Who Is Jesus? The Resurrection and the Life
Notes from the message preached by Lynette Karulkar at New City Church in Albuquerque, NM, on May 10, 2026.
In times of loss, delay, and doubt, we often find ourselves asking fundamental questions about God's presence and power. The story of Lazarus in John 11 provides profound answers to these questions, revealing Jesus not just as a miracle worker, but as the very source of life itself.
What Does It Mean That Jesus Is the Resurrection and the Life?
When Jesus declares "I am the resurrection and the life" in John 11:25, He's making a revolutionary statement. This isn't just about a future event or a theological concept - it's about His very identity.
The word resurrection means "a raising up" or "a standing up again." It indicates a return of life after death, specifically a physical restoration. But Jesus takes this further - He doesn't just promise resurrection, He claims to BE the resurrection.
This declaration comes in the context of His friend Lazarus's death. Martha and Mary, Lazarus's sisters, are grieving and questioning why Jesus didn't arrive in time to heal their brother. It's in this moment of pain and confusion that Jesus reveals one of His most powerful truths about His identity.
How Is Jesus Greater Than Our Delays?
Both Martha and Mary express the same frustration to Jesus: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21, 32). They're essentially saying, "You're too late, Jesus."
But Jesus operates on God's timeline, not ours. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus consistently moving according to His Father's will and timing:
As a boy in the temple: "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)
To His brothers: "My time has not yet fully come" (John 7:6)
About His work: "My Father is working until now, and I am working" (John 5:17)
Sometimes what seems like a delay to us is actually God working out His perfect plan. God's delays often require faith in His work that we cannot see - and that's precisely the point of faith.
How Does Jesus Address Our Doubts?
Martha's conversation with Jesus reveals the tension between belief and doubt that many of us experience. She believes in Jesus, but her faith is being tested by circumstances.
When Jesus tells her "Your brother will rise again," Martha responds with theological knowledge: "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day" (John 11:24). She believes in future resurrection, but that doesn't comfort her present pain.
Jesus meets her exactly where she is, stretching her faith beyond what she already knows. He essentially tells her: "Martha, the future has burst into the present. I'm not just promising resurrection - I AM the resurrection."
We can come to Jesus with our honest thoughts and doubts. We don't need to have perfect faith or say everything perfectly. Jesus meets us in our questioning and invites us to know Him personally.
How Is Jesus Greater Than Death?
The raising of Lazarus demonstrates Jesus's ultimate authority. Lazarus had been dead for four days - long enough that Martha warns about the smell when Jesus asks for the stone to be removed.
But Jesus calls out with a loud voice: "Lazarus, come out!" And immediately, the man who had died came out, still wrapped in burial cloths.
This miracle anticipates Jesus's own resurrection and His victory over death. It shows that Jesus has authority over sin, sickness, death, and every power of this world. As He said before performing the miracle: "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it" (John 11:4).
What Is Jesus's Invitation to Life?
Jesus offers us two types of life through His resurrection power:
Eternal Life
This is the promise of life beyond physical death. "Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" (John 11:25). Through Jesus's sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, He conquered death and made a way for us to have eternal life with God.
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
Abundant Life
But we don't have to wait until we die to experience Jesus's life. He offers abundant life right now through relationship with Him.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
Abundant life means:
Being known and loved by God
Freedom from sin and access to His power
Hope that doesn't depend on our circumstances
The ability to walk in newness of life
How Can We Experience Jesus as the Resurrection and Life?
Living as though Jesus is the resurrection and the life will transform how we approach our daily existence. Here are two key indicators:
Our Prayer Life Will Grow
When we truly believe in Jesus's resurrection power, we'll start praying bold prayers. We'll ask God for everything we need instead of waiting until we're desperate. We'll approach Him as our loving Father who has all authority.
"Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full" (John 16:24).
Our Faith Will Increase
We'll begin to operate as Jesus's sons and daughters, with the authority He's given us. We'll see people and situations not just as they are, but as they could be through God's power.
"He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).
"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:11).
Life Application
Jesus specializes in making dead things new. Just as He called Lazarus out of the tomb, He's calling you to experience His resurrection life in areas where you may feel bound up or hopeless.
This week, have an honest conversation with God about the "dead" or broken areas of your life that need His resurrection power. Whether it's relationships, dreams, faith, or circumstances that feel hopeless - bring them to Jesus who is the resurrection and the life.
Consider these questions as you reflect:
What would you say to Jesus if He asked you, "Do you believe this?"
What dead or broken part of your life needs Jesus's resurrection power to revive it?
How might your prayer life and faith change if you truly believed Jesus has authority over every area of your life?
What would it look like to exchange your life for the abundant life Jesus offers?
Remember, you can come to Jesus with your doubts, delays, and even your despair. He meets you exactly where you are and invites you into relationship with Him - the One who conquered death and offers both eternal and abundant life.
