Life Himself

"’I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." 

—John 11:25-27

Death. It’s not a fun subject to talk about, but it comes to us all. Death comes in all its ugliness and terror, like an arrow finding its target in the night; it pangs the soul with unbearable pain. Jesus understood death. He lived life, attending weddings and funerals. Celebrating with us in our joys and weeping with us in our greatest pain. He was well acquainted with grief.

In John 11, Jesus’ close friend Lazarus dies. Upon discovering the news, Jesus waits two more days before making his way back to see him. When He finally does arrive, He learns that Lazarus had died and had already been in the tomb for four days. Everyone was still in shock. Jesus makes His way to Lazarus’ house where his two sisters are surrounded by friends and family grieving together. Jesus meets Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha tells Him about Lazarus’ death and says that if Jesus had come sooner, He would have saved Lazarus from dying. Jesus then told her, “Your brother will rise again.” She responds, “I know that He will on the last day.” Jesus then responds with one of the most fascinating passages in all of scripture. He says,  

“’I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’"

Jesus then requests to see the tomb where Lazarus was buried. When He arrives at the tomb, He does something amazing. He weeps. It’s the shortest verse in the whole Bible, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). He weeps. God the Son weeps. The Creator weeps at the death of His creation. Why? Because He loved Lazarus and Lazarus’ death pained His soul. He was overcome by emotion. He wept because He knew that death was the greatest enemy. He weeps because He loved him. He weeps with us when one of our loved ones dies. He knows the fragility of our lives. He knows the pain, the grief and the sorrow.

Jesus then does the unthinkable. He tells them to roll the stone in front of the tomb away. They are astonished. They say, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” He replies, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” They took away the stone. Then He prays. He prays for all who are standing around that they “may believe” (John 11:42) that God has sent Him. After He prays He says, “Lazarus, come out.” What? How can He do such a thing? How can anyone speak to death? Who has authority over death? Who has the power to make alive again? Only one. God’s one and only…Jesus. Miracle of miracles, Lazarus comes out, still wrapped in his burial clothes! He was dead and is alive again.

Death is the great enemy of our souls. But Jesus has conquered sin and death and destroyed the works of the devil (Hebrews 2:14). By His death and resurrection He has tasted death on our behalf (Hebrews 2:9). And by our faith in Him, we don’t taste death (John 8:52; Romans 8:2), but pass directly into the presence of Him who is life itself (John 14:6).

Lazarus’ resurrection was a precursor to the resurrection all believers in Christ will experience. Beloved, death is the not the end. While it does mark an end to life on earth, for those who have trusted in Christ, it marks the beginning of living in the presence of Him who is life itself (John 14:6). We weep for a time, but trust in Him who is the resurrection and the life and says to us and all who have trusted in His name, “Come forth!” Amen.