“Our Triune God – the Son”

Scripture: The Seven “I AM” Sayings -
John 6:35-40; John 8:12; John 10:7-10; John 10:14-18; John 11:17-25; John 14:1-7; John 15:5-8

Last week, we began an examination of the Triune nature of our God. Not only is He specific in each of His Three aspects, He is also perfectly One in thought and purpose, and is, in so many other ways, unlike any other god.

No other god has ever been credited with creating anything, let alone everything! No other god could honestly promise betterment in this life, let alone a glorious eternal life! No other god encourages and guides us through this life, and if the truth be known, most of them only demand sacrifice from those who worship them.

The truth is that no other faith expression can ever give to those who believe. Today, we consider the second Person of our Triune God, and the only one who has a name that is above all others (Philippians 2:5-11) – that of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God.

In the gospel of John, Jesus offers 7 statements, with each beginning with the words “I am …”. Each one provides us with some insight into who and why He is, so, today, we will consider, briefly, what each of these words are saying to us.

Read John 6:35-40

“I am the Bread of Life” – it satisfies our hunger, and it quenches our thirst. Obviously this “Bread” isn’t like the bread we find on the supper table, as our life requires more than just bread to sustain life, and it can never deal with our thirst. This Bread of God brings spiritual nourishment to our starving souls, and the life it sustains is in our relationship with Almighty God. True life is more than just having a physical pulse and respirations, for that is temporary at best. The life that Jesus can provide is eternal, it is a life that that fully satisfies, it is a life that completes all that is vital within us.

Read John 8:12

“I am the Light of the world” – Jesus is the intense, illuminating, revealing Presence who shines throughout the world - a single source of Light that never diminishes, never dims, and which shines spiritually in and through the hearts, and minds, and lives of all who believe. Isn’t that interesting – Almighty God, the one who has no limit, who can overcome all obstructions and objections, the one who can do all things – looks to His Church to carry His light through the darkness, through the unbelief of this world. And he ties this Light back to His life-giving presence.

Read John 10:7-10

“I am the gate for the sheep” – and He goes on to talk about the thieves and robbers who are constantly attacking his “sheep”. In Jesus’ day, sheep folds that were located out in the hills weren’t used so much to keep the sheep in, but rather to keep danger out. There was one entrance and only one, and at night, when the flock was safely inside their safe place, the shepherd would lay down in the “doorway”, becoming, in essence, the gate of the fold.
Anyone who would enter the fold of Jesus Christ, any who want to become part of his flock, has to pass through this personal and powerful “gate” – they must believe that faith in Jesus is the only key of entry to Godly ways and heavenly life. Any other entry to the Kingdom is a false gate, is unguarded by anyone who cares, is without expectations, and will only lead to false hopes and destruction.

Read John 10:14-18

“I am the Good Shepherd” – a shepherd in Jesus’ day had a daunting task waiting for him. He had to guide the sheep to good grass and away from the dangers of harmful weeds, abrupt and steep cliffs, and contaminated water, to mention only a few. He also had to protect the flock from predators – both animal and deceiving human thieves.
A “good shepherd” took his responsibilities to the flock seriously – even to the point of personal injury, and sometimes, even death on behalf of his sheep. But many weren’t even close to being that conscientious – they were only in it for their own benefit, and didn’t care a bit for the flock.
We also read that a Good Shepherd knew his sheep intimately, and whenever he spoke to his charges, they knew that it was their shepherd, the one who truly cared for them, the one who had their best interests at heart. And they trusted him and his judgment. But the sheep of Israel weren’t the only ones who would be invited to follow this gentle and trusted voice – others would soon be joining them, and they would become one in this Good Shepherd.

Read John 11:17-25

“I am the resurrection and the life.” – this is the familiar story of Jesus’ friend Lazarus’ death and new life. And in this portion of the story, the man’s sister Martha says that she believes that her brother will live again when Messiah comes, when the dead of Israel will be raised into new life. But Jesus has some good news for her – Messiah has arrived, that He is that hope, and He not only brings resurrection, He is both the resurrection and the new life.
Messiah was believed to be coming for all of Israel, but Jesus wanted Martha to know that He, and His resurrection, were for all – Jew and Gentile alike - who believed in Him, and trusted in Him, and followed the ways laid out by Him. It was now about a relationship with Messiah, not simply with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Read John 14:1-7

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” We are being told that we need to trust that there is plenty of room for all who come to our Lord God. But there is also one more thing that we all need, and that is a relationship with the Lord.
Verses 2 & 3 are part of the traditional proposal of marriage between a young man and his beloved. With these words, he would take his family’s “Covenant Cup”, fill it with wine, and then offer it to the woman he wanted to marry. If the woman was agreeable to the marriage, she would simply take the cup and drink from it.
Jesus offers those same words to all of us – that if we would just take His Cup, and drink fully from it, we will have the most incredible relationship with our Almighty King, living with Him in a glorious home that Lord Jesus was preparing for us.
And Thomas asks just where is this place, and how do we get there?
Jesus tells us that He is that way, and He is the truth in all that He says, and by accepting His way and His invitation, life eternal will be ours.

Read John 15:5-8

“I am the vine, you are the branches ...” Israel had always seen themselves as the vine of Jehovah – chosen, preserved, blessed. But unfortunately, they had become an unruly, wild vine, bearing little, if any fruit for the Master. But a new vine has been planted, a new vineyard has been established, new branches were beginning to grow, and a glorious fruit was budding.
The old, broken, disconnected branches would no longer be chosen, preserved, or blessed. A new covenant, a new relationship has been created, a new way has been placed before us, and the fruit that will come from it will finally bring glory to our almighty God and King, and this relationship, the only one that will make us worthy of entry into God’s Kingdom, comes to us by faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

And all has come to be because the 2nd Person of the Trinity left his glory behind and came to live with us, to be abused and denied and rejected, and in spite of all the hatred directed at Him, to create a new way to eternity by the truth of God that lives within his very nature.

And this is only part of who our Jesus truly is.