The Resurrection and the Life

These words were spoken by Jesus to Martha at one of the most painful moments of her life. Her brother Lazarus had died. She was grieving and struggling to understand why Jesus had not come sooner to heal him. In this moment of sorrow, Jesus gives her one of the most powerful truths in all of Scripture.

“Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

He reveals that He is not just a teacher, not just a healer, and not even just a prophet. He is the resurrection and the life itself. Everything that lives and breathes draws its existence from Him. Everything that is restored, renewed, or resurrected is restored through Him.

Let’s break this down in a way that makes it easy to understand and live out.

“I am the resurrection and the life”

When Jesus said this, He was saying that He Himself is the power over life and death. He did not say, “I can bring resurrection” or “I will give you life.” He said, “I am.” That means resurrection and life are part of His very being. They are not things He does, they are what He is.

This means that true life can only be found in Him. Without Him, everything eventually dies. With Him, everything has the potential to live again.

In Exodus 3:14, God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Jesus uses the same phrase here to show that He is one with the Father. He is declaring His divinity. He is saying that the same God who gave life to Adam and who spoke creation into being is standing before Martha in human form.

This truth matters because it shows that Jesus is not limited by time, disease, or death. When He lives in you, that same power that raised Lazarus and later raised Jesus Himself lives inside you.

“He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies”

Here Jesus makes it clear that faith in Him brings eternal life. Everyone will experience physical death one day, but for those who believe in Jesus, that death is only temporary. It is not the end.

Physical death is like a doorway. You step through it, but your life continues in the presence of God. The body may die, but the spirit lives on.

This is why believers can face death without fear. Our hope is not in this world. Our confidence is in the One who conquered death.

When you truly believe in Christ, your spirit is made alive. You begin to live the kind of life that death cannot destroy.

“Whoever lives and believes in Me will never die”

Jesus now speaks about the deeper truth of eternal life. If you are alive in Him now through faith, you already possess eternal life. You do not have to wait until heaven to begin living it. Eternal life begins the moment you believe.

What this means is that your eternal life has already started. You are already a citizen of heaven. You already belong to eternity, even though you are still walking on this earth.

So when Jesus says, “You will never die,” He is not saying your body will never die. He is saying that your spirit, the real you, will never be separated from God again. That is what death truly is: separation from God. In Christ, that separation has been permanently removed.

“Do you believe this?”

This question is at the center of everything. Jesus was not just speaking theology. He was calling Martha to make a personal decision. He was asking her to put her trust in Him completely.

That same question is asked of every one of us. Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? Do you believe that death no longer has power over you?

Belief is not just agreement with the facts. It is surrender to the truth. It means you live as though what Jesus said is real because it is real.

Practical Application

If you truly believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, then your entire outlook on life changes.

You live without fear of death. You no longer need to fear losing your life, your possessions, or your future. Death has lost its sting. You know that your true life is hidden with Christ in God, and that cannot be taken from you.

You live with purpose. Since you have eternal life now, your time on earth becomes an opportunity to serve God and prepare for eternity. You no longer waste your days on meaningless pursuits. Every action, every decision, and every word becomes a chance to glorify the One who gave you life.

You walk in peace. Knowing that Jesus holds both your life and your resurrection brings unshakable peace. No matter what happens around you, you know that your future is secure. This peace cannot be found in money, success, or relationships. It comes only from the presence of the living Christ inside you.

You live with compassion. When you understand that you have eternal life, you begin to care deeply about others who do not. You realize that physical death is not the greatest tragedy. Spiritual death is. So you share the message of Christ because you want others to live and never die.

The Importance of Living This Truth

The truth that Jesus is the resurrection and the life is not just a belief to hold; it is a truth to live by. Many people say they believe in Jesus, but they still live as though life ends at the grave. When you truly understand what Jesus said here, it transforms the way you think, act, and hope.

It reminds you that your real home is not this world. Your real life is not measured by what you own or achieve here. It is measured by your relationship with Him.

To live this truth is to put eternity first in every part of your life. It is to make decisions based on eternal reward rather than temporary comfort. It is to build your life around the Kingdom of God instead of the world.

Above all else, this truth must govern your heart. Jesus did not say, “I will show you the resurrection.” He said, “I am the resurrection.” That means that without Him, there is no life. With Him, there is no death.

Summary

John 11:25–26 reveals that Jesus is not just the giver of life; He is life itself. Whoever believes in Him is already living eternally. Death is no longer something to fear because it has already been defeated.

The practical application is to live every day with confidence, peace, and purpose. To walk as someone who has already crossed from death into life. To spend your time, your work, and your heart on things that will matter forever.

When you truly believe and live this way, you are no longer driven by the fear of loss or failure. You are driven by the certainty of resurrection and the power of eternal life that is already within you.