Resurrection: Defying Death and Redefining Identity
Summary
In John 11, Jesus arrives in Bethany to find Lazarus dead for four days, and Martha grieving. When Martha meets Jesus, she expresses both her sorrow and her faith, saying, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus responds with the monumental declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This statement is not just a comfort for Martha, but a direct challenge to the very power structures of the world. In a world where the ultimate authority is the power to kill, Jesus proclaims a power that renders death itself powerless.
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus is relentlessly pursued by those in authority who seek to kill him. The threat of death hangs over him and his followers, echoing the fate of prophets and truth-tellers throughout history. The world’s rulers, like those who killed John the Baptist or modern figures who silence dissent, wield death as their final weapon. Yet, Jesus’ act of raising Lazarus is a direct confrontation with this power. If the dead do not stay dead, then the world’s only real weapon is nullified. The resurrection of Lazarus is not just a miracle; it is a declaration that the kingdom of Satan, whose power is death, has been defeated.
The response of the authorities is telling: they plot to kill Lazarus as well, desperate to maintain their grip on power. This reveals the true nature of the world’s kingdoms—rooted in violence and death. But Jesus’ resurrection power exposes their impotence and points to a new reality: the kingdom of God, where life triumphs over death.
On a personal level, this truth transforms our very identity. The human condition, as famously captured in the “tears in rain” monologue from Blade Runner, is one of inevitable loss and oblivion—our lives and achievements ultimately washed away by death. But Jesus’ resurrection redefines what it means to be human. Life is no longer a journey toward oblivion, but toward eternity. God promises to wipe away every tear, and death will be swallowed up in victory. Our identity is rewritten; we are no longer defined by death, but by the eternal life Christ offers.
Key Takeaways
- Jesus’ declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” is a direct challenge to the world’s power structures, which are built on the ability to kill and destroy. By raising Lazarus, Jesus demonstrates that death is no longer the final authority, and the world’s rulers are rendered powerless in the face of resurrection. This is a radical confrontation with the systems of violence and oppression that dominate human history. [24:42]
- The persistent attempts on Jesus’ life throughout his ministry reveal the relentless opposition of worldly powers to the kingdom of God. The story of Jesus is mirrored in the stories of those who have stood against injustice and paid with their lives, showing that the world’s default response to truth and life is often violence. Yet, Jesus’ refusal to be intimidated by these threats models a courage rooted in the certainty of resurrection. [27:51]
- The resurrection of Lazarus exposes the desperation and futility of the world’s rulers. When confronted with the power of life, their only response is to try to kill again, as seen in their plot against Lazarus. This reveals that the kingdom of death has no creative power—only the ability to destroy—and that its reign is ultimately doomed. [31:53]
- The politics of resurrection are not abstract; they have real-world implications. The world’s obsession with “lethality” and the glorification of violence are symptoms of a kingdom in opposition to God’s purposes. To stand with Christ is to stand on the side of life, to reject the logic of death, and to participate in God’s victory over the powers that kill and destroy. [35:15]
- On a personal level, resurrection transforms our identity and destiny. The human story is not one of inevitable loss, as depicted in the “tears in rain” monologue, but of hope and eternal significance. In Christ, our tears do not end in oblivion; God himself wipes them away, and our lives are caught up in the promise of resurrection and new creation. [42:03]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[23:45] - Martha’s Grief and Faith
[24:42] - “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
[25:54] - The Political Implications of Resurrection
[26:34] - The Threat of Death in Jesus’ Ministry
[27:51] - The World’s Relentless Opposition
[31:05] - Resurrection as a Challenge to Power
[31:53] - The Plot Against Lazarus
[33:03] - The Logic of Death in the World
[33:35] - Modern Examples of the Power of Death
[34:34] - The World’s Obsession with Lethality
[35:15] - The Politics of Resurrection
[36:06] - The Kingdoms in Conflict
[37:06] - The Human Condition: “Tears in Rain”
[42:03] - God Wipes Away Every Tear
[42:40] - Resurrection and Human Identity
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
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### Bible Reading
- John 11:17-27
(Jesus arrives in Bethany, Martha’s conversation with Jesus, and Jesus’ declaration: “I am the resurrection and the life.”)
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### Observation Questions
1. What does Martha say to Jesus when she first sees him after Lazarus has died? How does she express both her grief and her faith? ([23:45])
2. What is Jesus’ response to Martha’s statement, and what does he mean when he says, “I am the resurrection and the life”? ([24:42])
3. According to the passage and the sermon, what was the reaction of the religious leaders to the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead? ([31:53])
4. What does the sermon say about the world’s response to Jesus and those who stand for truth and life? ([27:51])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is Jesus’ statement, “I am the resurrection and the life,” described as a direct challenge to the power structures of the world? What does this mean in the context of the story? ([24:42])
2. The sermon mentions that the world’s rulers responded to Lazarus’ resurrection by plotting to kill him. What does this reveal about the nature of worldly power and its limitations? ([31:53])
3. The “tears in rain” monologue from Blade Runner is used to describe the human condition apart from God. How does Jesus’ promise of resurrection offer a different vision for humanity? ([37:06])
4. The sermon draws a line between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan, saying one is on the side of life and the other on the side of death. What does it mean to “stand with Christ” in this conflict? ([35:15])
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### Application Questions
1. Martha brings her honest grief and faith to Jesus. When you face loss or disappointment, do you feel free to bring both your sorrow and your trust to God? What might help you do this more honestly? ([23:45])
2. Jesus’ resurrection power is said to challenge the world’s obsession with violence and death. Are there ways you see this “logic of death” in our culture or in your own thinking? How can you resist it and choose life instead? ([35:15])
3. The authorities wanted to kill Lazarus to maintain their power. Are there situations in your life where you feel pressure to “go along” with destructive systems or attitudes? What would it look like to stand with Jesus in those moments? ([31:53])
4. The sermon says that resurrection transforms our identity and destiny, so we are not defined by loss or oblivion. Are there areas in your life where you feel defined by past failures, grief, or fear of death? How might Jesus’ promise of resurrection change the way you see yourself? ([42:03])
5. The “tears in rain” idea is that everything we do is eventually lost. Do you ever struggle with feeling like your life or efforts are meaningless? How does the hope of resurrection speak to that struggle? ([37:06])
6. The sermon mentions modern examples of people who stood for truth and paid a price. Is there a cause or truth you feel called to stand up for, even if it’s costly? What would courage look like for you in that area? ([27:51])
7. God promises to wipe away every tear. Is there a specific sorrow or loss you want to bring to God this week, trusting him to meet you with hope? ([42:03])
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Devotional
Day 1: Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus’ declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” is a direct and monumental challenge to the power of death that rules this world. In a world where death is wielded as the ultimate weapon by the powers and authorities, Jesus proclaims a new reality: that those who believe in Him will live, even after dying. This statement is not just a promise for the distant future, but a present reality that redefines what is possible and what it means to truly live. In the face of grief, loss, and the apparent finality of death, Jesus offers hope that transcends the grave, inviting us to trust in His power over life and death. [24:42]
John 11:25-26 (ESV)
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Reflection: Where in your life do you feel the power of death or despair most strongly, and how can you invite Jesus’ resurrection life into that place today?
Day 2: The Power of This World is the Power of Death
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, the rulers and authorities relentlessly sought to kill Him, seeing Him as a threat to their power. The world’s systems are built on the ability to wield death, to silence, to destroy, and to maintain control through fear. This dynamic is not just ancient history; it continues in our world today, wherever power is maintained through violence and oppression. Yet, Jesus’ resurrection exposes the impotence of these powers, showing that death is not the end and that the kingdom of God stands in direct opposition to the kingdom of death. [27:51]
John 8:44 (ESV)
“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
Reflection: In what ways do you see the power of death and violence at work in the world around you, and how might you stand on the side of life in your daily actions?
Day 3: Resurrection Power Disarms the Rulers and Authorities
The resurrection of Lazarus and Jesus’ own resurrection are not just miracles—they are acts of cosmic defiance against the world’s power structures. By raising the dead, Jesus renders the ultimate weapon of the world—death—powerless. The rulers’ response is to try to kill even more, but their efforts are futile in the face of God’s victory over death. This is the politics of the kingdom of God: a confrontation with the forces of death, and a proclamation that life, not death, will have the final word. [35:15]
Colossians 2:15 (ESV)
He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Reflection: What would it look like for you to live today as someone who believes that death and evil have already been disarmed by Christ?
Day 4: Life in Christ Transforms Our Identity
Apart from God, the human story is one of fading into oblivion, where all achievements and moments are lost “like tears in rain.” But Jesus offers a radically different vision: through Him, life is lived toward eternity, and death does not have the final word. Our identity is no longer defined by the inevitability of death, but by the promise of resurrection and eternal life. This changes not only our destiny, but the very core of who we are and what it means to be human. [42:03]
2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Reflection: How does knowing your identity is rooted in Christ’s resurrection change the way you see yourself and your purpose today?
Day 5: God Will Wipe Away Every Tear
The hope of resurrection is not just about escaping death, but about the healing and restoration of all things. God promises to wipe away every tear, to remove the pain and sorrow that mark our lives in this world. This is the ultimate reversal of the world’s story: instead of our tears washing us away into oblivion, God Himself will comfort us and grant us eternal life. This hope invites us to live with courage, compassion, and expectation, knowing that God’s love will have the final say. [42:40]
Revelation 21:4 (ESV)
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Reflection: What sorrow or pain do you need to entrust to God today, trusting that He will one day wipe away every tear?
Quotes
When Martha got word that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask. Jesus told her, your brother will rise again. [00:23:38] (21 seconds)
Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never, ever die. Do you believe this, Martha? [00:24:05] (17 seconds)
So the Gospel of John is organized around seven major miracles, seven major I am statements. This contains one of the I am statements of John around the halfway point of the Gospel. I am the resurrection and the life, a monumental declaration. [00:24:33] (22 seconds)
If the dead don't stay dead, then the world's power structure has fallen. The one weapon it has, has no effect. The kingdom of Satan has been defeated. [00:31:26] (19 seconds)
The kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God are in direct conflict. One is on the side of life, but Satan just wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Everyone who is on the side of life, the fullness of life, life eternal, belongs to God's kingdom and stands with Christ. Everyone who is on the side of death and wields the power of murder belongs to the kingdom of Satan. Jesus calls them sons of Satan. The conflict rages on, but resurrection power will win. Christ will be victorious. [00:35:53] (47 seconds)
To say that our life will be washed away like tears in rain is the perfect description of life apart from God but through Christ life is lived toward eternity death doesn't have the final word death doesn't swallow up life death is swallowed up in victory and this transforms who we are it transforms what it means to be human our identity. [00:41:00] (41 seconds)
God responds at the end of the Bible in Revelation 21 God will wipe every tear from ustheir eyes and there will be no more death. This is the exact opposite of the tears in rain monologue. [00:41:41] (22 seconds)
In the Blade Runner quote, our tears wash away all we are into oblivion. But in Revelation it says God will wipe away our tears. Our tears will have no power. Our tears won't have the final say. God replaces them with eternal life. [00:42:10] (30 seconds)
To be raised from death, it doesn't just transform our future, our destiny. It rewrites our identity. It transforms what it means to be human. [00:42:40] (16 seconds)
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