In John’s gospel there are 7 miracles and 7 “I am” sayings.  The 7 "I am" sayings are claims to divinity.  In John 11 Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life”. Only 1 being can make this claim truthfully: God. Jesus proves that He is God and that He is the resurrection and the life by raising Lazarus from the dead.

In John 11 we find an enlightening conversation between Jesus and His friend Martha.  Martha is grieving the death of her brother and is questioning why Jesus did not come to heal him.  Jesus reminds her of who He is and asks her the most important question in history: Do you believe this?  Her response is one of the greatest confessions in all of the Bible and an example of how we can cling to Jesus even in the midst of suffering.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

What do you believe about Jesus?

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!