Recently I spoke at a funeral.  I was told that I had five minutes to speak – max.  After talking for about two minutes about the deceased, I related the reason for the hope that we can all have in the face of death.  The following is a gist of what I shared:

I spoke about Jesus being the Resurrection and the Life from the gospel of John chapter eleven.  Jesus had been told about his good friend Lazarus being very sick.  After waiting four more days in Galilee He departed for Judea.  Before entering Bethany (two miles east of Jerusalem) He was met by Martha, one of the sisters of Lazarus.  Jesus knew that Lazarus had died.  Martha said to Him “‘if you had been here my brother would not have died.  Yet even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of Him.’  Jesus responded, ‘your brother will rise again.’  She said, ‘I know that my brother will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’  Jesus said to her ‘I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in Me will live even if he dies, and he who lives and believes in Me will never die.  Do you believe this?’  Martha said, ‘yes, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.'”

I pointed out that not only is Jesus the Resurrection and the Life, He is also the “Lord of Glory,” according to the Apostle Paul.  Jesus Christ is life itself.  He is the Lord of life.  As the Lord over all life, Who is Himself the “life,” He went to the cross to die my death in order to overcome death, so that by union with HIm by faith in Him I might share in His life now and for eternity.

That was what I shared.  It was short and simple.  Some had found it to be a blessing.  I am always impacted by the truth of Jesus being the Resurrection and the Life.  That is my favorite Bible verse.  I hope it will fill you with hope as it has filled me.  Jesus is the “way, and the truth, and the life.”  He is our reason for life and our hope.  Jesus be glorified!