You Will Never Die
Scripture
“Jesus told her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?’”
John 11:25–26 (NLT)
One of my favorite stories in the New Testament is the raising of Lazarus from the dead. That’s not simply because of the miracle, but because of how Jesus meets Mary and Martha in their pain. Their brother is dying, so they send for Jesus, confident He will come quickly. But instead of rushing to their side, Jesus waits two days. During that time, Lazarus dies, and Mary and Martha are crushed by grief. When Jesus finally arrives, both of them say what many of us have said in our own heartbreak: “Lord, if You had been here…” Yet Jesus does not rebuke them. He enters their sorrow. He listens. And He weeps with them.
Then Jesus speaks the words we find in this passage. “I am the resurrection and the life.” He does not merely give resurrection. He is resurrection. He does not simply offer life. He is life. And here is His promise: “Anyone who believes in Me will live, even after dying.” Let that settle in your soul today. For those who belong to Jesus, death is not the end. We will live even after dying, because real life begins in Him.
This is why I often say, “When we breathe our last breath on earth, we wake up to real life.” For the believer, death isn’t the end of life. It’s the doorway into it. D.L. Moody understood this well, and near the end of his life he put it in a way I’ve never forgotten.
“Some day you will read in the papers that D. L. Moody, of East Northfield, is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it! At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now.”¹
- D.L. Moody
That’s the confidence Jesus offers every believer. If we believe this deeply, it reshapes our fears, our grief, our hopes, and the way we walk through each day. We don’t have to fear death, because He has already conquered it. The raising of Lazarus was incredible, but the greater miracle is the promise Jesus gives to all who trust Him. Your story does not end in a grave but in His presence. And the question Jesus asked Martha is the same one He asks you today. Do you believe this? Then live like it. Let His words steady your heart, and face today with the confidence of someone who will never truly die.
Reflection
- What fear or worry about the future do you need to surrender to the One who is the resurrection and the life?
- How does Jesus’ promise of eternal life shape the way you view your struggles today?
- Who in your life needs to be encouraged by this hope, and how might you share it with them?
Prayer
Thank the Lord for being your resurrection and your life. Ask Him to fill you with His hope and peace today and to help you share that hope with those who need it.
Footnote
¹ William R. Moody, The Life of Dwight L. Moody (New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1900).
