The Resurrection and the Life

The Resurrection and the Life

To kick off the new year, we’ve been asking the question: Who is Jesus? We’ve been attempting to answer that question by looking at the words of Jesus himself, specifically the seven “I AM” statements he makes in John’s Gospel. In John 11, Jesus reveals a profound spiritual truth through Lazarus’s resurrection. When Jesus calls Lazarus from the tomb, his first command is not a celebration, but to remove the burial clothes—a powerful symbol of spiritual transformation. “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus declares, demonstrating that true life requires stripping away what once bound us. Just as Lazarus emerged from death wrapped in grave clothes, we are called to shed the burial garments of our past—sin, shame, and spiritual death. These burial clothes represent more than physical wrappings. They symbolize the patterns, habits, and mindsets that keep us trapped in spiritual darkness. Jesus offers liberation, inviting us to be completely unbound, to step into new life fully and freely. The resurrection of Lazarus becomes a living parable of spiritual rebirth. His emergence from the tomb, stripped of death’s garments, illustrates the transformative power of Christ. In fact, Lazarus’s resurrection is a foreshadowing of our own experience of new life through baptism. We are not meant to remain wrapped in the grave clothes of our old life, but to be completely renewed. This narrative challenges us to examine our own “burial clothing”—the sins, doubts, and past failures that continue to constrain us. Christ calls us to cast off these garments, to embrace the new life he offers. Our spiritual journey is about continuous transformation—dying to our old self and being raised to a new life in Christ, leaving behind everything that once held us captive.

Caleb McCaughan, Pulpit Minister

Dinner Table Conversations:

Adult & Teen Table Talk:

• How do you respond when God’s timing doesn’t match your expectations?
• What “burial clothes” (habits or past mistakes) are you struggling to let go of?
• In what areas of your life do you need resurrection power or transformation?

Little Learners’ Table Talk:

• What does it mean to be a good friend when someone is feeling sad?
• Can you describe a time when someone helped you when you felt stuck or afraid?