I am the Resurrection and the Life

What do you think about when we say you get to know Jesus?

Jesus, truly God, truly man, the logos that spoke everything that we see, including you and me into existence! I find it breath taking that this is a reality for those created in his image! That we might know things about God! 

In this podcast we understand who Jesus is, when he says that he is the resurrection and life!

0:00 - Intro
5:12 - Xander Prays
5:49 - The story of Lazarus being raised...
8:31 - Jesus isn't normal
12:25 - Jesus is in control
17:15 - Jesus is the resurrection and the life
20:21 - Jesus raises Lazarus
22:23 - Jesus is the one we glorify
25:20 - Conclusion

Music by
Over the limits
Vernacolmusic

Transcript

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Wildfire podcast is an extension of Wildfire, which has a focus of igniting men and women of God into a deeper discipleship with Christ, instilling people with a passion to radically and relentlessly pursue Christ wherever that leads.

That God's truth will spread like a wildfire.

Series, now we have looked at I am the good shepherd, where jesus is saying that he's the protector.

We've looked at I am the vine, where jesus says that he is the one who sustains us.

And we've looked at I am the bread of life.

jesus is the one who satisfies.

Now I am is the self-proclaimed name of God that he gave to Moses at the burning bush.

It was so holy that the Jewish people had to create alternative names because they didn't want to say it.

But here we see that jesus is not only saying it, but he is applying it to himself.

So what does that tell us?

That yes, jesus is fully man, but jesus is saying, I am God.

See everything points to jesus.

When you read your Bible, Genesis to Revelation start to end.

Everything points to one person, and that person is jesus.

Now, Paul had it right when he said, if jesus be not raised from the dead, then our faith, our gathering, everything that we are doing here today is in vain.

It doesn't matter.

But we know that jesus has risen from the dead.

And that is amazing.

And jesus is the foundation of everything.

So I don't know about you, but I want to know everything there is is to know about jesus.

And there is no better way of doing this than looking at what jesus said about himself as God.

And this morning, we are going to be looking at jesus saying, I am the resurrection and the life.

Now, how are we gonna be doing this this morning?

Well, we're gonna look at jesus saying, I am the resurrection and the life.

Pretty obvious.

And this is in John chapter 11, if you want to turn there.

Now, together as a family, this is why we have these family services, because the family of God is a family.

And we look out and we see parents, sons, daughters, friends, and we all gather together, but we are a family.

And it is a real blessing and a real privilege to gather with your family to open up God's word.

And so we're going to do that together.

But why talk about this?

Why should you sit there and listen to me and what I am about to say?

Every single individual in this room, why?

Young to the oldest.

See, the very words of the living God are going to be spoken here this morning.

Whoa.

I wonder what you think if the incarnate jesus walked up here on stage and started to speak to you, what would be the atmosphere in the room?

What would you do?

You would listen in, wouldn't you?

I'm not going to miss a single word.

But yeah, that's exactly what we're saying.

When God's word is being spoken, they're not my words, they're his.

So we must listen in.

And the Spirit of God, God himself lives in me.

And for those of you who are followers of jesus Christ, God lives in you.

So to sit here this morning and to have God's word revealed to us and for nothing to happen, for there to be a new excitement in the room, that just doesn't make sense.

Like we're about to read the account of jesus, raising someone from the dead.

This is crazy normal.

Crazy because of someone who is dead, who's about to be raised to life.

Can you imagine if you witnessed that?

That's crazy, right?

But it's crazy normal.

It's normal because of who's doing the raising, jesus.

This is totally normal for him.

He's already done it twice before this.

So if you're in primary school, if you are in high school, or if you're beyond that, ask the Spirit of God, would you teach me this morning?

All of us, smartest to the dumbest, I'm in the dumbest category.

We're in the same place.

We don't know the things of God.

If you're young, look around.

Those who are older than you, they don't know the things of God either.

And you know how you know the things of God?

How do you know the spiritual things?

The Spirit.

So all of us are united together and that we don't know and that we need God to help us understand.

So I'm gonna ask Zander, the person that I mentored to come up and pray for me.

He's right at the back.

Long, awkward walk to the front.

Don't be embarrassed.

He's wearing Crocs, oh dear.

So there you go.

God, I pray for Luke this morning, as he's about to teach us.

I pray that you speak through him, Lord, that you will just teach us, that we will listen and that we will hear and that we will understand.

And that it will go right to our hearts.

And that it will just maybe change something, Lord.

That there will be some understanding and a way to find something new, find out something new about you, God.

Pray this in jesus' name, amen.

Thank you, Xander, so much.

So, what has been happening up to this point in this story?

So, jesus has been teaching and healing, and when he receives the news about one of his friends who is sick, jesus doesn't panic.

No, imagine what you would do if you find out that your friend was sick.

What would you do?

You would maybe ask, why are they sick?

You would maybe go and text them and say, hey, are you okay?

You would bring them, you would go to their house, you would perhaps bring them something.

But yet, what jesus does is really surprising.

Upon hearing the news that his friend is sick, jesus says, this illness does not lead to death.

It is for the glory of God, so that the son of God may be glorified through it.

Okay.

Now after this, because jesus loved lazarus, Mary, Martha, his friends, he stayed two days longer.

And he told his disciples, we're gonna go to the place where lazarus is ill.

But on their way, jesus tells them, lazarus is dead.

And it was lazarus' death was the purpose of why they were actually going.

It's interesting.

And so we arrive at where we are at this moment in jesus' life.

What's going to happen next?

So we're gonna read verse 17 onwards.

So if you have that, you can look to your parents, your guardians, others, open God's word, and we're gonna read this together.

because these are the words of God.

These aren't mine, these are God's words.

Now when jesus came, he found that lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

Bethany was near jerusalem about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

So when Martha heard that jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.

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 from God, God will give you.

jesus said to her, your brother will rise again, Martha.

And Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again on the resurrection of the last day.

Don't worry, we're gonna talk about that.

And jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life.

He ever believes in me, though he die, yet he shall live.

And everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.

Do you believe this?

She said to him, yes, Lord, I believe that you're the Christ, son of God, who's coming in to the world.

Now we're gonna start there in the story.

We know the events that have just unfolded, but what can be taught from this?

Now the first point that I have is a pretty theologically heavy point, and I understand that there may be some in this room who may not understand it, but I'm gonna go for it anyway.

Number one, jesus isn't normal.

He isn't normal.

You see, in verse four, jesus' reaction to his friend's illness was this won't lead to death.

The conclusion will not be death.

It seems that jesus, jesus knows.

And in verse 11, jesus tells us why he's going to lazarus, to awaken him.

Now, this isn't the only time that jesus had used the word, someone's asleep when they're actually dead.

Now to us, they're as dead as a dodo.

But to jesus, they're merely asleep.

Now, if you think of yourself and your parents who wake you up for school in the morning, how easy is it for them to wake you up?

I know for some it may be harder than others, but it's pretty simple.

You know, you go in, shake them, let's go to school.

And this is what it's like for jesus to raise someone from the dead.

It's so easy for him.

That's why he says, listen, they're asleep, just wake up.

And you know what?

It's easier for jesus.

It's not normal.

And in verse 14, after just two days, jesus says that lazarus is dead.

Who told jesus that information?

Anyone know?

Nobody.

jesus knew.

It's not normal.

And so that leads us to the first point that I want to give you this morning.

jesus is God.

God is supernatural.

The supernatural isn't normal.

And that is awesome.

Now, the way we're gonna do this this morning is there's four of these points.

And I want us to say them together.

just that last phrase.

That is awesome.

See, something that's awesome means...

This is amazing.

It's a biblical word.

We use it often.

It's like this ice cream's awesome.

This movie's awesome.

But that's not the way we should use this word.

See, something that's awesome is something that is worthy of praise.

It's one in and of itself.

There's only one who is awesome, and that's God and everything that He said.

So as I say this this morning, I'm going to say that jesus is God, God is supernatural, and the supernatural is normal, and you're going to say, and that is awesome.

Exactly.

So that was rubbish.

So we're going to do it again, but I expected that.

So here we go again.

Think about the truth, though.

jesus is God, God is supernatural, and the supernatural isn't normal, and that is awesome.

It really is.

You see, stop living your life for the normal things.

I think that's often what we do, right?

We come here, we want it to be a normal service, we want to live normal lives.

jesus, the person we're called to copy, he was not normal.

The things that he said, the things that he done, it wasn't normal.

because he's God.

Supernatural.

And I'm here to tell you that the Christian life is not normal.

So if you want to live that normal life, Christianity, being a follower of jesus, isn't for you.

But who wants to live a normal life?

Not me.

Okay, so point number two is that jesus is in control.

You see, whenever I was younger, I went to primary school.

Yeah, of course I did.

I didn't mean to say that.

I was in primary school whenever I was younger.

And I went to my friend's house.

And he was a farmer.

I am obviously not a farmer.

But I went to his house and they were like, oh yes, look, you're gonna drive the tractor today.

He's like, I was like, oh me, I'm gonna drive the tractor today.

He was like, yeah, you're gonna drive the tractor.

And I was like, okay.

So I got in the tractor.

Of course, the dad got in with me.

I sat on his knee and he just put it into first gear.

And away we went and he said, you've got this.

And everyone was looking on.

It's like, yeah, looks driving the tractor.

And I'm like, yeah, I'm driving the tractor.

And I just got in the steering wheel and here I was.

And I was just driving straight.

And it was going so well, just straight.

Until we came to our first corner, there was a building at the end, but I just kept going straight.

I don't know why, but I was like, you're good looking.

I was like, yeah, I'm good.

That building's coming right for us.

And I don't know how to turn this thing.

And we're driving straight towards that building.

And we're coming and that building's coming.

And I'm starting to panic and there's the building and the tractor.

I didn't hit the building.

And that's because I was never actually in control.

The dad was in control the whole time.

I wasn't driving the tractor.

The dad was.

I just had my hands on the steering wheel.

I couldn't even reach the accelerator pedal.

So what does that tell us?

You see, just when I thought I was in control, I really wasn't.

I was never in control.

And to be honest with you, if I had of been in control, we would have been in trouble.

And so it is in this story.

We just read of loads of people who are just not in control.

They have no clue what's going on.

In verses 1 to 16, the disciples didn't know what was happening.

In verses 17 to 26, Martha didn't know what was happening.

In verse 28 to 36, Mary didn't know what was happening.

And in verse 36, the Jews, they didn't know what was happening.

You see, no one knows what's going on except jesus.

jesus knows.

And jesus is the one who is in control.

And we are told this over and over and over again in this story and throughout the Bible.

In this story, verse 4, verses 11 to 16, you got verse 23, verse 25, verse 38 to 44.

That's just a pile of numbers, I know.

But what I'm trying to say is over and over and over again in this story, what's the focus?

jesus is in control.

From the things that he says, the things that he does, jesus is in control.

Now, jesus knew why he was here.

jesus knew who he was and jesus knew where he was going.

But everyone else, they didn't know who they were, where they were going or why they were here.

And I'm here to tell every person in this room, whether you like it or not, for many of us, we don't know who we are.

We don't know where we're going and we don't know why we're here.

And I truly believe that as I say this today, this is for someone specific.

This matters what I'm about to say next.

And I pray that you will take it and store it up.

You see, jesus knows who you are.

jesus knows why you're here.

jesus knows where you're going.

I know, it's very easy for that to just...

jesus knows why you're here.

jesus knows who you are.

And jesus knows where you're going.

That's incredible.

And you needed to hear that.

And you know who you are.

Number three is, oh, I nearly skipped this part.

The part where we all do it together.

You see, jesus is God, God is in control, and that is awesome.

Number three, jesus is the resurrection and the life.

I don't know how you would describe yourself or introduce yourself.

Perhaps if we talked after, if you came up and I was like, hi, Luke Taylor, resurrection and the life.

You would be very confused and very worried, and so you should be.

I don't think anyone would introduce ourselves that way.

But yet, here we read of jesus saying, I am the resurrection and the life.

It's again, not normal, but we already knew that jesus isn't normal because he's God.

In verse 24, Martha, she represents what the Jews believed, God's people at that time, that all those who had faith in God would one day rise with God.

But jesus, he fills in the gaps of their thinking.

jesus explains and teaches that he is that resurrection life.

He is what will make you rise on the last day.

So there's two things that we have to think about here.

One, we're spiritual, and two, we're physical.

The physical is easy to understand.

You just tap your chest.

You just know that you're a physical person.

But you're also spiritual.

And God's Word teaches that we're all spiritually dead.

But it's through jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, that we will become alive.

Alive spiritually.

And so when jesus does return, physically we will rise, but it will be with hope.

because we're spiritually alive.

And for those of us in this room, who are still spiritually dead.

And so when jesus returns physically, that doesn't fill us with hope.

But worry and fear, because you know that you're not alive.

You haven't experienced what it means that jesus is the resurrection and the life.

And in verse 27, we read of what our response should be.

Like Martha's.

And it can be this this morning.

And I pray it is this for every single person in this room.

And I mean every single person.

Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Christ.

The son of God, who is coming in to the world.

So that leads us to the third point, which is jesus is God, God is the resurrection and the life.

And that is awesome.

Man, it looks like nobody believed that in the room this morning.

Crazy stuff.

I'll say it again.

jesus is God.

God is the resurrection and the life.

And you know what?

That is awesome.

It totally is.

Let me come to the part of our story where jesus is about to raise lazarus.

This is everything that's happened up to this point.

And now we read of jesus is about to raise lazarus.

Verse 38.

Then jesus deeply moved, came to the tomb.

It was a cave and a stone laid against it.

And jesus said, take away the stone.

Martha, the sister of the dead man said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor for he has been dead for days.

See, what you need to know is jesus has already raised two people from the dead already in his ministry.

One was whenever a girl died, and immediately jesus came and raised her from the dead.

The other time was whenever a young man, he died and he was in the coffin.

A day or two had passed, but jesus raised them from the dead.

But lazarus, he's been dead four days in the tomb.

And so it's not like they're thinking, listen, jesus has already raised people from the dead, he can do it again.

No, they're thinking he's been dead four days.

lazarus is gone.

And jesus said to her, did I not tell you?

What did we just say?

That if you believed, you would see the glory of God.

So they took away the stone and jesus lifted up his eyes and he said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

I knew that you would always hear me, but I said this on the account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.

And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loyed voice, lazarus, come out.

And the man who had died, he came out.

His hands and his feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.

And jesus said to him, onbind him, and just let him go.

You see, we come to your final point this morning.

jesus is the one that we glorify.

That is the one that we praise.

In verse 4, jesus has already told us, everything that we are reading that happened, happens so that jesus, Son of God, would be glorified.

That's the purpose of this.

jesus tells us why we have this story.

So, when reading this, when living our lives, we have to remember that the end destination of absolutely everything that we do is to praise God.

And it is the life that He has given us.

That's how we do it.

Living our lives for Him.

And in verse 41 to 42, we come full circle.

That is to say, we started here, and now we've made our whole way back, to where we started.

That everything that is about to take place with lazarus will happen so that God will be glorified through the Son.

And here we end with jesus thanking the Father, that through the Son and the events that we have just read, the people believed in jesus.

Giving glory to jesus.

So, our last point this morning is jesus is God.

God is the one that we glorify.

And that is awesome.

It's totally awesome.

And I am, that's what we've talked about this morning.

jesus is God, the foundation of absolutely everything that we believe.

And three, what jesus said about himself, those I am statements.

We get to know things about God.

just for a moment this morning, I want you to think to yourself, if you would have the boldness to come before the throne room of God this morning, the Father, the Son at the right hand, all the angels just giving him praise 24-7, that you would step in to that throne room, and you would say, God, I beg you, would you just help me to know one thing about you?

just one.

Would you give me that blessing?

God says, of course, I am the resurrection and the life.

God, thank you.

Oh my goodness.

I can't believe that you would bless me with knowing something so amazing about you.

And yet here we are this morning, and God just doesn't say, here's one thing for you.

God says, I want you to know everything about me.

As his people, we have to have this gratitude, this thanksgiving, that we don't just get to know one thing about God.

We get to know everything.

And we'll have all eternity to do it, because God is infinite, and we can't do everything about him.

And that should excite us.

How did we talk about it this morning?

We looked at jesus as the resurrection and the life.

Point number one was jesus is God.

God is supernatural.

The supernatural isn't normal, and that is awesome.

jesus is God.

God is in control, and that is awesome.

jesus is God.

God is the resurrection and the life, and that is awesome.

jesus is God.

God is the one we glorify, and that is awesome.

And we come back full circle, just as we did in this story.

Why did we talk about this this morning?

As you leave here today, if you leave the same, this was absolutely pointless.

Knowing who jesus is, is breathtaking.

It is wonderful.

And I wonder how many of us view it that way, as wonderful and breathtaking, that we can know the things of God.

If you are young, if you are a child, a young person, listening to me right now, I'm a young person too, so I'm talking to us.

We are advantaged in this way.

We have a one-up on our parents and our guardians, because it will be easier for us to trust God.

It's easier for us to recognize that we don't know everything.

We don't have responsibility and we can just come before God and say, I don't know everything.

Well, I can't.

But because of you, God, I can know everything that you've done for me and what you've accomplished.

And for parents or those who are older, let us not lose the simplicity and beauty of who jesus is.

How we get to know who jesus is.

Let us model a childlike wonder and an awe to all of those around us.

That we might look to the left and to the right, and that we might see followers of jesus Christ who know things of God.

And we can see it.

After when we're talking with one another, we can look at each other.

We can be like, do you know that jesus is the resurrection in the life?

I know that jesus is the resurrection in the life.

And then you can say at the exact same time, that is awesome.

To leave us now, let me say what jesus said, and it doesn't require anything else.

This is more than enough.

jesus says, get ready, I am the resurrection and the life.