Class Lesson April 28, 2019

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#3

Sell Everything You Own

Matthew 19:16-26

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

One of my favorite TV shows has an episode where the main character’s uncle dies. The uncle wanted to be buried with all his favorite things: baseball cards, old trophies, the helmet he wore in battle—well, you get the idea. He has so much stuff in his casket they spend most of the 22-minute episode trying to figure out how to close the casket without breaking anything. 

I enjoy this episode because it is just so silly. We know these things won’t be with us when we die, nor will they matter; yet, some people in the world have been buried—or plan to be buried—with their possessions. No, it’s true, we “can’t take it with us,” but it can still be easy to get wrapped up in all our stuff. The things we own are not what bring us closer to God, but in some cases, like with the rich young ruler in Matthew 19, those possessions can tear us away from Him.  

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Matthew 19:16-20

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

We know three things about the man who came to Jesus: He was young (v. 20). He was rich (v. 22). He was a ruler (Luke 18:18). He may have been a leader in the synagogue.  Many religious leaders questioned Jesus with the intent of trapping Him somehow, but we have no hint of that with this young man. He even called Jesus “Teacher,” and he seemed willing to learn from Him. 

What he wanted to learn could be seen as a universal question, one even you may have asked at some time: “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” This young man was trying to secure his way into heaven through the practice of good deeds. It is clear from his answer in verse 20 that, in spite of his actions, he sensed in his spirit something different was needed. I picture him standing next to Jesus and the disciples, writing instrument in hand, waiting for Jesus’ profound answer. 

Jesus challenged his way of thinking with a question, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.” This is our first sign that what matters is not the good we do but the One who is good. The problem comes when we think we can be good in order to gain a right standing with God. We donate to charities. We volunteer our time to great organizations. Overall, we are kind and good people. But we’re sadly mistaken if we do these things in our own version of the “Get into Heaven To-Do” list. 

Jesus gave the young man the checklist he was looking for. Jesus used these six commandments because they would have been familiar to this Jewish man. Most of these six commandments come directly from the Ten Commandments and involve other people. When it came to behavior, the man had done well. But he knew this was not enough. He was still missing something. 

The young man may have outwardly obeyed these commandments but his obedience seems to have been out of obligation. Simply obeying the commandments was not enough. God doesn’t just want our outward acts. Are our acts good? Maybe. Probably. But our acts don’t always reveal our hearts. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23). Our hearts determine our motives and actions, and God wants our hearts to obey His call.

Matthew 19:21-22

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 

Want to be perfect? OK. Here is what you do: Sell your possessions. Give to the poor because your treasures are in heaven. Follow Jesus. Easy, right? 

If Jesus asked you to sell everything you owned in order to follow Him, could you do it? The house. The car. The TV. Your great grandmother’s box of correspondence with your great-grandfather. The crib that’s been passed down from generation to generation. 

Jesus was asking the young man to make an enormous sacrifice. He wasn’t just to sell his possessions; he was to give away the money from the sale! All of it. Gone. But let’s not get stuck on the possessions.

Giving up our possessions is not the point of this story. The Gospels record no other time Jesus called anybody to do that. In following Jesus, Zaccheus gave away half of all he owned and paid others four times what he owed them (Luke 19:1-10). In His parable of the minas (or talents), Jesus called us to use what we have wisely for His kingdom (vv. 11-27). So why did Jesus make such a radical demand of this young man? Jesus knew the man loved his worldly possessions more than he loved Jesus. 

To follow Jesus is to place Him far above everything in our lives. If those things get in the way of our full devotion and commitment, get rid of them. 

I have a few friends who left lucrative and powerful jobs to follow God’s call to vocational ministry. Their trust was not in their own abilities or in the jobs they were doing. Their trust was in Jesus. They trusted Him enough to know He would provide for their families. 

The rich young ruler would’ve known that too, had he not walked away. He couldn’t do it. His heart was too wrapped around his possessions to give them all up. To him, what he owned was so important that it kept him from truly knowing the Lord. 

Initially, the man ran to Jesus, fell on his knees, and was ready to do anything to secure his place in heaven (Mark 10:17). Well, almost anything. The young man wanted eternal life, but not at that cost. Ultimately, it was his possessions that owned him. And with that, he missed out on something far greater. 

Matthew 19:23-26 

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

Jesus made a profound statement to His disciples as the rich young man walked away—and He uttered it twice: It’s hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom. When the disciples heard this, they were confused. People commonly believed wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. If a person was rich, he was thought to be the perfect candidate for heaven. On top of that, this ruler was a great guy by anyone’s standard. He obeyed the Law and was respected by people. 

So why is it so hard for the rich to enter heaven? So long as their wealth takes priority, they lack the relationship with God that He desires. They depend on what they have instead of depending on God. That’s true for us too. When we find our identity in Jesus and not in the things of this world, we experience: 

• Freedom. When we trust and follow Jesus, the chains of bondage break, allowing us to live in freedom. We no longer have to live in anger, bitterness, self-doubt, and rage.
• Peace. The peace we seek and desire comes from Jesus—and only Jesus. 
• Joy. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 15:13). 

The rich young ruler missed all this. We cannot be “all in” for Jesus while obsessing over the things we own. It’s impossible to have the mind of Christ when our thoughts are consumed with our financial portfolio. Our relationship with God should be the center of everything upon which we set our hearts.

LIVE IT OUT

Having wealth isn’t wrong unless it gets in the way of our relationship with Christ. Choose one of the following applications:

• 

  Trust. If you’ve been trying to be good and moral in order to gain a good standing with God, acknowledge the futility of it. Trust Christ and be obedient to His Word as a response to His grace in your life. See the inside cover of this book for help.
• Audit. Walk through your home and look at the things you own. Review each line of your financial statement. What do these possessions and purchases say about what’s important to you? Consider ways you can use these things for God.
• Sell. Sell what you don’t need or give it away. If you have possessions that consume your time in an unhealthy way or tempt you to focus on anything but Christ, sell it. Don’t let anything come between you and following Christ.  

God may not call all of us to give everything away, but He does desire that He be at the center of our lives. Let’s make sure that’s the case in our lives!

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan


Teacher's Notes:

Click Here to Watch Art Linkletter

One of the all-time great entertainers was Art Linkletter. For many years he had a television show in which he interviewed children, and their answers to his questions were often quite amusing. Linkletter’s father was a Baptist preacher, so he liked to ask children questions about church and the Bible. One time he asked a little girl what her favorite Bible story was. She said her favorite was the story of the rich man and the beggar (Luke 16:19-31). She told how the beggar went to heaven, but the rich man did not. Art Linkletter asked her, “And what does that story teach us?” 

The little girl replied, “Rich men go to hell.” 

Our lesson this morning says that we have a tendency to see wealth and prosperity as a sign of God’s favor. This notion was expressed by some as early as the Book of Job. We see it still today in preachers and televangelists who say God wants us to be financially rich. We hear a different message from Jesus Himself. 

Life is not about financial abundance and prosperity.

Blessing from God is tied to a heart of obedience, not a financial portfolio.

SELL EVERYTHING YOU OWN

Matthew 19:16-26

16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”

21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

If Jesus did ask you to sell everything, what would be the one thing hardest to give up?

• Anything you love so much that it would be ridiculously hard to let go of sounds like something you love more than Jesus.

Is Jesus saying that rich men go to hell?

What do we know about this man who came to Jesus?

• He was young. 

• He was rich. 

• He was a ruler (Luke 18:18). 

Was anything wrong with his question: What good thing must I do to get eternal life?

• Isn’t this a universal question, one even you may have asked at some time: “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?” This young man was trying to secure his way into heaven through the practice of good deeds. 

How did Jesus challenge the young man’s way of thinking?

• With a question, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.” 

This is our first sign that what matters is not

the good we do but the One who is good.

What was the problem with the young man’s way of thinking?

• Thinking we can be good in order to gain a right standing with God. We donate to charities. We volunteer our time to great organizations. Overall, we are kind and good people. But we’re sadly mistaken if we do these things in our own version of the “Get into Heaven To-Do” list. 

• When it came to behavior, the man had done well. But he knew this was not enough. He was still missing something. The young man may have outwardly obeyed these commandments but his obedience seems to have been out of obligation. Simply obeying the commandments was not enough. God doesn’t just want our outward acts. Are our acts good? Maybe. Probably. But our acts don’t always reveal our hearts. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23). Our hearts determine our motives and actions, and God wants our hearts to obey His call. 

Then Jesus says, OK, you want to be perfect? Here is what you do: Sell your possessions. Give to the poor because your treasures are in heaven. Then come follow Me. Easy, right? 

If Jesus asked you to sell everything you owned in order to follow Him, could you do it? 

• Jesus was asking the young man to make an enormous sacrifice. He wasn’t just to sell his possessions; he was to give away the money from the sale! All of it. Gone. But let’s not get stuck on the possessions. Giving up our possessions is not the point of this story. 

So why did Jesus make such a radical demand of this young man? 

• Jesus knew the man loved his worldly possessions more than he loved Jesus. 
• To follow Jesus is to place Him far above everything in our lives. If those things get in the way of our full devotion and commitment, then we must get rid of them. 

Why would you say that it’s hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom?

• When the disciples heard this, they were confused. People commonly believed wealth was a sign of God’s blessing. If a person was rich, he was thought to be the perfect candidate for heaven. On top of that, this ruler was a great guy by anyone’s standard. He obeyed the Law and was respected by people. So why is it so hard for the rich to enter heaven? So long as their wealth takes priority, they lack the relationship with God that He desires. 

They depend on what they have 

instead of depending on God.

(Greg Hynds - His Story)

I have one friend who left a good paying position to follow God’s call. His trust was not in his own abilities or in the job he was doing. His trust was in Jesus. He trusted God enough to know He would provide for his families. The rich young ruler would’ve known that too, had he not walked away. He couldn’t do it. His heart was too wrapped around his possessions to give them all up. To him, what he owned was so important that it kept him from truly knowing the Lord. The young man wanted eternal life, but not at that cost. 

Why is a willingness to surrender everything necessary to follow Jesus?

I. Outward obedience is not enough.

• Living decent and moral lives and being faithful in religious practice is good, but neither is sufficient to merit eternal life.

II. External obedience grows out of our internal obedience to Christ.

• The call to discipleship demands a response.

• The way to eternal life includes willingly giving up anything and everything that separates us from the Lord who alone is the source of eternal life.

III. A relationship with God is what matters, not possessions.

• A person who is unwilling to surrender to the Lord will never enter the kingdom; he will never know the gracious rule of God in his life.

• God is ready, willing and able to receive those who give up everything to follow Jesus.

• We can’t save ourselves, no matter what we do, but God can.

What would Jesus ask you to give up?

The words of Jesus come with no legalism. In fact, a person could sell all he owns and still not be fully devoted to Christ. Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler carry a message for all of us: if you want to follow Jesus, jump in with both feet. Let Him be Lord over everything in your life. As the missionary Hudson Taylor said:

Christ is either Lord of all, or is not Lord at all.

Conclusion: The way to live life to its fullest and the way of eternal life is found only in Jesus. All our efforts, right standing in the community, impeccable character, a solid reputation, religious conviction, and having an abundance of goods are not enough. We may have all those things but the essential thing would still be missing – Jesus. In the end, eternal life is a gift of God made available in the atoning death of Jesus Christ. 

What was the most difficult barrier you faced in your decision to give up all to follow Jesus?

Describe how the teachings of Jesus have had a dramatic effect in at least one area of your life?

The Point: Choose Jesus or worldly wealth, because you can’t live for both. 

Class Lesson April 21, 2019

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#2

You’ll Never Die

John 11:25-27; 20:24-29

 

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Oh, the things we will do to live longer! We all know that a healthy diet and exercise improve our bodies and, therefore, help us live longer. Beyond that, though, researchers have discovered a few more things that might increase your life span.

Live on top of a mountain. People who live at high altitudes live longer.

Learn a new language. Being able to speak multiple languages slows the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Live on a reduced-calorie diet. One of the longest-living people groups limits their daily intake to 1,200 calories.

Work harder. Serious and persistent workers tend to live longer than the carefree employee.1

You could try all these, and while you might increase your life span, you can be sure of one thing: you’re still going to die. Jesus told us the only way not to die is to believe in and follow Him. And He made that possible when He died on the cross and rose from the dead.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

John 11:25-27

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

As John 11 opens, we see “Lazarus from Bethany,” a man who was sick and at the point of death. Jesus Himself was only days away from His crucifixion and death. Lazarus was a beloved friend to Jesus (vv. 3,11), yet Jesus intentionally delayed making the trip to Bethany to heal His friend. Jesus delayed, and Lazarus died (v. 14).

When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, He sought to comfort Lazarus’s grieving sisters, Mary and Martha. He told Martha, “Your brother will rise again” (v. 23). Martha did not disagree; she accepted the popular view taught by the Pharisees that there is an afterlife, and the Jewish people would experience a resurrection someday. But Jesus was referring to something a lot more immediate!

To explain the miracle He was about to do, Jesus gave one of His seven I AM statements; this one carried a great claim of Deity.2 “I am the resurrection and the life.” Implied in this statement is the truth that Jesus is the One true God; He is not just any god, but one that can resurrect Himself. He did not say He would bring about the resurrection or He would be the cause of the resurrection; Jesus said He is the resurrection.

Resurrection from death and the promise of eternal life are so closely related to Jesus that we can only find them in a relationship with Him. That relationship begins with believing. Jesus went on to say “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”

Wait. If I’m dead, doesn’t that mean I’m not alive? Yes, your physical body will die, but you will not cease! For those who believe in Jesus, they are and will remain spiritually alive in Christ—and they will be resurrected to a new glorified body. Jesus promised us a life with Him in heaven (John 14:2-3).

What brings this truth about Jesus into our lives is the word believe. This verb means far more than acknowledging something. The Greek word carries the idea of placing our confidence and trust in that which we believe. And in this context, we are to believe in Jesus.

This great truth of Jesus as the resurrection calls for a response. Jesus asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” She affirmed her belief and trust in Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” She had seen His miracles and heard Him teach; now she came to the only conclusion: Jesus is the Messiah.

John 20:24-25

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

The resurrection can be a difficult reality to grasp. It’s hard to think that two thousand years ago a man loved us enough to give His life for us—and it seems even more fantastic that He would come back to life. Yet that very truth is the cornerstone of our whole belief system. No other religion can claim the resurrection.

Can other religions claim death? Sure, every religion can point to their founder’s death, but only Jesus died and came back to life. Only Jesus is the resurrection.

The disciples had no doubt Jesus had died. The duty of a Roman soldier assigned to a crucifixion was to ensure the victim died. Should a criminal escape death, the soldier paid for it with his own life. The women had seen where Jesus was buried, so there was no question they went to the right tomb—which was empty (24:1-3). And now the disciples had seen Jesus alive for themselves!

The resurrection was surely a hard reality for the disciples to believe at first, considering the shockingly hard reality of Jesus’ death. Yet here He stood in front of the disciples.

Except Thomas. John did not tell us why Thomas was not with his fellow disciples, but he did give us Thomas’s reaction to the news. Thomas, most likely in awe and confusion, demanded to see Jesus’ scars and wounds before he would believe. This is where we get the phrase “doubting Thomas,” an unfair distinction for Thomas. He wasn’t the only one who doubted. The other ten disciples initially refused to believe as well (Luke 24:11).

It’s hard to believe without seeing. It’s far easier to believe when evidence and proof are right in front of us. The Christian life is one of faith, but that faith has to be grounded in something solid. Otherwise, it’s just blind faith, something we hope might be true. Faith is only as good as its foundation.

So how can we have faith in the resurrection? Like Thomas, up to this point, we haven’t seen the physical, resurrected body of Jesus. Thankfully, God has given us ways to trust with confidence.

John 20:26-29

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John gave us “the rest of the story” when Jesus appeared again to the disciples. “The doors were locked,” indicating the disciples were still scared. They may have worried that the Jewish leaders who had wanted Jesus dead were after them too.

Into this locked room, Jesus appeared. With His presence, Jesus gave His disciples the peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7), the peace that only He can give, the peace the world will never understand unless they are followers of Christ (John 14:27). This is yet another reminder that Jesus is our peace.

Jesus then turned His attention to Thomas. He did not rebuke Thomas for his disbelief. Jesus met Thomas with reassurance, compassion, and grace. We might wonder if Thomas fell to his knees weeping as he exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” This was his clear confession of his belief. Through seeing the scars in Jesus’ hands, Thomas found a new faith in Jesus—a faith that no longer included doubt or fear.

Thomas and the other disciples got to see firsthand what we can’t see today: Jesus’ ministry at work. Jesus knew many believers like you and me would come after Him, who would be unable to experience what the original disciples did. So, He told Thomas, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

So why do we believe? We trust the words and witness of those who did see Jesus alive. Disciples like Thomas. Paul underscored the witness of those who saw Jesus.

We don’t simply believe the resurrection of Jesus happened, but it is an event that we can trust to be life changing. Jesus IS the resurrection, and life only comes through Him. If you want eternal life, trust the truth of the resurrection, follow the words of Jesus, and believe.

LIVE IT OUT

We can do nothing on our own to have eternal life. All we need to do is repent, believe, and follow Him. Choose one of the following applications:

• Believe. Jesus is alive, and He invites you to follow Him. If you have never trusted in Christ, place your full faith in Him. Read the inside front cover of this book to learn how you can do this. Talk to someone in your group about your desire to believe and trust in Christ.

• Investigate. Look into the truth of the resurrection for yourself. Many books address the resurrection, such as Buried Hope or Risen Savior: The Search for Jesus’ Tomb by Charles Quarles or The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

• Share. Who has God put on your heart to hear the truth of the resurrection? Ask God to put someone on your heart who needs to hear about His resurrection and eternal life.

God’s not against healthy living; He’s for it! But let God be the source of your joy. Joy is found in Him and the sure hope of His resurrection.

Hope to see you this Easter Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

The Mary Tyler Moore Show. If you’ll recall, she played the associate producer for a local news show. Ed Asner played her boss, Lou Grant. One of its most famous episodes involved the death of Chuckles the Clown, who hosted the children’s program at their station. He was killed in a rather bizarre accident, and some of the news staff couldn’t resist making jokes about it. They knew the jokes were insensitive, but they just couldn’t seem to help themselves. Lou and some of the other men were discussing it, and one of them asked, “What’s the matter with us? A man has died, and we’re laughing!” Lou replied, “It’s a release – a defense mechanism. We laugh at things that scare us. We laugh at death, because we know death will have the last laugh on us!” 

Should we laugh at death?

Why do we fear death when Christ says,

“you’ll never die”?

Our inability to understand the things of God completely is to be anchored in an unquestioned faith in Jesus and conviction that what He says is true and can be trusted.

Lou was correct as far as he went, but he missed one little detail. If you’re a follower of Jesus, death will never have the last laugh on you, because Jesus has already gotten the last laugh on death! Because He has risen from the dead, we can be certain that all of His promises are true, including the promise of life after death. 

YOU’LL NEVER DIE

John 11:25-27

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

What does Jesus mean when He says,

“I am the resurrection and the life”?

I. Jesus promised that those who believe in Him will never die. 

What did He mean by this?

· Each person is confronted with a decision to declare who Jesus is.

· Those who believe in, trust, and are committed to Jesus have the promise of eternal life.

· Jesus embodies within Himself the power to bring the dead to life. He said that He is the resurrection!

I. The promise of life after death. 

A. Jesus went to the home of His friend Lazarus who had been sick. 

1. When Jesus arrived Lazarus had already been dead four days. 

a. His body had already started to decay (v. 39). 

b. He was likely the provider for Mary and Martha. 

2. This chapter contains a short but powerful verse: “Jesus wept” (v. 35). 

a. Though He was going to bring Lazarus back to life, He still felt compassion for Mary and Martha. b. Likewise, Jesus understands our pain and grief. 

B. He made an important promise to Lazarus’ sister Martha. 

1. “I am the resurrection and the life”. 

a. He not only raises the dead, but He has life in Himself. 

b. Those who believe on Him have eternal life, and thus we have no need to fear the grave. 

2. To Martha’s credit, she affirmed her belief in this promise. 

a. She had stated her belief in the final resurrection. 

b. She said she believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. 

C. Jesus then raised Lazarus from the dead. 

1. This was an undeniable miracle. 

a. No one could deny that Lazarus was dead (v. 39). 

b. There were numerous witnesses to his resurrection. 

2. It upset the Jewish religious leaders. 

a. Many of them were Sadducees, who did not believe in any kind of resurrection from the dead. b. They were afraid of the political consequences (v. 47-48).

Implied in this statement is the truth that Jesus is the One true God; He is not just any god, but one that can resurrect Himself. He did not say He would bring about the resurrection or He would be the cause of the resurrection; Jesus said He is the resurrection. Resurrection from death and the promise of eternal life are so closely related to Jesus that we can only find them in a relationship with Him. That relationship begins with believing. Jesus went on to say “The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” Wait. If I’m dead, doesn’t that mean I’m not alive? Yes, your physical body will die, but you will not cease! For those who believe in Jesus, they are and will remain spiritually alive in Christ—and they will be resurrected to a new glorified body. Jesus promised us a life with Him in heaven. 

John 20:24-25

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

Do you consider Thomas a skeptic or an honest searcher?

· We generally characterize Thomas as a skeptic, which may be unfair to him.

· In John 11, when word came that Lazarus was at the point of death, Thomas, knowing how dangerous it would be for Jesus to return to Bethany, near Jerusalem, spoke up to his fellow disciples saying, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (11:16). Some suggest that this statement shows his negative perspective. I read it as a bold declaration of commitment. 

· Resurrection can be difficult to accept as reality. 

II. Resurrection can be difficult to accept as reality. 

What’s your reaction to that?

· The great testimony of every believer is “I have seen the Lord.”

· Each person must have his own personal experience with the Risen Lord; someone else’s experience cannot be ours.

Jesus had risen from the dead, but Thomas was not yet convinced. Thomas was evidently a pessimist. Newspaper columnist George Will has said the nice thing about being a pessimist is you’re either right or you’re pleasantly surprised.

Hobbs cuts Thomas some slack regarding his “doubt.” He says, “Doubt is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a protective device given us by God. … When one doubts, he should not be content to let the matter end there. But he should pursue all evidence with an open mind – and with a disposition to believe – if the evidence demands it. Thomas did just that. And the result was most wholesome indeed!”

John 20:26-29

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? 

1. It proves that Jesus’ claims about Himself were true. 

a. He predicted He would die and rise again. 

b. He claimed to have power over death (John 10:17-18). 

2. Since Jesus has proven Himself, we can believe His other claims. 

a. He is coming again (John 14:3). 

b. He is the only way to God (John 14:6). 

3. His resurrection is a foretaste of our own resurrection. 

a. When we die, our souls go directly to heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8). 

b. When Jesus returns, our bodies will be raised, too (1 Thess. 4:16). 

c. Our new bodies will not be under the curse of sin (1 Cor. 15:53). 

d. Jesus’ resurrection was “the first fruits” of the future resurrection of believers (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

III. Jesus backed up His promise of eternal life by rising from the dead.

· Jesus comes to us and accepts us just as we are, doubts and all.

· The call of the gospel is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the way of salvation.

· We may long to have walked with Jesus when He was on earth, but actually, we have the greater blessing of knowing Him and having Him dwell within our hearts through a dynamic presence of the Holy Spirit.

· When someone asks you how you know Jesus lives, sing out, “He lives within my heart!”

What part of the gospel seems too good to be true?

In what area of life do you need to stop doubting and believe that God is in control?

Conclusion: By His own resurrection, Jesus gave validity to His claim that He is “the resurrection and the life.” And because He lives, we live. His resurrection assures us that we too shall be resurrected. Thus, we claim the hope; we receive the new life; and we invite friends, neighbors, family members, and yes, all the inhabitants of the world to believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Hope of eternity! We do not worship a martyr on Easter or any other Sunday. We worship the Risen Lord.

You don’t die. When you die. Whatcha talkin bout, Jesus?

Jesus made some unusual statements. Consider what he said to a woman named Martha: “The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live” (John 11:25).

If you take that statement at face value, it sounds contradictory. If you die, you won’t die. What?? That sounds like something out of one of the zombie movies and series that have flooded popular culture in recent years.

So, which is it? Do I die or do I live?

Human history is full of attempts to find a fountain of youth or at least increase our lifespan. There are scientists committed to the study of longevity called — surprise! — longevity scientists. Their goal is to find ways to increase the average lifespan.

I’ve got to be honest. I don’t want to live a long life. I mean, a loooong life. I turned sixty last year, and within a month, I saw three different doctors for three different reasons. It’s like my warranty suddenly ran out. My mother died last month after many years of ailments and pain, mostly related to just age, and she said on several occasions she was ready to die and go Home. Who wants to live a long life if that’s in the future?

OF course, we know what Jesus meant with His statement, “The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” This physical life ain’t all there is. According to Barna Research, 81% of Americans believe there is life after death. That large percentage of the population, though, would differ on what exactly life-after-death means. Jesus is clear: Belief in Him is the key to having eternal life. That means, conversely, that eternal death awaits those who do not believe in Him.

Our physical bodies wear out. All the kale, vitamin supplements, and workout regimens won’t change that. Your warranty will give out. But that’s not the end of the story for the follower of Christ.

“There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from that of the earthly ones. There is a splendor of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars; in fact, one star differs from another star in splendor. So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power…. The dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality” (1 Cor. 15:40-43,52-53).

I’m hesitant to use the phrase “new and improved” to describe our bodies after we die. Too many advertisements have jaded me to shout “NOW NEW AND IMPROVED!” I buy the new product, and it seems just like its old counterpart. And sometimes the new is not better than the old. Who really thinks all the design changes to the original Mustang were an improvement?

I cannot say what our new physical bodies will be like, but I’m pretty confident in saying we won’t miss our old ones! “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived —God has prepared these things for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9).

It may be that 81% of Americans believe there is life after death, but it is only those who trust their lives and futures to Christ who can look forward to a never-ending life in a physical body beyond anything we can imagine.

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Got Questions: When Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He was claiming to be the source of both. There is no resurrection apart from Christ, and there is no eternal life apart from Christ. Beyond that, Jesus was also making a statement concerning His divine nature. He does more than give life; He is life, and therefore death has no ultimate power over Him. Jesus confers this spiritual life on those who believe in Him, so that they share His triumph over death (1 John 5:11-12). Believers in Jesus Christ will experience resurrection because, having the life Jesus gives, it is impossible for death to defeat them (1 Corinthians 15:53-57). Death will not have the last laugh! The grieving Martha wished that Jesus had arrived earlier so He could have healed her brother. And when Jesus spoke of resurrection, Martha assumed He was speaking of “the resurrection at the last day.” In both statements, Martha reveals that she considered Time an insurmountable obstacle. In effect, Martha was saying, “It’s too late to help Lazarus (the time is past), so now we must wait (allow more time).” Jesus shows that neither Death nor time is an obstacle to Him. Outside the tomb, “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth!’ The dead man came out” (John 11:43). It’s one thing to claim to be the resurrection and the life, but Jesus proved it by raising Lazarus, who was four days dead. Truly, with Christ, death is but “sleep” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Death has no dominion over Him who is Life itself, nor does death have dominion over those who are in Him (1 Corinthians 15:54-55). Because He lives, we live. Because He is Life, we have life eternally.

Jesus’ statement that He is the resurrection and the life provide a godly perspective on several spiritual matters. 

· Martha believed that the resurrection is an event; Jesus showed her (and us) that the resurrection is a Person. 

· Martha’s knowledge of eternal life was an abstract idea; Jesus proved that knowledge of eternal life is a personal relationship. 

· Martha thought victory over death was a future expectation; Jesus corrects her, showing that victory is a present reality.

After presenting Himself as the resurrection and the life, Jesus asks Martha an all-important question: “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). May Martha’s answer be ours as well: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God who was to come into the world” (verse 27).

Billy Graham

Many people will soon hear the famous saying, "I am the resurrection and the life" but what does it really mean? 

"I suppose I'd believe in life after death if I ever met someone who had gone there and then came back to tell about it," a man once wrote. But this is exactly what Jesus did when He died and then came back to life by the power of God. This is the Easter message and it is the glorious Good News that has been broadcast around the world for 2,000 years. 

When Jesus was put to death, He truly died. The Roman soldiers who nailed Him to the cross attested to that fact when they took His body down and placed it in a tomb. Its entrance was sealed with a huge stone and placed under guard. But that was not the end of the story. 

When the first day of the week dawned the tomb was empty, and shortly after, Jesus appeared numerous times to His followers -- as many as 500 on one occasion. His resurrection proved that Jesus was who He claimed to be, the Son of God, sent from Heaven to save us from our sins. But it also proved for all time that there is life after death -- this is the Resurrection Story. The resurrection blasts apart the finality of death. The most important events in human history are the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without this, the cross is meaningless. 

Jesus made this wonderfully profound statement that changed the world, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). The resurrection is our great hope.