What Do the Seven I AM Sayings of Jesus Mean to Us Today? (Part Two)

 

What do the seven I am sayings of Jesus mean to us today part two

by Barbara Latta

Last week we explored the deeper meaning of IAM through Jesus. His powerful words knocked His accusers to the ground in the Garden of Gethsemane when they came to arrest Him.

We dug into the application of I AM the Bread of Life, and I AM the Living Water. Now we will discover what the other I AM sayings of Jesus mean to us today in part two.

•  I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11). Sheep are dumb animals. They have no sense of direction or thoughts of danger until it is too late. They can wander away from the pasture where they are provided and cared for because their head is always down grazing on the grass. Once they are out of sight of the flock and the shepherd, they start bleating for help.

Aren't we like this sometimes? We graze in comfort without awareness of where we are going. It’s not that we aren’t thankful, we just may forget to acknowledge our blessings, or we don’t realize we have wandered away into the enemy’s field. Jesus, our good Shepherd, herds these sometimes dumb-acting sheep back to the pasture of safety and provision. He puts the needs of the sheep above His own.

 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)

•  I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Religions all over the world create doctrines that claim a way to God. They all involve performance. But there is only one true way to God. And it is through Jesus.

If there were other ways to reach God, why would Jesus go through all the torture He endured? God could just tell us to choose a way to come to Him and His Son wouldn’t have to suffer for us.

But that is why Christ came and was obedient unto death. Because there is no other way to be saved, no other way to reach God and have eternal life. The other invented religions are not paths to God, but man’s attempts through his own works to reach heaven. And works can’t get us there.

 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

•  I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25). As humans, we have all experienced the loss of loved ones through death. We grieve because we no longer have the earthly relationship with them we had before. But as believers, we have the hope of the resurrection where we will be reunited with our friends and families and never be apart again. Our separation is temporary.

 Because Jesus rose from the dead, He defeated the power of death over us. Our bodies will perish, but we are merely changing addresses. Our spirits and souls will live forever in a resurrected state because Jesus was the first-born from the dead.

 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:18)

•  I AM the Light of the World (John 8:12). My husband and I toured some caverns a few years ago. The stalactites and stalagmites were illuminated with multi-colored lights which reflected off the cave walls. But when the guide turned off all the lights, the inky darkness could be felt. Fear engulfed me until he flipped the lights back on.

Soul darkness does the same thing. It imprisons the victims and paralyzes people with fear. A hurting soul reaches out for anything they think will bring relief. But unless it is Christ’s freedom, the remedy they seek only causes more pain. God’s love through Christ shines on empty hearts and translates us out of the darkness of deceit.

 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” (Colossians 1:13)

•  I AM the Vine (John 15:5). A gift of flowers is an appreciated expression of love or friendship. The bouquet soaks up water and the blooms remain fresh for a few days. But over time, the petals wilt and crumble. While the plants appear to be alive, the flowers died the day they were detached from the stems.

 If we do not stay attached to Christ, our Vine, our lives can reflect death. As born- again children, we don’t die again spiritually, but without nourishment from the Vine, the fruits we produce are the brittle petals of dead works, harmful words, and sinful actions.

 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love” (Ephesians 3:17)

 Christ is our everything. We can hold on to the great I AM and know that we will never be alone or lack any good thing.

Our deeper understanding of who Christ is and why He came helps us as Titus 2 women educate others with the truths we learn. 

 Do you have a favorite I AM illustration? Share your thoughts.

Christ was obedient unto death because His sacrifice is the only way for man to reach God (click to tweet)

Without nourishment from Christ, our vine, the fruits we produce are the brittle petals of dead works, harmful words, and sinful actions. (click to tweet)