that it died, but also that there is nothing to do ... just wait for the "last day"; that you don't understand how, if He loves you, “he waited the four days”. Whatever it is, Jesus says to you today; I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. EVERYTHING THAT IS DEAD WILL LIVE!

Prayer: Beloved Jesus Christ, I acknowledge that You are the Resurrection and the Life. Thank you for dying and rising from the grave to give me life. I know that if I believe in you, what is dead will live. I believe in you and I trust in your perfect plan. Amen