I Am the Resurrection

·34 min·3 clips

A pastor recalls how his father's baked bean can exploded, teaching him about trust when things blow up in your face.

This Easter Sunday sermon from GracePoint Church explores the challenge of trusting Jesus when his actions defy our expectations. The pastor opens by reflecting on cultural distrust, illustrated by a personal childhood story where his father's cooking experiment literally exploded. He transitions to the core question of whether we will believe in and trust Jesus, especially when life becomes difficult. The sermon focuses on the story of Lazarus in John chapter 11, where Jesus delays responding to a sick friend's summons. Jesus intentionally waits two days after hearing Lazarus is ill, stating the situation will not end in death but will serve God's glory. This delay frustrates Mary and Martha, who both tell Jesus their brother would not have died if he had arrived sooner. The pastor notes that Jesus performs seven specific miracles in John's Gospel, including turning water to wine and feeding 5,000, as evidence backing his claims. In this story, Jesus declares "I am the resurrection and the life" before calling Lazarus out of the tomb. The narrative highlights that Jesus was deeply moved and wept with the grieving sisters, showing his compassion. A surprising detail is that the word "troubled" in verse 33 can be better translated as "angered," suggesting Jesus's indignation at death's reign. The pastor connects Lazarus's resurrection to Jesus's own, citing 1 Corinthians 15 on the gospel's importance. He shares a personal story about praying for his father's healing from lung cancer, which was not answered as he hoped. The sermon's tone is pastoral, instructional, and conversational, using personal anecdotes and scriptural analysis. Listeners interested in biblical teachings on suffering, divine timing, and the Easter message would appreciate this episode. Those seeking a purely theological debate or critical biblical scholarship might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A patient sermon on trusting Jesus when his timing differs from ours.

The episode opens with spring weather in South Dakota and a family camping memory, then turns to the harder question of trusting Jesus when his timing does not match human expectations.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

When Jesus waits two more days, this sermon asks whether you can still trust him.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from GracePoint Church