In the Bible, a name often signifies a person's identity, purpose, and reputation. It's not just a way to distinguish one person from another; it's a profound statement about who they are. Throughout this study, we'll explore how the names given to Jesus—from Old Testament prophecies to New Testament revelations—build a complete picture of His role in God's redemptive plan.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
Matthew 1:23 NLT “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”
In this session we will continue our discussion of the I Am declarations of Jesus. The "I Am" statements of Jesus are a series of profound declarations found in the Gospel of John. They are significant because they connect Jesus directly to God's own name as revealed to Moses in the Old Testament, which was "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14). By using these statements, Jesus was not only revealing aspects of his own nature and identity, but also claiming divine authority. This week we discuss Jesus' declaration that He is the Resurrection and Life. John 11:25-26 NIV [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?”
We have been talking about the “I Am” statements of Jesus that are in the book of John. Each revealing a different aspect of His identity and purpose. These statements are a direct echo of God's self-revelation to Moses in the Old Testament.
Exodus 3:13-15 NIV [13] Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” [14] God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” [15] God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.
We started with I am the bread of life.
John 6:35 NIV Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Then was “I am the light of the world”
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The identity of Jesus as the source of truth, guidance, and spiritual life, in contrast to the darkness of sin and ignorance.
He doesn't say "I have light" or "I bring light," but "I am the light."
Last week it was I Am the Door (Gate)
John 10:1-10 NIV [1] “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. [2] The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. [3] The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. [4] When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. [5] But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” [6] Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. [7] Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. [8] All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. [9] I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. [10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
The gate or door is the shepherd, a person and what did we talk about when we studied the name shepherd. A shepherd was more than just a caretaker of sheep; they were a protector against dangers, a guide to good pastures, and a healer for the sick and injured. This is the very role Jesus fulfills for us.
The most famous passage in the Bible about the Shepherd is found in the Psalms. It beautifully illustrates God's provision, protection, and comforting presence.
Psalm 23:1-4 (NIV):"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Isaiah 40:11 NIV[11] He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
This week I am the resurrection and the life.
John 11:25-26 NIV [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?”
The significance of Jesus's declaration, "I am the resurrection and the life," found in John 11:25, is profound because it shifts the focus of hope from a distant event to His own present person and power. This statement is one of Jesus's seven "I Am" declarations in the Gospel of John, each revealing a unique aspect of His divinity.
Setting the Stage
Lazarus, a dear friend of Jesus, has died
John 11:1-6 NLT [1] A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha. [2] This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick. [3] So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
[4] But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” [5] So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, [6] he stayed where he was for the next two days.
John 11:11-15 NLT [11] Then he said, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but now I will go and wake him up.” [12] The disciples said, “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will soon get better!” [13] They thought Jesus meant Lazarus was simply sleeping, but Jesus meant Lazarus had died. [14] So he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. [15] And for your sakes, I’m glad I wasn’t there, for now you will really believe. Come, let’s go see him.”
By the time that Jesus got there Lazarus has been dead 4 days. The community is deep in mourning. Martha hears Jesus is finally arriving and rushes out to meet him.
John 11:17-19 NLT [17] When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days. [18] Bethany was only a few miles down the road from Jerusalem, [19] and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss.
Discussion Question 1: Grief and Disappointment
John 11:21 NLT Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.
How do you think Martha felt, not just in her grief, but in her disappointment that Jesus seemed too late?
Points to Ponder:
- This is a human reaction: grief mixed with honest faith and accusation. She had great faith in His healing power (preventing death).
- Her disappointment stems from a failed expectation of God's timing. She felt abandoned during a crisis.
- Can you relate to the feeling of saying, "Lord, if you had only..."? When has God's timing felt disappointing or confusing in your own life?
Jesus then made a statement that Martha agreed with.
John 11:23-24 NLT [23] Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.” [24] “Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”
So Martha had Established Faith (The Old Testament Foundation)
Martha's belief in the future resurrection was a well-established hope rooted in the prophets. Her faith was theologically sound.
Daniel 12:2 NLT [2] Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
Job 19:25-27 NLT [25] “But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. [26] And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! [27] I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!
Isaiah 26:19 NLT [19] But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!
Summary: Martha has a strong, forward-looking faith in a future event—God's ultimate promise.
The Divine Revelation: Jesus’ Claim
John 11:25-26 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'"
Discussion Question 2: Event vs. Person
What is the difference between believing in the resurrection (a future event) and believing in Jesus as the Resurrection (a present Person)?
Jesus is correcting Martha's focus from when it will happen to who makes it happen.
A doctrine, a promise for the distant "last day." It offers future comfort.
A relationship with the source of life now. It offers present power.
John 8:12 NLT [12] Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
John 14:6 NLT [6] Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
John 1:4 NLT [4] The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
Jesus is saying, "You don't have to wait for the last day to find life. That power is standing in front of you." He is not just a facilitator of the resurrection; He is the life that overcomes death.
Our faith is not just in a set of promises (what God will do), but in the Person of Jesus (who God is and what He does now).
Martha's Confession and the Result
John 11:25-27 NLT [25] Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. [26] Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” [27] “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”
She accepts His identity first, even before she sees the miracle.
Jesus then demonstrates the truth of His claim by calling Lazarus out of the tomb.
John 11:43-44 NLT [43] Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” [44] And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
The future hope of the resurrection is pulled into the present moment.
Closing Thoughts & Challenge
The story shows us that even strong faith can be limited by human understanding and timing. Jesus invites Martha—and us—to expand our view of Him.
By saying, "I am the resurrection and the life," Jesus is claiming to be the source and controller of both, not just an agent or a prophet who can ask God for a miracle.
"I am the Resurrection": This is a claim to absolute authority over death and the grave. He isn't saying He causes the resurrection; He is the power that conquers death. This power is subsequently demonstrated by raising Lazarus from the dead.
"I am the Life": This reiterates His claim from John 14:6 ("I am...the life"). It signifies that He is the source of all life—both physical and, more importantly, eternal life.
The Promise of Present and Future Life
The verses that follow clarify this promise:
"The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)
Future Hope (Resurrection): Believers may face physical death ("live, even though they die"), but their bodies will be raised to eternal life at the last day because Jesus has conquered the grave.
Present Reality (Life): Believers who are spiritually alive through faith ("whoever lives by believing in me will never die") already possess eternal life. Spiritual death has no hold on them now, and physical death is simply a transition.
It assures believers that their faith is anchored not just in a moral teacher, but in the One who holds the power over death itself, making the priorities of this world secondary to the pursuit of eternal life found in Him.
Challenge for the Week:In what area of your life are you saying, "I believe in the eventual resurrection," but struggling to trust Jesus as the "Resurrection and the Life" right now?
Next week I Am the Way the Truth and the Life
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