The apostle John wrote after Martha and Mary the sisters of Lazarus plead to Jesus, He asked, “ Where have you laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take you away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days. Jesus said unto her, Said I not unto you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me”, and in chapter eleven and verse forty-two of his book John shared how Jesus said to His Father, “I knew that you hear me always” where we read:
And I knew that you hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it,
that they may believe that you have sent me.
The verse reads, “And I knew that you hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, ...” John began with the word, “and I knew” which means “and I, Jesus, understood, perceived, noticed and discerned” “that you hear me always” or “that you, Heavenly Father, at all times understand, perceive, notice and discern me, Jesus”: “but because of the people” which means “however, nevertheless, notwithstanding and moreover since and on account of the people both male and female” “which stand by I said it” or “who were standing around I, Jesus, uttered, declared and proclaimed that God heard Him”. John shared how Jesus told His Heavenly Father that He “knew” that His Father always “heard” Him, but because people were standing around the tomb with Jesus, He made a vocal proclamation to Him.
The verse goes on to say, “... that they may believe that you have sent me.” John continued with the words, “that they may believe” or “so the people who were standing nearby might trust in, rely upon, cling to and have confidence” “that you have sent me” which means “that you, Father God, have dispatched and assigned me, Jesus”. John shared how Jesus continued His words to the Heavenly Father as He said the reason He spoke aloud was so the people standing nearby Him would “trust in and rely upon” the fact that God the Father “assigned and dispatched” Him.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn not only that Jesus “knew” His Father always “heard” Him, but also the reason He spoke these words aloud is so the people around Him would “believe”. Jesus wanted the people standing near Him at the tomb of Lazarus to know that God the Father sent Him to be the Messiah and Christ of the world. People who put their faith and trust in Jesus will be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God forever. Those who refuse and reject Jesus will stand on their own merits which according to Paul the Apostle, “there is none righteous, no, not one”. (See Romans 3:10). Everyone needs to be saved from their sins, and Jesus was “dispatched” by His Father God so everyone would have an opportunity to receive Him as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Let all who read these words “believe” that Jesus was sent by God to “save” them from their sins.
Next time John shares how Jesus, “cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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