Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;
18 sermons cite this verse
… and I myself will raise him up on the last day. John 11, 25 and 26, Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me shall live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Jesus asked. Over and over again, Jesus says it is belief in him that is the link to eternal life. Now here's the question. What does it mean to believe in Jesus? I know I have been over this before. but I'm going to continue to go over it. Because quite frankly, your eternal destiny depends on a proper understanding of what it means to believe in Jesus. Let me tell you what it doesn't mean. To believe in Jesus does not mean to agree intellectually to a certain set of facts about Jesus. Like you believe in Abraham Lincoln, like you believe in the reality of Martin Luther King, like you believe in John F. Kennedy, to believe a certain amount of facts, historical facts about these people. That's what most people believe, believe means though. They say, well, I believe that Jesus is the son of God. I believe that he died for the sins of the world. I believe that he rose again on the third day. Guess what? You can believe all of those things and still split hell wide open when you die. You know how I know that? Because Satan and his demons believe all of those things. They believe Jesus was the son of God. Remember the demons would say, …
… No, he didn't say that, but he did say this. Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Then he followed up with this question. Do you believe this? Well, she didn't. Mary came and effectively said the same thing. And then Jesus walked up to the tomb of Lazarus. And he said, Lazarus, come forth. It's a good thing he said, Lazarus, come forth. If he had simply said, come forth, everybody in every grave around the planet would have burst out. Lazarus, I'm talking to you. Come back, come forth. And Lazarus did. The point of this is God allowed it for his purposes. So maybe it seems to you right now that Jesus is not hearing your prayer or that his delay is a denial. Understand, God may have a purpose. Why does God allow adversity in the life of the Christian? If you're taking notes, here's point number one. …
… And he said I am the resurrection and the life. And he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me, Jesus speaking, shall never die. Oh sure, our bodies will go into the ground unless the Lord comes for us in the rapture before that. And that could happen. But if not, our bodies go into the ground, but they'll be resurrected again. But our soul goes immediately into the presence of God. That is our hope we have as followers of Jesus Christ. So we're gonna close now with a word of prayer and I want to extend an invitation to anybody here. If you're not sure that you're ready for the afterlife, if you're not certain that you'll go to heaven when you die, respond to this invitation that I'll give as we pray. Listen, Jesus died on the cross for your sin. That's why he came to this earth. He paid the price for every wrong you've ever done and he rose again from the dead. …
… In a broad sense, life for the Christian never ends at all. Because Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. So, are you living your life well? You know, as you get older, you understand that verse that says, we live our lives like a story that's been told. What story is your life telling? And let me say a word to you that are young. It's so important to make the right decisions because in a blink of an eye, you'll be old, like me. But you'll probably look much better than I look. But it's kind of shocking to think about how quickly life goes by. And that's why you want to make the right decisions now. Lay the foundation. Because the evening of your life is determined by the morning of your life or the end from the beginning. Stephen, he had his life right. …
… heaven. So when I say a believer never dies, what I mean is your soul lives on. Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he lived. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. You see, so in that broad sense, I will never die. And so this affects where I will end up in the afterlife. Now, if I die, if I die without Christ, then I'm going to face something called the second death. The Bible talks about the great white throne judgment when nonbelievers will be held accountable for what they did with Jesus Christ. If your name is not found written in the book of life, you're cast into the lake of fire. Then the Bible says, this is the second death. We as Christians will not die the second death. We will have the physical death, unless we're raptured, I'll talk about that in a moment, but we will only have one death. …
… Yeah, you're going to see him again. Yeah, I said, the Bible says, oh, boy, I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. You're going to see your son again. You are. Immediately as I would just quote this scripture to myself, it would lift me out of that pit because I would get a heavenly perspective. And so I've tried to take this horrible event and use it as a tool to help people and to show them that God can walk with you through the most unbelievable difficulties in life. Okay, switch over. Yes. What would you do differently if you had these 50 years to live over again? Wow, I've never been asked that before. You don't have to be profound. I would hang out with you more. What would I do differently? Well, we'd have fun, I'll tell you that. Yeah, I don't really, you know, I don't want to say that I wouldn't do anything differently. …
… You know, he made a lot of promises. Listen to what he said. Here's some of the things Jesus said. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will never die. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me. He said, he who hears my word and believes in him that sent me will have everlasting life. He said, because I live, you also will live. Now those are great promises. But then he died. And when a guy makes promises like that but then dies, the people listening to those promises think, yeah, whatever. Those are just promises. But he's gone. He's dead. But once Jesus got up out of that tomb, it means not only those promises, but every other promise he made is possible and true. And you see, that's what's important about the resurrection. If there's no resurrection, then Christianity is stupid. This is ridiculous, getting up and doing what we're doing, if there's no resurrection. …
… Listen to him now. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Notice, please, everybody, he doesn't say, I will rise. He doesn't even say, all will rise through me. Uh-uh. I am the resurrection and the life. You know, I think here as a Catholic of St. Bernadette at Lourdes, when the Blessed Mother finally revealed her identity to Bernadette, what did she say? She said, I am the Immaculate Conception. She didn't say, I'm the fruit of the Immaculate Conception. She didn't say, I was conceived immaculately. She says, I am the Immaculate Conception. Christianity is not a matter of abstractions and doctrines primarily. It's primarily a matter of relationship to a person. Jesus is not just someone pointing to resurrection power Or talking about it like a prophet No, no, I am Ego eimi I am the resurrection and the life You'll find your resurrection in me By being grafted onto me By having my life rubbed into you through the sacraments Remember last week I am the resurrection and the life be grafted onto me and you will live. …
… would not have died. But even now, I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, your brother will rise. Martha said to him, I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, even if he dies will live. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? She said, Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world. When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, The teacher is here and is asking for you. As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there. When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled and said, where have you laid him. They said to him, Sir, come and see. And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, See how he loved him. …
… He says, I am the resurrection of the life. Whoever believes in me will live. Even though they die, everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. I mean, he's making this promise that this life is just the beginning, that there is so much more to our existence, to our life, than just what we can see, feel, and touch in our 80 years or 90 years or 100 years here on this planet. I sat at supper this week. There was a gathering of some friends, and I was sitting at the end of the table. Levon and I were there, and a friend of mine who's a rabbi, and one of his parishioners was there and a congregant was there. And this man was sitting across from me and he asked me a great question. He said, you know, you're pastor at Church of the Resurrection. What does resurrection mean to Christians? And I said, well, you know, of course, it's the story of Christ's resurrection. …
… you whatever you ask. Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection. At the last day, Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? Yes, Lord, she replied. I believe that you are the Messiah. You are the Son of God who is to come into the world. Write down number two today. I don't know what you'll do, but I know who you are. oh I'm telling you church I don't know what God's gonna do in 2026 I don't know what God's about to do in your life I don't know what's about to happen in this year but I know who God is this year God is good God is for you God is with you oh come on everybody clap and thank him if you I don't know what you'll do but I'm certain of who you are I'm certain of who you are I know who God is. I know God is. Have you ever been around somebody where you're just like, I don't know what are they about to do? You know, you ever be like walking around some sketchy part of LA and you kind of just like, I don't know what these people about to do. That's how I feel when I go to SoFi Rams game. I'm like, I don't know what these people about to do. What are y'all about to do? …
… question that Job asked in Job 14, 14. If a man dies, shall he live again? In John chapter 11, we read in red letters, the words of Jesus, I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. This is our story. This is why we're here today. Our song is a resurrection song. R.A. Torrey, who was a famous evangelist preacher, I think he was the second president of Moody Bible Institute, once said, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian doctrine. In a quote attributed to John Stott, Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed. Tim Keller, whom I love, once said, 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? …
… verse 12, he says, I am the light of the world. To those who were hurting in John chapter 10, he said, I am the good shepherd who cares for his people. In John chapter 11, verse 25, he says to Lazarus, I am the resurrection and the life. John chapter 14, he says to the disciples wondering, are we going to get lost in the shuffle? And he says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Jesus was God up close and personal to these guys. You want to see a picture of the goodness, the grace, the mercy of God, you see it in the face of Jesus. And he didn't reveal it in some glowing, just one moment, here's my splendor. What he did is over a process of three years with these guys, he continually, on a day-by-day basis, revealed God and his character up close and personal to them. Now here's the problem. You get down to verse 11, and it says, Jesus says, I will remain in the world no longer. …
… by the finished work of Christ on a cross, we can be assured of eternal life. That's good news. Keep going over. John chapter 11, verse 25. John chapter 11, verse 25. Lazarus being raised from the dead on this story, Jesus said to Martha, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die. One more, John chapter 14. Jesus is talking about heaven. He's talking about where he's headed. Thomas asked him, we don't know where you're going, so how can we know the way? And Jesus says, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Over and over again, we see the central purpose of Jesus at the center of his mission was to impart life. And so when you come to John 17, it says eternal life is this. And the emphasis is not on the fact that it's everlasting existence. …
… Then you think about the tree of life. John chapter 11, verse 25, Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John chapter 14, In my Father's house are many rooms. The word means dwelling places. It's the same word that Revelation uses to describe heaven. In my Father's house are many dwelling places for you, and I am the way there. I am the truth. I am the life. I am the vine, John chapter 15. John chapter 16, to all who are burdened by sin in this sin-sick world, in this world, in your fallen humanity, you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome this world. John chapter 17, Jesus is the high priest who intercedes for us. And then, check this out, John chapter 18, we come to guess what? When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with the disciples across the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden. …
… To God be the glory that raises, he said, I am the God that raises the dead. I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. I feel something already. I'm trying to be cool, but I'm already fired up. Now, this is Moses' first real encounter with God where he visually confronts him, but God's hand has been over him all his life. God's hand's been over him all his life. While his mother hid him, God's hand was over him. While he was floating in the Nile, God's hand was over him. While he was raised in the Pharaoh's house, God's hand was over him, and he didn't even know it. Do you know that sometimes God's hand can be over your life and you don't even know it? You're not even aware of it? Moses is now 80 years old and then he has a face-to-face encounter with a God who's been ordering his steps all his life. A God who kept him from dying. A God who kept him from crib death. …
… And I know that even now, God will give you whatever you ask. And Jesus said to her, talk about Easter. Your brother will rise again. And Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. And Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection. How about that? She said, I know there's going to be a resurrection at the last day. And Jesus said, I know there will be. And he's standing here right now. The one who brings life is here right now. I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? And she did believe it, but her answer was interesting. She didn't say, yes, I believe that whoever believes in you will live even though they die. She said, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who's come into the world. There had been a promise among the Jews for centuries that God was gonna send a savior, a redeemer, a Messiah to save the people. …
… sitting in the house. And Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. 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? And she said to him, yes, Lord. I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world. He who has ears to hear the Word of God, let them hear it. Please be seated. Father, as we give our attention now to this dramatic moment in the life of Jesus, I pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to accompany this Word, that we may not be unmoved by it, that Your Spirit would penetrate between bone and marrow, that the truth of this testimony may come to life in us. …