(a) The event that portrayed Jesus as the "Resurrection and the life":
(i) A friend of Jesus named Lazarus lived in Bethany.
(ii) He was ill.
(iii) Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, sent for Jesus but he delayed saying the sickness was not unto death.
(iv) He later arrived with his disciples four days after Lazarus had died.
(v) Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother who had since died.
(vi) When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him.
(vii) Martha told Jesus that if he had been there, her brother would not have died.
(viii) However, she said that she believed that whatever Jesus asked from God would be granted. Jesus assured Martha that Lazarus would rise again.
(x) Martha said that she knew that Lazarus would rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
(xi) Jesus then said to her, "I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in me though he die, yet shall he live".
(xii) Whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.
(xiii) Martha confessed her belief in Him as the Christ, the son of God.
(xiv) Then Jesus went to Lazarus' tomb and raised him from the dead.

(b) Significance of the declaration:
(i) I am the Resurrection and the Life is an expression which was manifested by the raising of Lazarus who was already four days in the grave. Jesus' power over death.
(ii) The believer in Christ passes from physical death to life eternal.
(iii) Christ has life in himself because he came from God and would return to God.
(iv) He gave his life for the world so that believers will live with him for ever.
(v) Need to believe in Jesus.
(vi) Signs glorify God.