The 7 "I AM"s

In the book of John, Christ gave 7 analogies of Himself -- "I am .....". By studying these "roles", we try to understand the nature of Christ, so that we can better imitate Him.

1. John 6:35 "...I am the bread of life...."
The characteristics of bread: portable, perishable and filling. Without food, we will be weak. Similarly, without eating the word of God, our spirits will be weak and we will be easily overcome by Satan. But he who believes in Christ will never go hungry and thirsty. (John 6:35). Note that in Matthew 4:4, Jesus quotes that "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Deut. 8:3)"

2. John 8:12 "...I am the light of the world...."
The function of a light is to light up the way so that we can see. Jesus light shows our sins, so that we know that we are sinful and will repent and receive salvation. He promises that if we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness but have the light of life (John 8:12).

3. John 10:9 "...I am the gate..."
A gate is an entry to another place. It protects people who are inside the gate by preventing outsiders from stealing in. Those who believe in Christ have entered the gate and will be saved. Those outside the gate will be "stolen by thieves".

4. John 10:11, 14 "I am the good shepherd ...."
A good shepherd leads the sheep, protects them from the thieves and wolves. He knows the voice of his sheep, his sheep knows him and he knows his sheep (v.14). When a sheep is missing, he will go and find it (Luke 15:4). He is even willing to lay down his life for his sheep. In contrast, when disaster strikes, a hired hand abandons his sheep and runs away (v. 12).

5. John 11:25 "...I am the resurrection and the life..."
Those who believe in Christ will never die, but be resurrected.

6. John 14:6 "...I am the way and the truth and the life ...."
Truth -- constant, does not change. Just like God's nature.
Way -- The only way to get to God is through Christ, i.e. believe in Him.

7. John 15:1 "I am the true vine ..."
A gardener will trim branches that do not bear fruit. Branches grow from the vine, they need the nutrients from the vine to live and grow. Jesus is the true vine, and we are branches. When He is in us, we will bear much fruit. Apart from Him, we can do nothing.

There's No Excuse

"Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses" (George Washington Carver).

You are never a failure until you begin to blame somebody else. Stop blaming others. You can learn from your mistakes if you don't waste your time denying and defending them.

"It seems to me these days that people who admit they're wrong get a lot further than people who prove they're right" (Deryl Pfizer).

"Work brings profit; talk brings poverty" (Proverbs).

"Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to do when all they really need is one reason why they can" (Willis Whitney).

One of the biggest alibis is regret. The truth is, a thousand regrets do not pay one debt. Live your life so that your tombstone reads, "No regrets."

"The most valuable thing I have learned from life is to regret nothing" (Somerset Maugham).

"Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it. It's only good for wallowing in" (Catherine Mansfield).

When a winner makes a mistake, he says, "I was wrong."
When a loser makes a mistake, he says, "It wasn't my fault."
A winner explains; a loser explains away.

Idle people lack no excuses. The word can't usually means you won't try. The word can't weakens our resolve and many times does more harm than slander or lies. Can't is the worst excuse and the foremost enemy of success.

"The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You don't blame them on your mother, the ecology or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny" (Albert Ellis).

Grace - 1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am:

Grace is unmerited favor. It is God's free action for the benefit of His people. It is different than Justice and Mercy. Justice is getting what we deserve. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we do not deserve. In grace we get eternal life, something that, quite obviously, we do not deserve. But because of God's love and kindness manifested in Jesus on the Cross, we receive the great blessing of redemption.

Grace is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Grace rules out all human merit. It is the product of God, that is given by God, because of who He is not because of who we are. It is the means of our salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). We are no longer under the Law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). (See Acts 15:11; Rom. 5:2,15-20; 2 Cor. 12:9; and 2 Cor. 9:8).

Who is my Father?

Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

1Jo 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Heavenly Father - Connected by Jesus Christ

GOD (Jehovah)

Jesus speaks to Mary: Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Spiritual Father - Connected by Spirit

Jesus Christ (Priest of the Church) - (Shepherd of the Church)

Jesus Speaks to the sick of palsy: Mat 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

Covenant Father - Connected by Covenant

Pastor (Priest of a Congregation) - (Shepherd of a Congregation)

Paul writes to the Church: 1Co 4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.

Earthly Father - Connected by Flesh or Law

Dad (Priest of his Family) - (Shepherd of his Family)

Hebrews speaks of God's chastisement: Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Salvation 101

We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation

[Christ speaking] "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).

Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be.

Just to agree intellectually (in your mind) that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for our sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience.

We receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.

BEFORE: Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

AFTER: Rom 8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Pro 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Knowledge - is acquired through the learning process. knowledge is: "right knowing."

Wisdom - is the ability to apply this knowledge through experience, without having to think about what you are doing. Wisdom is: "right doing."

Understanding - is the knowledge of why to apply wisdom. Understanding is: "right reason."

Note: Every Peacher or Teacher of the Word of God must operate in these gifts to some degree if they are to teach truth. Because the Word of God is not learned it is revealed.

Knowledge - Answers the question of "What"

Wisdom - Answers the question of "When or How"

Understanding - Answers the question of "Why"

Example: Changing ceiling light fixture

Knowledge: Tells you what to do - unscrew bolt, use 3/4 inch wrench, unscrew counter clockwise.

Wisdom: Tells you when and how to do - make sure you have a way to keep the light fixture from falling once the bolt has been unscrewed

Understanding: Tells you why you do - because of the law of gravity says anything that goes up must come down if not held up by some force. ie. the bolt.

Movie: Day after Tomorrow and the Gospel

Movie: In this movie I saw a young man who found himself separated from his father and in jeopardy of drowning in the waters of the ocean.

Just as I found myself separated from my father (Jesus) and in jeopardy of drowning in a sea of sin.

Movie: I watched as this young man called his father in his distress and his father answer wait for me I will come for you.

Just as one day I called on my father (Jesus) and he answered my prayer and saved me and said I will come for you.

Movie: I watched the young man as he attempted to convince others that his father would come and that he was able to save them

Just as I try each and everyday to convince the people I meet that my father (Jesus) is coming and that he is able to save them.

Movie: I watched as some of the people with him looked out of the library and saw that other people were attempting to saved themselves. Then made a decision not to wait for the young man's father but go there on way.

Just as I see people leaving the safety of the church because they look out and see what the world is doing and decide they can save themselves. These people do not believe my father (Jesus) is coming and they go their own way.

Movie: I watched as the young man pleaded with the people, telling them that his father had told him that If any leave that they would perish. Many left but a few stay behind with him.

Just as I plead with my brothers and sisters who have lost their way, telling them my father (Jesus) said that the wages of sin is death. A few find there way but many are lost.

Movie: I watched as the young man and the few who remained struggled to survive their environment while trying not to lose the hope that his father would come.

Just as I struggled to survive the environment of this world while trying not to lose my hope nor forsake sharing the hope that my father (Jesus) will come.

Movie: I watched as the day came when the father arrived as they sat in a darken room. As the light shined on the young man's father, someone asked who is it? The young man answered it's my father and they were all saved.

Just as I look forward to the day when my father (Jesus) arrives and I look up and say it's my father (Jesus) and we that believe will be saved. For the bibles says "Mat 4:16 - The people which sat in darkness saw great light"

Movie: Finally, I watched as the movie closed with those who were saved on this helicopter and one of the men was clutching a book. Someone noticed and asked what is that you have in your hand and the man answered the Gutenberg Bible (The Word of God) I had to saved it because it was the most important book in the library.

I found it ironic that a man who had previously in the movie indicated he had no belief in the God was placed in a position of having a desire to save the first book ever printed also had to carry the Word of God. 1Pe 1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

What is faith?

The dictionary would define "faith" this way: "A confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, and idea, or a thing. A belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. Theology: a secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will."

The principle Bible definition is in Hebrews 11:1 -- "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Now notice, Faith is the SUBSTANCE -- the marginal rendering says "ASSURANCE" -- of things HOPED FOR. You do not HOPE for that which you already HAVE. So FAITH comes BEFORE possession.
Once you have RECEIVED the POSSESSION, you no longer HOPE for it. But even before you receive it, you have it in SUBSTANCE -- and that substance -- that ASSURANCE that you SHALL possess it, is FAITH.

Then again, faith is an EVIDENCE -- the evidence of things NOT SEEN. Faith PRECEDES the actual receiving of what you ask for. And faith is the EVIDENCE you have, or SHALL have it, BEFORE you even see it. It is the EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT YET SEEN. You do not have it. You do not SEE it, or FEEL it -- yet faith is your EVIDENCE that you have or shall have it -- faith is the substance, the ASSURANCE of receiving that you still HOPE for.