“I am the Resurrection and the Life.”

The following article was contributed to biblicalthought by Jennyn Herrera:“

Lately, the Lord has revealed the amazing truth from the biblical passage of John 11:25-26 in a much deeper way. Three saints dear to me that have entered into glory this year have been my great aunts and former Biola University president, Dr. Clyde Cook. Recently, we have also been mourning the loss of Pastor Greg Laurie’s son. In addition, I had to put my dog, of almost sixteen years, to sleep this past Saturday, and this was one of the most difficult things that I have ever had to do.

Needless to say, I have been faced with the reality of death many times this year. But in all of the pain and suffering, the Lord has given great comfort. As it says in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Therefore, I long to encourage the body of Christ with God’s amazing comfort.

Two months ago, at my dear, beloved great aunt Enedia’s memorial services in Florida, the Lord brilliantly reminded me of what a blessed hope the Believer has in Christ. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.” Those who do not have hope in Christ, who believe that their existence consists only on this earth, turn to all sorts of wickedness in their despair. Yet the son or daughter of God can have the most profound peace, joy, and hope in the midst of the deepest pain or loss. This is all because of Christ and their future hope of Heaven with Him.

It is eternally precious to know that it is because of Christ that we will live forever in the glories of Heaven. It is because of Christ that we can have hope, strength, and peace to go on with life, even in the midst of the most difficult trials.
It is because of Christ that although we live in a fallen world, we can have hope that we are going to a place where there will no longer be any suffering, pain, or tears…as it says so beautifully in Revelation 21:4 “and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” What a blessed hope! And it is all because of Christ!

John 11:25-26: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Jesus Himself is the source of all life. Our future hope is all wrapped up in Him. As William Hendriksen says in his New Testament Commentary, “Jesus is the resurrection and the life in person (see 1:3, 4), the full blessed life of God, all his glorious attributes: omniscience, wisdom, omnipotence, love, holiness, etc. As such he is also the cause, source, or fountain of the believers’ glorious resurrections and of their everlasting life. Because He lives we too shall live. With Him removed, nothing but death is left. With Him present, resurrection and life is assured. The Prince of life is ever the conqueror of death” (page 150).

John 11:33-35 also reads, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.”
On page 154, Hendriksen expresses that the Lord Jesus was indignant because of sin, which is the cause of all of the suffering that humanity faces. At the same time He deeply feels our pain and grieves with us. What a glorious God!

Romans 8:19 – 23 reads, “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

1 Corinthians 15:54-58: “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY ? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING ?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

There is no doubt that it is extremely painful to loose a loved one, but take courage dear saints…God is with you and you can be sure that you will see your loved ones who died in Christ again!

It is my prayer that you have been encouraged by this article, especially if you have recently lost a loved one. The Lord is faithful and He will use your circumstance to allow you to minister to others. Blessed be His Name!