SEVEN I AM’s OF JESUS

INTRODUCTION
A. Who do say that Jesus is?
1. Jesus asked this same question to His disciples about what others thought of
Him and then asked them what they thought of Him (Mt. 16:13-15)
2. Peter said… Matthew 16:16

B. On another occasion Jesus said… John 5:39

C. Deuteronomy 18:15-19
1. The scriptures says that Jesus was this prophet
a. John 5:46-47
b. Acts 3:19-22
2. Notice back in Deuteronomy 18 that it says they did not want to hear the voice
of the Lord anymore or see His glory in Horeb (v. 16).
3. Then God says He will put His words in a future prophet’s mouth if they do
not listen to his words, God will require it of him (vs. 18-19).
4. John 8:24

D. In the first century many of the Jews were berating Jesus for who He said he
was – Notice Jesus’ response … John 8:56-58

E. The “I Am’s” Jesus proclaimed in John’s account of the gospel helps us to really
understand what Jesus should mean to us…

DISCUSSION
A. I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
1. John 6:48 … He gives us what we need
2. There are some basic things which we need to survive – food and water
a. Just as we need food to survive in a physical sense, so we need spiritual food
to survive.
b. Jesus is the spiritual food that we need. He is the answer to the craving of the
world.
c. John 6:49-51
a. With Jesus as our spiritual food we can live forever
b. The world can never provide this
3. Matthew 5:6
a. But many reject Christ as the “Bread”
b. John 6:66-68
4. Jesus gives what we need!

B. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
1. John 8:12 … Jesus is the light in our darkness
2. “Light” is a symbol of truth and darkness is a symbol of error and ignorance
3. John 1:4
a. Jesus is the light of the world because He is both the possessor and bearer of
light to mankind, having come into the world to make the way of the Father
known.
b. “Light,” as here used, is not synonymous with salvation but is the source
from which it springs since where there is no light there is no salvation.
4. Thus those who follow Him do not walk in the darkness of error but are
privileged to have “the light of life.”
a. Those possessed of the light, “walk in the light as he is in the light” …
1 John 1:7
b. Those walk in the light become light-bearers to others… Matthew 5:14-16
5. Ephesians 5:8-14
6. But here is a problem …
a. John 3:19-20
b. But… John 3:21

C. I AM THE DOOR
1. John 10:9 … Jesus brings us to where otherwise we could
not go
2. Jesus is the entrance into security and fellowship.
a. The point is that only through the Lord, and by means of His way is salvation
possible – the sheep had to pass through the Shepherd to enter the sheep fold
b. As the “door,” Jesus will allow no one to enter who does not belong
1) He is the protector
2) In ancient times the shepherd was the door to the sheepfold
3. Ephesians 2:18

D. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD
1. John 10:11 … He cares for us and gives us what we need
2. A shepherd provides direction, food, water, healing, and protection for his
sheep…
3. Jesus is our Shepherd
a. Psalm 23
b. Hebrews 13:20
c. 1 Peter 2:25
4. Our Shepherd provides:
1) Direction
2) Food and water
3) Healing
4) Protection

E. I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
1. John 11:25 … Jesus is the live giver – brings us from death to spiritual life
2. The personal pronoun is emphatic in the Greek text; I, and no other, am the
resurrection and the life. He was the origin, the design and the power of both;
in no way were they obtainable except by him.
3. The most penetrating of all questions is that of death. The facts of death speak
against our human pride and self sufficiency.
a. Death reminds us that all is not well and that we are in need of help.
b. Jesus is our hope in death, He is the help that we need, the answer to our
greatest longing for life.
4. Even though we die physically we can live spiritually throughout eternity
a. 1 John 1:1-2
b. We are resurrected in two senses:
1) Romans 6:3-4
2) John 5:28-29
c. Eternal life can only be found in Jesus

F. I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
1. John 14:6 … Jesus guides us through life’s difficult ways
2. Jesus is the Way
a. The pronoun “I” is emphatic: “I (and no other) am the way…” The way
where? To the Father!
b. Acts 4:12
c. By virtue of His atonement heaven is opened.
3. Jesus is the Truth
a. Jesus is the embodiment of all that is necessary for us to know to reach
heaven. He is the Word, the personification of all saving truth
b. John 1:17
c. John 17:17
4. Jesus is the Life
a. Jesus is the source and preserver of life
b. 1 John 5:12

G. I AM THE TRUE VINE
1. John 15:1 … Jesus makes us unbelievably successful
2. He is the “true” vine; literally, the real and genuine vine, and perfect in fruit-
bearing, as opposed to one without life-giving properties, unable to supply the
vitality needed by the branches.
a. John 15:2-8
b. The vine gives life to plant and we must abide in the vine to bear fruit
c. To abide in the vine we must abide in His words
d. We glorify God by baring fruit
e. If we do not abide in the vine we are cast forth and burned

CONCLUSION
A. It should be easy to see how important Jesus is to our
spiritual lives
B. Many say they know and love Jesus, but…
1. John 14:15
2. Mark 16:16