Elisabeth Elliot wrote in A Path through Suffering:  “The hand of the Gardener holds the knife. It is His glory that is at stake when the best grapes are produced so we need not think He has something personal against us, or has left us wholly to His enemy, Satan. He is always and forever for us.”
When we are going through a trial, it can be diffiicult to believe that God is for us or that He truly loves us.  In the story of Lazarus' illness and death we see how God was working through their suffering and that He was working while they were waiting.  God is always working even when we cannot see it or do not feel it.  We can trust that He loves us and is always for His children.

God is a promise maker and a promise keeper.  He promised that the Messiah would be human (the offspring of Abraham and David) and that he would suffer as a human.  Daniel had a vision that one like a Son of Man would be victorious and receive an eternal kingdom.  Jesus is the fulfullment of all of these prophecies and promises.

Isaiah 7:14 (ESV) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Psalm 89:3–4 (ESV) You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ ” 
God made a covenant promise to David to establish his throne forever and put one of his offspring on that throne.  Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.  He is the King of kings and Lord of lords!  Let earth receive her king!

God is a promise maker and a promise keeper!  He made a promise to Abraham to bless all the families of the earth through him.  Jesus, the Son of Abraham, is the fulfillment of that promise!

Jesus is the Son of God!  In this passage, He makes one of His clearest claims to divinity: I and the Father are One.  The Jewish leaders who were questioning Him understood what He was saying: I am the Son of God.  They responded by gathering stones to stone Him.  How will your respond?

Jesus is the Good Shepherd.  He knows His sheep and loves His sheep.  He came to lay His life down for His sheep.  Through His death on the cross, Jesus delivers us from all our enemies.  Through His resurrection, He gives us eternal life!

Isaiah 40:11 (ESV) He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.

Jesus uses an agricultural metaphor to tell us we are sheep in danger from thieves who would destroy us.  He is the Shepherd who protects us and the gate through which we have access to greener pastures.  Through Him we can be freed from sin and it's consequences and live a life of spiritual abundance!

Why did many of the religious leaders of Jesus' day reject Him?  Why do people today reject Jesus as the Son of God and Savior of the world?  The Bible tells us that it is because they are spiritually blind.  In this chapter, Jesus uses the healing of a blind man to show our need for His healing and His ability to heal not only physically but, more importantly, spiritually.

Who's to blame?  That was the question of the disciples as they encountered a blind man.  Did he sin or his parents?  Jesus' answer shocked them and should be an encouragement to us as we deal with suffering. What is the relationship between sin and suffering?  What is God ultimately doing in and through our suffering?

How should we respond when people hate us, persecute us, and slander us?  Jesus said to expect it and gave us the example of how to endure it and answer it.

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV) Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

Jesus is the Light of the world!  He is the hope for people walking in darkness.  He is the Light that leads us into God's truth.  He came to show us our sinfulness and the way back to God.  He gave us the promise that He can deliver us from the domain of darkness:  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

John 8:1-11 is a controversial passage  Some of our oldest copies of John's gospel don't have this story.  Others place it in Luke's gospel.  Should it be in the Bible?  Further, what Jesus does or doesn't do in the story is controversial. Did Jesus change the law on adultery?  Was He against capital punishment? Was Jesus a social justice warrior? Did He neglect justice in favor or mercy because of the woman's situation?  Let's examine the passage and learn from Jesus what true justice ought to look like.

Division occured among the people concerning Jesus' identity.  Is He the Christ?  Is He the promised Deliverer that God's people have been waiting on?  Does Jesus meet the criteria of the Messiah?  Does He fulfill the prophecies? Does He Have the right lineage?  

Jesus cried out to the crowd then, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” He still cries out today to anyone who will listen.  His offer to satisfy your thirsty soul and give you the Holy Spirit is still available for anyone who believes on Him.  Come to Jesus and find rivers of living water for your soul!

In light of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, people are disturbed both by the ruthless act and the heartless response of some.  How did our society get this way?  What is the cause and what is the cure?  Jesus dealt with a similar situation where He was the object of hate and violence.  He shows us how to respond and, more importantly, that He is the cure.

Who is Jesus?  The most important question in the history of mankind and one we must answer.
Was He a false teacher and phony Messiah?  Was He the real Messiah and the Son of God?  Was He a deceiver? demonic? a decent fellow? or Divine?

Some people in our day are "deconstructing" their faith.  Calling themselves “Exvangelicals” as they walk away from Jesus. THey are leaving because they are offended by His words.  They think He is not modern enough for our times.  His teachings are too restrictive: not enough liberty and only one way to salvation. This is not new.  People were offended by Jesus’ words in His day. In John 6 it says,  When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” They were offended so they walked away. Where were they going?  What hope could they find elsewhere? I would ask the Exvangelicals the same question: Where are you going?  If you walk away from Jesus, what are you walking towards?  Jesus alone has the words of life.

The hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness by Thomas O. Chisholm (1923), says this in the third verse:
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine and ten thousand beside.

Do you have a peace that endures? Do you have strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow?
This is what Jesus promises to all who have faith in Him.  Have you believed His promises?  Are you resting in the faithfulness of God for your salvation?