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As Jesus prepared to raise Lazarus from the dead, He thanked God that He had been heard, even though He had not yet done anything (v. 41)! This is similar to what we see in many of the Psalms. The Psalmist will often thank God for answering the very prayer that he is praying before he finishes the Psalm. That is the confidence that the prayer will be heard, and so a prayer prayed is as good as a prayer answered.

In verse forty-two, Jesus goes on to say that He knows that God always hears Him. We certainly have no reason to doubt that God always hears His Son. Where is Jesus now? He is on the right hand of God making intercession for us (Romans 8:34). When we pray to God “in Jesus’ name” we are praying by His authority. In Heaven, that name carries some weight!

There are, of course, qualifications for that. We must ask in accordance with God’s will, knowing that His will is best, and we must ask with the proper attitude (James 4:3). Knowing that God always hears Jesus means that our prayers, through Him are always heard, too.

Those are the words of the shortest verse in the English Bible, John 11:35. That verse is full of love and compassion. We see Jesus’ love for Martha and Mary. His heart is broken for the pain they are suffering. His heart is broken for Lazarus, who is resting in eternity, having finished a faithful life, but is about to be pulled back into this vail of sorrow. His heart is broken because He feels the pain of loss that the death of His friend brings.

Our Savior truly understands our suffering. He has walked through those fires, and shed those bitter tears before us, and for us. Martha had greeted Jesus by saying, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 21). Then when Mary came, she repeated that same thought (v. 32). He wept because He saw their pain, and He knew that they didn’t understand why He had allowed that to happen. He knew that they didn’t know what He was about to do.

When suffering comes into our lives, sometimes we feel as though our Lord has abandoned us; left us to deal with pain alone. Yet, He is there. He sees our pain, and he cares. he also knows what lies beyond, and He knows what is best.

In John 11:25 we find the sixth of eight “I AM” statements of Jesus recorded by John. This one is full of hope! “I am the resurrection, and the life.”

Jesus gave us all life as the creator and continues to do so as our sustainer (Colossians 1:16-17). Beyond that, He is the one that offers us hope after this life in the resurrection.

Here He promises that those who believe in Him, even if they are dead, will live again. This takes us back to John 5:25-28. He is speaking of those who are spiritually dead because of sin. No matter what you have done, how bad it was, or how many times you have done it. Through faith in Christ, you can find renewed life.

Beyond that, He says that after receiving that life you need not ever die again.

John 10:11 contains the fourth “I AM” of the Gospel of John. “I am the good shepherd.” Jesus paints a stark contrast between the good shepherd, who is the owner of the sheep, and a hireling who has no attachment to or investment in the sheep but is only there for personal gain.

As the good shepherd, Jesus has done and continues to do whatever is necessary to keep His people safe and secure. This is because He loves us! Because of His love, He laid down His life that we might live. In John 15:13, we learn that this is the greatest love that a person can show for another.

As the good shepherd, Jesus sacrificed for us, but not only that, He knows us. He knows our needs, our struggles, our fears, our desires, even the things that we cannot put into words. He knows. And He cares!

The other side of this is that Jesus’ sheep know Him. They learn to listen for His voice and follow at His command. We follow, not because we have to, but because we want to; because we love Him, too. Do you know the good shepherd?

In John 10:7 we find a third of the seven “I AM’s” of the book of John. Jesus is the door of the sheep. He is the only authorized path for us to enter in. He is also the one who serves to keep us safe and secure. Jesus mentions that there had been other teachers, but that they were thieves, trying to lead God’s people away from the truth. No doubt, there have been many more since.

When we come to Jesus as the only true path to God, He makes us three promises. First, we will be saved (v. 9). Outside the safety of Jesus’ protection, there as a lion seeking our souls (1 Peter 5:8). He saves us from that destruction and then keeps us safe.

Second, we will find pasture (v. 9). This reference calls to mind the words of Psalm 23. Jesus promises to provide for our needs. While this certainly has some physical implications, more importantly, He provides all of our spiritual needs.

Finally, He will find abundant life (v. 10). He doesn’t just promise life. He promises that it will be abundant. This speaks both to the eternal nature of it, but also to the rich fullness of a life lived in Christ!

In the closing verses of John 9 Jesus says that He had come into the world that those who do not see might see, and so that those who do see might be made blind. That sounds a little confusing without stopping to think through it, which might be part of the reason why the Pharisees asked him if they were blind, too (v. 40).
Jesus replies by saying “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains” (v. 41). What is the point He is driving at here?

The Pharisees thought that they had everything figured out and that there wasn’t much that anybody could teach them. The blind man, on the other hand, knew that he had a lot to learn, and spiritually speaking, he was blind.

If we, like the Pharisees, think that we know it all, them we too will be blind to the spiritual truths God sets before us in Scripture. But if we come to God like the blind man, with an open heart and mind, ready to learn, then we will be able to see God’s truth more clearly.