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I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE | Paul Van Coller
- Free Church
- Jun 3
- 5 min read
I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE | Paul Van Coller | 31 May 2026
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
"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
There is something extraordinary about watching the gospel transform lives. Not simply changing beliefs, but bringing real, tangible life where there was once darkness, fear, and hopelessness.
Last year, a mission team traveled into a remote area of Zambia where many people had never truly heard the gospel. Some knew about demons and witchcraft, but knew nothing about Jesus. As the team shared the good news of Christ, entire villages responded with joy and faith.
One village headman had a severely swollen leg. After accepting Christ, he was offered prayer for healing. Surprisingly, he refused. He explained that he had previously sought help from a witch doctor and believed that if his leg were healed, he would owe the witch doctor a cow. Having just surrendered his life to Jesus, he wanted nothing more to do with the darkness of his past.
His response revealed a powerful understanding of repentance. He understood that following Christ meant leaving his old life behind.
Determined to meet this witch doctor, the team eventually found him. As they shared the gospel, he became visibly uncomfortable. Holding his head, he admitted, "What you're saying is the truth, and it's hurting my head."
That day, both the witch doctor and his friend surrendered their lives to Christ. A few weeks later, the former witch doctor was baptized and given a new name: Godfree, because God had set him free.
Today, Godfree is leading a church. He has contacted former clients and fellow witch doctors, encouraging them to burn their charms and trust in Jesus instead. What once spread darkness is now spreading light.
Only God can do that.
The Gospel Changes Everything
Throughout Scripture and church history, we see the same pattern repeated: when Jesus enters a life, transformation follows.
Years ago, another village received the gospel. The community was impoverished, disorganized, and struggling. After embracing Christ, something remarkable happened. When missionaries returned weeks later, they hardly recognized the village.
It was clean.
No one had instructed them to clean their surroundings. No development program had been introduced. Yet something had changed on the inside, and it began to affect everything on the outside.
Over the following years, families grew stronger, children became healthier, schools were established, and leaders emerged. What was once one of the poorest villages became one of the most flourishing communities in the region.
The gospel doesn't simply improve behavior; it brings life.
The God of "I AM"
In John 11, Martha is grieving the death of her brother Lazarus. She believes in a future resurrection, but Jesus redirects her attention.
He says:
"I am the resurrection and the life."
Martha was looking toward a future promise. Jesus pointed her to a present reality.
This echoes God's introduction of Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:
"I AM WHO I AM."
God is not merely the God who was or the God who will be. He is the God who is.
He is present.
He is active.
He is working now.
Many believers have faith for what God will do someday, but struggle to trust Him for today. Yet Jesus reminds us that the power of resurrection is not merely a future hope; it is a present reality found in Him.
More Than Biological Life
The New Testament uses different Greek words for life.
One is bios, referring to physical, earthly existence.
The other is zoe, referring to the very life of God - eternal, divine, supernatural life.
When Jesus declares, "I am the life," He is speaking of zoe.
This life cannot be destroyed by suffering, sickness, disappointment, or even death itself. It is the same life that raised Jesus from the grave. It is the life that transformed villages, healed broken families, and changed the hearts of former witch doctors.
It is the life available to every believer.
From Death to Life
Jesus says in John 5:24:
"Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."
The moment we place our faith in Christ, we cross from death into life.
That life begins transforming us from the inside out.
For some, the change is dramatic and immediate. For others, it is gradual. But it is always real.
The testimony of every believer is ultimately the same:
Christ came in.
Christ changed me.
Christ gave me life.
Rivers of Living Water
The gospel was never meant to stop with us.
Jesus said:
"Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:38)
The Holy Spirit lives within every believer. The same resurrection life that raised Christ from the dead now dwells in us.
We are carriers of hope.
We are carriers of life.
We are carriers of the presence of God.
Every day, we encounter people who are hurting, discouraged, fearful, or searching for meaning. We don't merely offer advice or encouragement - we carry the life of Christ.
The world is desperately searching for hope.
Jesus is that hope.
A Question for All of Us
The story of transformed villages is inspiring, but it also raises a personal question:
What are we doing with the life we have received?
If Christ has brought us from death to life, then that life should overflow into our homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.
The gospel remains as powerful today as it was when Jesus first proclaimed it.
It still rescues.
It still heals.
It still restores.
It still transforms.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
And through His Spirit, that life now lives in us.
Life Group Questions
Have you ever witnessed a dramatic transformation in a person, family, or community? What stood out to you?
Can you identify an area of your life where you need to trust Jesus as the "I AM" right now, rather than waiting for a future solution?
Why do you think the gospel brought transformation not only to individuals but also to entire villages and communities?
What challenges can prevent us from sharing the life and hope we have in Christ?
How can our Life Group be a source of "zoe" life in our church, neighborhood, or workplace?
If the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, how should that change the way we live, pray, and engage with the world around us?
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