The Means of His grace helping us to find our participation in His work of Redemption
Resurrection & Life.
John 11
Ex Libris Alexus Minimus
A commentary from the pastor’s library
Jesus then said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life” (v. 25a). This is the fifth of the seven “I am” sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Jesus was saying: “I hold the keys of life and of death. I am the foundation, the power of life itself, and I have the power to raise dead people from the grave. I don’t just teach the resurrection, I am the resurrection. I am the very power of God unto life.”
Jesus then added a pair of comments that are somewhat curious: “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (vv. 25b–26). First He said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” In other words, if a person meets the precondition of believing on Jesus, he will live—even if he dies. Then He said something even stronger: “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
The day before I preached on this passage at St. Andrew’s, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas while heading for a landing here in Central Florida. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. I watched television coverage of the tragedy for hour after hour that day, but the same picture was shown over and over again. It was the image of the spacecraft disintegrating and leaving a trail of smoke in the air. I couldn’t help thinking what a catastrophe this was for the families of the people who had been instantly destroyed, but I also thought that if there were believers among those crew members, just as quickly as they died, they were in heaven. If they were believers, they could not die. Yes, they died biologically, but biological death doesn’t disturb the continuity of living, personal existence for God’s people in the slightest. This is what Jesus said. Once a person believes in Christ, the life of Christ is poured into the soul of that person, and that life is eternal. Everyone who is in Christ has already begun to experience eternal life. We’re never going to die. We may go through the transition of physical death, but that death cannot destroy the life that Christ has given to us.
Sproul, R. C. (2009). John (pp. 205–206). Reformation Trust Publishing.
TO SEE.
Knowing the Person & Work of the Triune God of the Universe.
How does His sadness demonstrate His tender care and righteous justice?
TO ENJOY.
Motivation and support to imitate His humanity through the service to others.
What are the benefits of the “last day” applicable to your life and service, here and now?
TO SHARE.
Telling others about His work in your life.
What details of the story of your resurrection could benefit others? Be ready to share them!
