The majority of Jesus’ “I am” statements are more figurative than literal. They offer us an image of who Jesus is and what Jesus offers. I am the Light of the world. I am the Bread of Life. I am the door or gate for the sheep. I am the true vine. But there are two “I am” statements that make bold claims about faith. The first is cautionary; the second is filled with promise. “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” That’s the first; here is the second:
“Jesus said to her (Martha), ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’” — John 11:25.
Jesus spoke these words to Martha just days after her brother, Lazarus, had died. Martha had written to Jesus when her brother became ill, confident that Jesus would immediately respond to her plea for help. Jesus and Lazarus were good friends. She and her sister knew Jesus; he was a family friend. And, she was confident in Jesus’ ability to heal. But that didn’t happen. Jesus didn’t come, her brother died, and they buried him. Finally, after several days, she gets word that Jesus has arrived, and she goes out to meet him. She was grieving, confused, and even a bit angry.
It was a moment of deep sorrow — grief mingled with confusion and faith struggling to make sense of loss. Jesus met her there, accepting her emotions while drawing her attention to the most important thing. Who did she believe he really was? Martha, for a few minutes, forgets her loss and pain and answers Jesus’ question. He is the Messiah, the Son of God. In response, Jesus makes his “I am” statement, declaring that resurrection and life are for all who believe in him.
The power of resurrection begins long before the grave. Resurrection starts wherever Christ brings life out of what seems dead: broken relationships, wounded hearts, or shattered dreams. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead breathes new life into us, offering hope that transcends circumstance.
Salvation isn’t just about escaping death, although that’s a promise, but about entering a new kind of life, one marked by love and grace, second chances and new beginnings. Resurrection is not only something we wait for but something we experience daily.
When we believe in Christ, death no longer has the final word. Every act of forgiveness, every glimpse of grace, every moment of faith in the face of loss is a small resurrection — evidence that life in Christ is stronger than death itself. That’s what Jesus promised Martha that day on the road leading to her brother’s tomb. And that same promise is true for us today.
Prayer: Risen Lord, breathe your life into me today. Where I am weary, renew me; where I am broken, heal me; where I am afraid, strengthen me. Help me to live as one who knows that death does not have the last word. Let my life be a testimony to your power to make all things new. Amen.
