Under the leadership of the Holy Spirit this morning, we will be observing a phrase that was uttered by Jesus in John 11, and what is the phrase? It says; "I Am the resurrection and life." So that particular phrase we want to read the account not the whole of it but we just want to read a little from verse 23 down to26 in the context of John 11 where Jesus mentioned that "I am the resurrection and life". John 11:23-27 I will read from the New King James Version. Jesus said to her, that is Martha the sister of Lazarus. Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again". Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day" Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"
The account of what happened in John 11 the Bible makes us to understand that, Lazarus was a beloved of Jesus in fact the family of Lazarus was a family that was dear to Him. And they sent a message to Jesus saying Jesus Lazarus the one you love, he is sick, and He was in the company of His disciples. And He said to them this sickness is not unto death. And He tarried instead of rising immediately to go to see His beloved that is what we would have expected Him to do. But He tarried another two days. And after which He went to visit the family. So on getting to the family, this is the conversation that transpired between Him and the sister of the deceased at the time. He said your brother with rise again.
Then Martha said “I know” that means Martha was showing a form of knowledge but her knowledge was incomplete. Because if her knowledge was perfect Jesus would not have responded. She said I know that he would rise again . you have thought us before that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. But Jesus now made a statement, that Changed the whole game. He said I am the resurrection and that’s very key. He did not say I am the resurrected one. So that you will think He prophesying about His death, and when He will resurrect on the third day. I said I am the resurrection, it is like saying I am the president, it talks about an office, if you see me then I am the president. Jesus here is saying I am the resurrection. When you see this word “ I am the resurrection” it talks about a definite thing. There is no other resurrection anywhere.
And He did not stop there, He said I am the resurrection and the life. There are two things in this statement that Jesus made, we have said number one I am the resurrection. We are conversing about resurrection here. It says I am the resurrection and I Am also the life. This is the reason, now He is helping us to understand the reason why He said I Am the resurrection and the life. Now He said He who believes in me the resurrection and the life though he may die. Something might happen an occurrence can just come up, though he may die he shall live. You think it is contrasting? He may die though, may is a probability, when you use "may" and "shall" you are not meaning the same thing. I may come to visit you. It means you may see, you may not, it is possible you see me, it's possible you do not see me. So you don’t hold me for not coming. Why? He said though he may die, there is a probability, it could happen, but He said this one is sure he shall live, definite! There is no probability in it, the possibility of the occurrence of His life, is one over one. It is sure to happen, now He said In verse 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
"Do you believe this?" remember for us at the centre we are sure we are familiar with introduction, when God introduces Himself. When God introduces Himself, it is a pointer to what He is about to say, He is giving credence to what He is about to communicate with you. So when God comes to you and He says I am the first and the last and He now speaks to you after, you must put what He said to you after in the context of I am the first and the last. So what Jesus is saying here, we must put it into the context of I AM the resurrection and life. This experience is premised on who I am. I am the resurrection and the life. And He said in verse 26, and whoever lives and believes in me shall, did you see “shall” here? The first one was “may” , this one is “shall” shall never die.
And Jesus asked her, do you believe this? Your believe is not complete, is not perfect yet, you believe that on the last day there would be a resurrection but another level of revelation I am introducing you to, and it is that; “ I am the resurrection and the life” what does this mean to us, as believers? This statement that Jesus made, this new introduction of Jesus in John 11 verse 25. What does I am the resurrection mean to us as believers? And made an emphatic statement. The words used in the Bible are carefully selected because they could have meant different things if they are replaced.
He said whoever lives that His first condition, and believes in Me shall never die” that is why He said I Am the resurrection. Even though he may die I am the resurrection, and if he lives and believes in me he shall never die. I Am the life, I Am the one that will sustain him. That is what Jesus is saying here. So what does it mean to us as believers? I want us to look at Philippians 3, let’s bookmark John 11 let’s go quickly to Philippians I will read chapter 3 verse 10 to 11. This is the conversations of apostle Paul, he said; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
I want us to note the words that were used here, he said that I may know Him, who? Jesus, and the power of His resurrection, this is introducing us to a deeper meaning to when Jesus said in John 11: 25 I AM the resurrection and the life. He now said that I may know Him. That’s the first condition, that’s the first thing I must do. And the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being conformed to His death if by any means I may attain to the resurrection, from the dead. Who was apostle Paul saying here? There is a power of His resurrection, if I can connect to the power of His resurrection, he said my being will be conformed to His death, and I will be able to attain the resurrection. So you see him talking about the resurrection. There is a Scripture he spoke about, he said I have been crucified with Christ, never the less I live, but the life I now live I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me and let us quickly flip back to our John 11:26. It says; and who ever lives and believes in me shall never die” you want to look at it and say was Jesus blaspheming or was there an error in judgement? Because we all know that there death after life, after death there is judgement right?
But Jesus is now saying that whoever lives and believes in me, will not die. What was He saying? What is He saying to us as believers? Apostle Paul who now said “that I may be able to attain the resurrection from the dead” and he said “I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live “ I have been dead but I live. But the life I live, I live from 26, by living this Scripture “whoever lives and believes “ so I am now living and believing in Christ. So because of this, I will not die.
And that is why the Bible makes us to understand that the gospel that we preach is foolishness to world, but to us it is the wisdom and the power of God. The words of Jesus are not mere suggestions, they are realities of kingdom living. Because until we come into the fullness of Christ , we cannot attain. And this is one of the statements that Jesus made that many of us have not yet come into the realities of it. I AM the resurrection and the life. What life are you living? As a child of God, what life are you living? Are you living John 11 verse 26? Or you are living another kind of life? Because Jesus made it clear if you are living this life in John 11:26, it says whoever, there is no condition, whether you are a pastor or a bishop or a pop, if you come to live into this experience and believe in me, as the resurrection and the life, you shall not die.
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That’s the truth and that’s what Jesus said. And I want us to see Romans 6 as we tie this all up. Because some of us are wondering were exactly are we going this morning? Because Scriptures explains Scriptures . and we must find out, hope what Jesus said here, we can corroborate it? Romans 6:10, it say; For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. – Did we see that? Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin I Am the resurrection and the life, but alive to God. So the life that Jesus was talking about in John 11 by saying you shall not die” anyone who lives and believes in me, will not die the way Adam died. But shall live. You will be alive to God, and that is why when they were admonishing the brethren, it says when anyone that is a believer dies, he is asleep. Why? He is alive to God.
No believer dies a death that is permanent. That why it says when we transit from this body we live the mortal body and put on immortality. Because whether we are here or there we are alive to God. That is why our transition here on earth, should not define as it where in limitation of our existence in the Spirit. That’s why we must be become conscious of whom we are. Jesus said I AM the resurrection and I AM the life. There is no death in Christ. There is life in Him. So if you are in Christ, you are alive to God. There is no moment whether you are on earth, or you reigning with Him, that you are cut off from God. You are alive to God see that Romans 6:10-11 it says likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who is Christ Jesus our Lord? The resurrection and the life. After He made this statement Romans 8:10-11 see what it says; And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. – he made a statement in verse 10, he said and if Christ is in you, that’s a condition, if Christ is in you, Jesus said in John 11:26, whoever lives and believes in Me, and he says if Christ is in you the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
See what he said in verse 11 if this is all that is said we could become confused but he said in But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Did we see any death there? No! Life. You body may be dead but he said see if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you, even your mortal bodies will be quickened by the life that is in Christ. Even in your mortal bodies you are alive to God. Even in this limiting vessel you are alive to God. You are not disconnected from Him. The life of God exudes from you even though you are in the earthen vessel.
Because if the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you, that same Spirit will make you alive to God. Because when Adam died , in the garden of Eden, his mortal body did not decay. But what happen? He was dead to God. He became dead to God he was no longer discerning, he was no longer spiritual, he was dead. So his mortal body was existing, on its components alone. But the Bible makes us to understand in this Romans 8:11 that when the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, dwells within you, you live by Him, He will even quicken this weak material. So much so that your weak materials are alive, sensitive and discerning to God. Though your body be dead by the quickening of the resurrection power. The power behind the resurrection, because when you hear the word resurrection, don’t think about the resurrection of Jesus after 3 days, that was an event. We are talking about the person. Jesus was not talking about an event in John 11 He was talking about His personality. So we are not talking about an event here, we are talking about the personality of Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life.
So He is able to resurrect your dead members, make them alive to God. That is what Romans 8:11 is saying. Let us also see Ephesians 1:19-20. This morning's message is not go and prosper but this is something that must sink deep into our spirit. We must work in understanding and realization of all that Jesus did for us. This is the prayer that apostle Paul was praying for the Ephesians church. I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers that's verse 16: let me start from 18, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power –which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places. verse 18 specifically says that: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, do you see that? John 11:26says that whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die, it says; towards us who believe according to the working of His mighty power. Remember where we read in Romans 8:11? That the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, if that sane Spirit not another spirit dwells within you, that Spirit will quicken your mortal bodies making you alive to God. So let us go back to John 11 considering all these Scriptures that we have read, let us go back to that 25 and 26. See what He said; Jesus said to her, "I AM the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in Me, though he may die, first condition we are going to pause a bit there, I am the resurrection and the life that is my personality, that is what I do, when you call somebody a president, doesn’t that person preside? When you call somebody an evangelist, does the person not evangelize? But if you don't come in contact and connect with the personality of that person, will the person come to your house to do it for you? If you are not in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari cannot preside over you. True right? If you are not in the USA president Donald Trump cannot preside over you. He can't say in fact you an immigrant, when you are not there. The same way if you are not in Christ, Christ cannot be to you, the resurrection in your life. That’s why He said first in verse 26, whoever “lives” you must live in my kingdom. You must belong to Me for Me to become, the resurrection and the life to you. And let's go back to the first one, I just want to dwell there a little bit.
And whoever lives and believes in Me that’s the first condition, and you will see the category of people He referred to in 25 and the category of people He referred to in 26 He said I Am the resurrection and the life he who believes in Me, this is the first category of people, he who believes in me though he may die, though he may have been in the world, though he may have been in sin, because a man that is dead, is dead in sin. Though that man may have been in sin, though that man/woman may have been dead, he shall live for I will resurrect him from the dead. So Jesus resurrects from the dead. It could have been dead for the person because the person was in sin, so as a child of God, you may have been dead because of fornication, because of adultery, because of lies, Jesus said I am the resurrection, I resurrect those that are dead. Though you may have been dead to sin, you might have killed human beings I am the resurrection you shall live, there is a chance in me. Because I am the resurrection.
For Lazarus he was already dead and stinking for days, your case could be like that too. You could have been dead and stinking for days, and years, stinking in sin, stinking in ungodliness, Jesus is saying to you I AM the resurrection you have a chance to live in Me. You may be dead, but my will for you is not to be dead, I don’t want you to remain in your dead state, that is why I Am offering you resurrection. But you have to come to Me, the chance you have is in Me, Christ. Come to Me and I be over you the resurrection. I will resurrect you from every form of deadness. I will resurrect you. That’s who Jesus is. Your background and your past maybe so horrible, for Lazarus he was dead, he was stinking, they even covered him with a stone. They don’t want his stench to extend. So what does it means Lazarus was isolated in his sin. Nobody wanted to associate with him anymore.
That could be your situation. The stench of your sin is so much that you have been isolated by family, you have been isolated by friends the only person willing to come to your tomb is Jesus the resurrection. And what will He do when He comes to the entrance of your tomb? He will ask them to roll the stone away, and He will call you forth. Because He is the resurrection. He will call you forth out of that dead state, out of that stench, then you will be able to live again. That’s the first category of people, And that’s why He said I Am the resurrection and the second one He said in 26 and who ever lives this time around He is talking to your beloved, you are already living in Him, and you believe in Him, He said whosoever lives and believes in Me you are already living in Me you are already born again, you see already saved, He is saying to you, I Am the life. You shall never die, because you are in me you shall never die, you will always be alive to God. Because you are in Me. You will always be alive to God, you shall never die, you shall never experience isolation, you shall never experience that stench of sin, you shall never experience that horrible experience of sin, because you are in Me. I Am the life, I am not a life, I am not your spiritual life, I AM life, when I come into you I takeover , you are alive to God.
Everything about you is ablaze that is why John said to those people at the time. He said see I baptize with water, that’s the limit of my assignment, but there is one coming, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie , He is coming to baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. What is he saying the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead, or dwell in you He will baptize you into that same Spirit and He will set your life on fire. He will make you alive unto God. You are no longer alive unto sin. Sin smells you can’t even do it, you are on fire for God. You are sensitive, your members are not given over to death. You are alive in Him. I Am the new experience. That’s what God is saying. Jesus is saying I Am the resurrection to a particular set of people, but to you I am the life. Child of God I AM the life. I AM the life that is in you, I Am the life that is leading you to evangelize, I Am the life that is leading you to show kindness, to show love, I am the one setting your life on fire.
Burning out everything that is not of God, creating in you an unsearchable hunger for God. That’s why He said to that woman at the well, He said if you know who is asking you to give to drink, you will know that He has what to give you. You will no longer come to this well to fetch anymore, the kind of life that will spring out of you unto everlasting. It can’t run dry. That’s why He said when you have a life that can never run dry, how can you die? You can’t. That’s why Jesus was so sure, and He made this emphatic statement if you live and believe in Me you shall not. Never! You shall never die. You shall never again be a candidate of sin. You shall never again be associated with deadness, because I’m the life. And until we walk in this fullness.
Remember the example the Holy Spirit gave to us if you are not in Nigeria the president of Nigeria cannot preside over you. So whatever he is doing, whatever project or policy can never affect you, so if you are not in Christ the life of Christ cannot affect you. You have to be in Him. That’s why apostle Paul was saying that I may know Him, the power of His resurrection, that Spirit that He has baptized me into. That may come into close affinity with Him, that’s the word the Holy Spirit has for us this morning, that’s the word of Jesus to us, I Am the resurrection and the life. First category of people, you may be dead but you shall live, if you believe me you shall live, and if you live and believe in Me you shall never die, you shall. We must come into the realization of this, we are alive unto God. When temptation wants to come, when the devil wants to come and sneak in with his cunningness, we must say to him, do you know who you are talking to? I Am alive to God.
That is why Jesus could face the devil in Matthew and say to Him, turn this stone into bread and He said man must not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. See I am not dead I am alive. It is men that are dead that you can lure with bread. Am alive. There is a life in me that you can’t touch, you can’t come close to, am alive to God, I just want you to say that until it sits into your spirit.
