Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die”

John 11:25

For the past three days, we have been examining the seventh sign of Jesus in the Book of John, and today we will conclude our study. Yesterday, we saw the importance of not giving up on situations when we have invited Jesus into them. Jesus wants to glorify Himself in our lives and desires that we trust this process to the glory of the Father.

Today, we will do two things: conclude our discussion on this sign and begin a new exploration into some of the descriptions Jesus uses about Himself in the Book of John. Over the next few days, we will look at several images Jesus uses to describe Himself.

In the past few days, we have observed that Jesus’ love for us is never in question; the real question is whether we love Him in return. Unlike a person who responds in love based on another’s display of love, Jesus’ expression of love is meant to glorify God. Everything Jesus does is to glorify God. But how does being four days late actually glorify God? As we saw yesterday, Martha and Mary blamed Jesus for their brother’s death. They reacted this way because of their understanding of Jesus. They had seen Him as a healer and were confident that if Jesus had arrived earlier, He would have healed Lazarus. This was how they perceived Jesus – as a healer.

However, Jesus is much more than just a Healer and Teacher. Because they were close to Him, He needed to help them see Him more fully so they could grow in their knowledge of Him. Like Martha and Mary, some of us have specific descriptions of Jesus in our hearts. To some, He is a Provider, so they have faith for provision but lack faith for healing. To others, He is a Protector, so they face life without fear but struggle with giving their resources. As you read this, consider your own perspective. What areas do you trust Jesus completely, and in which areas is your faith shaky, even though the Word of God clearly addresses them?

It is because of these scenarios that Jesus chooses to reveal Himself through special encounters. He needed to show Martha and Mary that He is not just a healer but Life Himself. He doesn’t just give Life; He is Life. He doesn’t merely resurrect; He is the Resurrection. What does this mean for us? It means that we have certain perspectives and views about Jesus that He wants to change in our lives. It is through these kinds of situations that He reveals Himself to us. So, when we say that Jesus wants to glorify Himself in our lives, it means He wants to reveal Himself to us. He wants us to grow in our faith so that we may know Him more deeply.

At this moment, take some time to reflect on certain situations in your life. Consider how Jesus showed up for you and how He was trying to reveal Himself to you because He wants you to know Him better than you currently do. This is the ultimate goal of these experiences. It requires trusting Him to truly know Him. We must trust that He loves us more than we love ourselves and can give us the very best. This is how we understand that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

PRAYER