I AM

Tuesday was my last devotion for coop on the “I am” statements of Jesus. We started out singing “I Am the Resurrection and the Life” and then summarized:

The first one is the bread of life. Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

Jesus can completely satisfy us. I know that sometimes I struggle with running to food, or people, or entertainment (a good story or movie) when I should be going to God. But this verse says that Jesus can satisfy us – we will not hunger or thirst. Jesus can satisfy our spiritual hunger.

The next “I am” is in John 8: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Later in John 8 Jesus says,“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The truth sets us free from the darkness of our sin.

Jesus makes an incredible claim in John 8:58: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”

“I am” was a name God used for Himself in the Old Testament. By saying this, Jesus was claiming to be God and is therefore worthy of all worship, honor, glory, and praise! He is the only man in all of history who could make this declaration, because He is the only one who is truly God!

In John 10 Jesus says, “9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

There was only one door for the sheepfold. Jesus is the only way to be saved and find pasture. Jesus can provide for all of our needs like the pasture – the place where the sheep had their needs met. Jesus came that we may have life abundantly!

Later in John 10 Jesus says, “11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

Jesus tells Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Resurrection implies death. Jesus showed his power over death by raising Lazarus from the dead. Then he himself died for us and rose again. When he died, he took on all our sin and the guilt of our sin and we took on his righteousness. Amazing!

Jesus makes an incredibly exclusive statement in John 14: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Jesus is the only way to God, the only way to heaven. One can't get there following any other religion or even trying to do good things to earn their way there. Jesus is the way and the only way.

Finally, in John 15 Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser...4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

There is a huge contrast between those who remain in the vine and bear much fruit, and those who don't remain in the vine. They “can do nothing” and wither and die. We need to stay connected to our source of life, Jesus, and daily be receiving our sustenance from him.

If we believe in Jesus, we should “bear much fruit and so prove to be his disciples.” If not, than why not believe today?

Romans 10:9 states, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

 John 15 says, “8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”