I Am The Resurrection And The Life - Names of Christ Advent Series

Theology

Dec 21

Written By

Jesus: “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26 (The Message)

I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a teacher, a child of God. At any given moment, we all live into multiple titles.

Lazarus dies. Jesus shows up late (by our human standards). Mary and Martha are understandably upset. I’m so glad Jesus explained to Martha he is, at the same time, both:

Resurrection & Life.

Jesus is the one who takes a believer’s life and makes it new. He is the Spirit who takes up residence inside each of us, teaching us to do away with our old tendencies, and embrace an abundant life. He is the Son of God, whose blood was the ultimate sacrifice required for us to receive the free gift of eternal life.

The more we step into this newness of life, the better moms, wives, daughters, friends, teachers and children of God we become. Resurrection always brings new life.

Lazarus fascinates me. We don’t know how much time passed between his death and resurrection, and that of our Lord’s. Regardless, he must have experienced Easter Sunday a bit differently than the others. He had been dead, and Christ had brought him back to life.

When we experience the resurrection and life Christ promises right now (and later), we too should see life differently.

Death will leave us sorrowful. Like Mary and Martha, we get to be grief-stricken, upset over the timing, and even question God’s will in particular circumstances.

But Jesus is our Resurrection and Life. We never really die. That’s good news, and it takes our sorrow by the hand, and asks us to remember. This realization gives us hope.

Hope changes everything.

We lost a beloved member of our church family in the fall. To our congregation, she was a praise and worship singer, a friend, a Bible study teacher, a ministry partner, and a child of God. Even now, months later, she is missed.

Nat was a heart plant recipient. Years ago, God have her new life in the form of a healthy heart. Later, she was given new life when she became a Christ follower. We know she lives today, with Jesus in heaven.

I miss her. Every time I see her photo show up in my Facebook Timehop. As we picked out the next round of Bible study books. On Sunday mornings, when it would have been her turn in the rotation of singers.

We can have comfort, even as we grieve, knowing that our loved ones are indeed with Jesus, our Resurrection and Life. The question Jesus posed to Martha, I believe he still asks us today, “Do you believe this?”

About the Author

Traci writes at her kitchen table in rural Michigan. She and her husband are modern homesteaders; parenting a daughter, growing a garden, and raising a variety of farm animals. Traci has been called a gatherer; forming a community who figuratively gathers around wooden church pews in a big, glorious cathedral in the country. Together, they tell church stories to remind us there is more of Jesus to be found when we learn from one another.You can find more from Traci at her blog, Traces of Faith.This is the tenth in the series of the Names of Christ.

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