Key Takeaway
Jesus’ resurrection isn’t just an event to celebrate, but a key part of who He is that redefines every corner of our lives. Because He is the Resurrection and the Life, we can trust that nothing dead or buried is beyond His power to restore.
Jesus’ words in John 11 confront one of the deepest questions of humanity—the same question Job asked: “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).
Jesus declares in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die…” This statement is not a side note to faith; it is the very heart of it.
R.A. Torrey, evangelist and former president of Moody Bible Institute, affirmed, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian doctrine.”
Tim Keller adds, “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said?”
Paul echoes this in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”
Because Christ has been raised, death is not the end, and life in Him is both present and eternal.
The Gospel of John was written to reveal who Jesus is and what He came to do (John 20:30-31). In John 11, the raising of Lazarus displays both the glory and heart of God. Jesus loved Lazarus, yet allowed him to fall sick, not as a contradiction of His love, but as a demonstration of His greater plan. God’s aim is His glory, which ultimately brings life, hope, and good to His people. As Louie Giglio puts it, “He is painting on a canvas bigger than you can see or imagine.”
Jesus meets Mary and Martha in the midst of grief with both divinity and humanity. To Martha, He offers truth, calling her to believe in the resurrection; to Mary, He offers compassion, entering her sorrow with empathy.
“To Martha Jesus offered the ministry of truth, to Mary he offered the ministry of tears.” - Tim Keller
At the tomb, Jesus faces death itself with grief over the world’s brokenness and fiery determination to defeat it, as John Calvin describes: “Like a wrestler preparing for a contest with a hated foe… the violent tyranny of death which he came to overcome now stands before his eyes.”
Though Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus demonstrates that nothing is impossible for God.
The miracle of Lazarus foreshadows the resurrection of Christ, shifting John’s Gospel toward the cross. For Lazarus to walk out of his tomb, Jesus would ultimately walk into His own. This event reveals Jesus as the death-defeater, grave-robber, life-giver, light-bringer, sin-crusher, and hope-dealer. As Tim Keller reminds us, “If Jesus Christ was actually raised from the dead… everything is going to be alright.”
Today, He invites us to trust Him with both our present lives and our eternal destinies.
Discussion Questions
Grant Partrick said that John 11:3 is critical to our theology. How does knowing God’s aim is God’s glory bring clarity to Lazarus’ story? How might it help you reevaluate situations in your own life?
“When you don’t understand His timing, trust His track record.” Take a moment to list out your track record with God. Where has He been faithful? Kind? Compassionate? And how does that list help build your faith today?
When you were at your worst, Jesus didn’t run from you, He ran to you. That’s the truth we see in Hebrews 4:16. Do you struggle to believe this is true for your life? Why or why not?
“When we operate as God’s counsel, we rob ourselves from experiencing God’s glory.” Sometimes, our nature is to tell God what He can and can’t do, but as Grant Partrick reminds us, our God is the God of the impossible. Where in your life do you need to trust that? Do you need to stop operating as God’s counsel?
