The Resurrection and the Life

Open Your Bible

John 11:1-54, Daniel 12:2-3, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

Scripture Reading: John 11:1-54, Daniel 12:2-3, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

If you’ve ever questioned whether this world is under a curse, visit a children’s hospital. We once took our son there because he had terrible stomach pain. He recovered, but other parents couldn’t say the same for their kids. I’ll never forget walking down the hallway and seeing a father collapse into a loved one’s arms, weeping. His child’s suffering was too much to bear.

Jesus arrived in Bethany to find his dear friends, Martha and Mary, mourning the death of their brother Lazarus much like the father I saw in that hallway. When Lazarus became sick, they sent word to Jesus. They had believed he could heal Lazarus, but then, it was “too late.”

Many view death as just a natural part of life. But in John 11, we see that death angered Jesus. To him, death was unnatural because people were created for eternal fellowship with God. Sin put this world under a curse, and Jesus graciously came to reverse it.

Amid the mourning, Jesus makes this audacious claim: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25). It’s one thing to say it, another to prove it. So he did. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, everyone was shocked. He had authority over death.

As miraculous as Lazarus’s resurrection was, this was just the beginning. Over a week later, Martha would be running to another cave tomb looking for Jesus’s body, only to find Him gone. Death could not hold Him.

Friends, Jesus is the resurrection—not “sort of” or “maybe,” but truly and fully. His death and resurrection mean our sins have been paid for, the sting of death has been removed, and our future is secured. When we say, “The best is yet to come,” we’re not being optimistic—we’re speaking the truth. And this isn’t just a future hope; it’s a reality we can apply daily.

For example, as Paul suffered horrible trials, he said, “Indeed we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead…He will deliver us” (2Corinthians 1:9–10). We can also proactively trust God with our current suffering, persecution, and uncertainties because He is the one who raises the dead. We can also proactively live for God’s glory because the Bible says Jesus’s resurrection power is at work in us!

It’s amazing to think about, but Lazarus was the opening act. And He will raise us too. We all have a beginning, but in Jesus, we will have no end. Take heart, for the risen One will raise His beloved on that final day.

Written by Beverly Berrus

(8) Comments
[x]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

8 thoughts on "The Resurrection and the Life"

  1. Erica Chiarelli says:

    “I am the Resurrection and the Life”…do you believe this?? What we do with this tells us where we are going someday…to eternity with Jesus or eternity in hell. I pray that every one who sees this today does know Jesus as their Resurrector and their Life! Only.He can save us and bring us one day to the Father, where we will live forever!

  2. Alana Anderson says:

    Amen❤️

  3. Searching says:

    For me, I know the power of Jesus over life and death is true, yet it’s complicated, difficult to comprehend and painful to accept. The sisters believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and had the power to heal. But even they, good friends of his, had a hard time understanding His power over the grave and after 4 days. There’s a song that says when He’s 4 days late, He’s right on time …. A reminder that we aren’t privy to God’s plan for everything and even when there’s pain, His plan for us is perfect.
    .
    When loss comes, especially I’ve lost someone who was far too young (in my opinion), I’ve asked God, are You sure?? Yet, His word says yes, He’s known our days since always.
    .
    Praying through yesterday’s requests ❤️

  4. Kelly (NEO) says:

    The miracle of life that sealed His own death.
    .
    “One of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all! You’re not considering that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish’.”
    .
    Caiaphas, you were so close to the truth but your love of this world kept you blind to it.
    .
    Yet Jesus came for even Caiaphas, if he would have just believed.
    .
    KIMBERLY Z – I was glad to see your comment yesterday. Happy belated birthday ❤️
    .
    SANDI – continuing to pray for your husband and you!
    .
    Hope you all have a blessed day

  5. Sally B. says:

    I, like Tina love John 11:25 – because He lives, we can also live. We can trust God ‘with our current suffering, persecution and uncertainties because He is the one who raises the dead’! (And isn’t it heart warming that Jesus declared this to a grieving woman!) Let’s live for God’s glory today and everyday because of His resurrection power at work in us!

  6. Tina says:

    My life in Christ, truly began when a couple of weeks after Julee died, God very graciously showed me where she was… running through a meadow, happy and healed, shouting words I never thought I’d hear from her.. ‘I’m okay. I’m happy. I’m alright..’
    Julee gave her life to Jesus some days before she died, John 11:25 always warms my heart..
    “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live..” I raise a Hallelujah as well as an AMEN for that!
    Julee was not resurrected this side of heaven, but she was/is with the LORD, this I know to be true with every fibre of my being.. I got to see her one last time, running, smiling, happy, the prayer and hope in my everyday prayer when she was here.
    Tears freely fall down my cheeks, not just at the memories, but at the goodness of God, I have an ache, but there is a joy, because I know I will see her again, someday, when I am called home..
    .
    BUT GOD..
    .
    He did not abandon me, in my distress and my awefulness to Him, accusing, and disrespecting Him at the altar in the little church, where I would sit daily, asking the why questions..
    My sins, accusations and confrontational disrespect, even those have been covered and paid for by Jesus. In the forgiving, I was allowed to see Julee happy in a vision.
    Jesus’ resurrection power was not only for Julee, I also received as I believed, had faith and carried a Hope in my heart..
    I still carry that hope..
    .
    Thank you Jesus. Thank you..
    .
    Amen..
    .
    Happy Thursday my dears.. lifting all requests up to Him who hears sees and knows.. He is not sleeping, He is working all things for good..
    Much love, hugs and prayers..♥️♥️♥️

    1. Searching says:

      ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  7. Maria J says:

    “We all have a beginning, but in Jesus, we will have no end. Take heart, for the risen One will raise His beloved on that final day.”
    Amen and amen. ❤️
    Thank you for this beautiful devotion today Beverly.