The resurrection of Jesus is not just some cool story or fairy tale. It is very much true. Everyone agrees that Jesus died on the cross. And what every Christian agrees on is that three days later Jesus left that tomb alive. And that changed everything. Now everything that is Christ’s can be ours when we trust in him. That’s what we will explore next – the gifts of the resurrection of Jesus for us who trust in him.
Resurrection and Life.
John 11:25-26. 25Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
Jesus is talking to Martha in these verses. Her brother Lazarus has died, and Jesus h gotten there late. Do you remember what happens? That’s right, Jesus will raise Lazarus from the dead. But before he does, he tells Martha that HE is the resurrection and the life.
The New Testament was written in Greek, but most likely you don’t speak Greek. In English we have one word for life. That word is life. But in Greek there are three words for life. Bios. Psyche. Zoe.
Bios (bi-ose): This word refers to our physical life.
Psyche (soo-kay) – This is the word can refer to the soul, the mind, or even the whole life of a person. Here’s an example from the Bible:
John 10:11. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life [psyche] for the sheep.
Zoe (zoh-ay) – this word is always used in the Bible to mean the life of God.
Every single person is born with both bios life and psyche life (a body and a mind). But none of us is born with God’s zoe life. For that you have to be connected to Jesus by faith. Jesus didn’t come to Earth and die on the cross so that we can have bios or psyche, we already had those. He came to give us what we didn’t already have – zoe!
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life. When someone trusts Jesus as their savior, we would say that they have received eternal life. But what is this life? What does Jesus’ resurrection give to us? Does he only offer us to live forever in the same body and mind that we already have? Let’s hope not. Our bodies and minds can get hurt, sick, and they can do bad things.
What we need, and what Jesus offers is a whole new kind of life – God’s life.
Jesus Christ came so that we might have God’s own zoe. God’s own eternal life. Jesus didn’t come to teach us how to win at life, or how to have our best life. Jesus didn’t even come to just teach us how to live. Jesus came so that we might be born again with the zoe life of God.
John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life [zoe].
You: Jesus asked Martha if she believes that he is the resurrection and the life. Do YOU believe that he is?
You with Jesus: Why do we need God’s life and not just a better version of our own life in order to be saved?
Prayer: Father, I believe that your life comes from Jesus. Help me to live from your zoe, letting it change all I do with my mind and body. Amen.
TLICfamily 