John 11:17–27 (ESV)
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha
heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha 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.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in
me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
Jesus had purposely delayed his coming by two days after he was requested. Lazarus had died and now as Jesus reaches Bethany, a few miles from Jerusalem, Lazarus has been dead now for four days. Four days
with no air-conditioning and no refrigeration, the body of Lazarus would be decaying and smelling something awful. Martha hears that Jesus is nearby and she goes to see him. She points out a fact that she knows: “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.” She knows that Jesus could have healed Lazarus. Now you start seeing why Jesus waited two additional days. This is building up
to a MAJOR teaching moment that we will not be getting into today, but you can see the writing on the wall. Jesus says “Your brother will rise again.” Now Martha believes is life after death and says “I know that he will rise
again in the resurrection on the last day.” She has been getting a lot of what Jesus is teaching, but here comes a big point. Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” This is big talk! And I ask you (the reader), “Do you believe this?” You may struggle with this, but the readings coming up... Jesus not only
talks the talk, but he walks the walk. His statement may tickle your ears, but what is coming up will blow you away.
I pray: O Lord, I do believe! I know that you are the resurrection and
the life. I know that you are not about death, but about life and the very reason you came was to bring life to my living dead body. I was dead to sin, but you bring life and I shall never die. My body may fail, but my soul belongs
to you. Amen.