Remember the original Toy Story movie? (Stay with me. I promise this has something to do with Jesus being the resurrection and the life.)
At the climax of the film, the two main characters, Woody and Buzz, are in an impossible situation. They’re stranded on the road with no ride and no hope. The movie pauses for a second to let you feel their despair. Only then does Buzz remember: He’s got a rocket on his back.
It’s the moment where, in his darkest hour, Buzz realizes that there’s still a reason to hope. That’s the moment that reminds me of Jesus. Let me explain.
You and I know what it feels like to lose hope. We also know that life rarely comes with quick, rocket-propelled solutions to hard situations.
The knowledge that Jesus is the resurrection and the life can give us the hope to keep going, even when life is hard.
But the knowledge that Jesus is the resurrection and the life can give us the hope to keep going, even when life is hard.
What Is Jesus Trying to Say About Himself as the Resurrection and the Life?
When Jesus says “I am the resurrection and the life,” He’s saying that nothing can undo His plan to renew all things, not even death.
Jesus is saying that His love and power extend across creation, our relationships, and our connection with God. He puts things back together, so even what feels finished isn’t final. We don’t just look forward to restoration—we can experience it today.
Where Does Jesus Say ‘I Am the Resurrection and the Life’?
This statement is found in the Gospel of John:
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die ...” John 11:25 NIV
What Are ‘I Am’ Statements?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus used the simple phrase “I am” at the beginning of seven significant statements, linking everyday human needs—like hunger, guidance, and belonging—to His own identity. With each statement, He invited people to see that the life and closeness to God they were searching for was standing right in front of them.
Get to know the 7 “I Am” statements of Jesus.
What Led up to This ‘I Am’ Statement?
If you knew one of your closest friends could work miracles, how would you feel if He didn’t show up when you most needed Him?
That’s how this story kicks off. Jesus and His disciples know their friend Lazarus is sick, but Jesus delays traveling to see him. Before they even begin their journey, Lazarus dies.
Martha, Lazarus’ sister and a follower of Jesus, greets Jesus when He arrives. Her words show her frustration. Martha essentially asks, “Where were you? You could’ve saved my brother, but you let him die.”
Despite her frustration, she still expresses trust in Jesus, who responds by telling her that Lazarus will rise again. Martha assumes He’s pointing to a future resurrection. Jesus responds, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25 NIV). And then He raises Lazarus back to life.
3 Ways to Apply ‘I Am the Resurrection and the Life’
1. Trust Jesus With the Process
Lazarus’ death seemed like the end, but Jesus wasn’t finished. He brought Lazarus back from the dead, showing that His resurrection power extends beyond physical life. It flows into creation, relationships, and our connection with God.
Jesus knows the brokenness of the world we live in, and He doesn’t ask us to fix all of it. Instead, He asks us to trust Him daily and remain in Him. He also accepts us as we are, but He doesn’t leave us there. He reshapes our hearts, minds, and ultimately our whole lives.
We can experience God’s restoration in our lives by abiding in Jesus.
Living life in the light of the resurrection is rarely something you accomplish overnight; it’s the process of walking with Jesus over time. But we don’t have to wait until death to experience resurrected life; we can experience God’s restoration in our lives by abiding in Jesus.
2. Live Like Life Has Already Started
Ever heard of a bucket list? It’s a list of all the things you want to do before you die. Or maybe you’ve heard the phrase “YOLO”? It means “you only live once.” In other words, make this life count.
Most of us live with the pressure of feeling as though time is always slipping away. But Jesus talks about life differently. He doesn’t just point to something better after we die. He says life with Him starts now, not later.
Jesus steps into what’s already broken and begins to bring it back to life. Sometimes things change right away; other times Jesus gives you the strength to keep going. And one day, everything will be fully restored. But we’re not just sitting around waiting for that. We get to live with Jesus here and now.
3. The End Isn’t Always the End
We often give up on things faster than we’d like to admit. That doesn’t always look dramatic; we might just lower our expectations of what’s possible in a situation. So we stop bringing our hardships and challenges to God in prayer and instead give up on trying to fix them.
Sometimes God does wants us to move on, but other times we’re too quick to end a story that God’s still writing.
Jesus says He’s the resurrection and the life, and He backs it up by raising the dead. And if I’m convinced that’s true, that means some of the things I’ve written off might not actually be finished. I might just be out of ideas or out of hope.
Martha probably felt that way too after her brother died, but Jesus didn’t seem put off by it. On the contrary, He wept alongside Lazarus’ sisters. But then He reminded them that death was not the end, right before raising Lazarus from the dead.
Is there anything you’ve written off or stopped praying for? Perhaps God is inviting you to ask Him, “Is there a story I’m convinced is over that You’re still writing?”
The Deeper Context of the Resurrection and the Life
In Jesus’ day, the idea of resurrection was very controversial among Jewish religious leaders.
- Some believed that resurrection wasn’t possible or wasn’t literal.
- Others believed that resurrection was only possible within three days of death.
However, when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, He turned these ideas upside down.
Lazarus had been in the grave four days, beyond the window in which some religious leaders believed resurrection was even possible. Jesus knew this and wanted to make a point: His power over life was stronger than the seeming finality of death.
An Important Note to Consider
Jesus wasn’t offering everyone a way out of physical death. When He raised Lazarus, He was revealing something bigger: that He is the source of life.
Jesus' miracles were signs pointing to the kind of life He offered. He didn’t heal everyone He met or raise everyone who died in His vicinity. Lazarus’ resurrection was an intentional demonstration to the people watching that day (and to us, reading about His miracles in Scripture) that His words can be trusted.
When we place our trust in Jesus, a new kind of life becomes available—not just in the future, but beginning here and now as we wait for the full restoration that is to come. It’s the kind of life John points to in the final book of the Bible:
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NIV
Who Is ‘The Resurrection and the Life’ to You?
Buzz had a rocket that saved the day, and Lazarus was raised from the dead in an instant. Sometimes we get a quick solution in a hopeless situation, too. But even when we don’t, we can live with hope. Jesus gives us hope for how God might still bring life in surprising ways and also hope for a fully restored creation.
Until then, we can be a part of bringing heaven to earth by living the restored life God always intended from the beginning.