1. I AM the Eternal One. “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:14
A. I AM the self-existent One who always was, always is, and always will be “I am with you, and nothing will ever change that about Me”. Verses 7&8 reveals this about God, I have come down, seen, heard and am concerned.
B. Jesus’ use of several “I am” statements are telling us that Jesus was not only the God of the past, or God in the future, but I am…right here, right now. I am eternal, I am God.
2. I AM the bread of life. “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35
A. “For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” We can see the redemptive thread. “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” John 8:58
B. Jesus is the “I AM!” The people would have been mindful of Moses and the burning bush.
C. Jesus confronts their superficial spirituality. John 6:26
3. I AM the light of the world. “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world.” John 8:12
A. Once again, “I Am.” Jesus is the light of the world. I am the Messiah, you know the prophesies in Isaiah 42 and 49.
B. “I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6, I John 1:5
4. I AM the sheep gate. “Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.” John 10:7
A. This is a familiar “I am” with a word picture of the good shepherd and the gate. “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” John 10:1
B. Jesus in chapter 10 is responding to the events in chapter 9 making a clear contrast between Himself as the good shepherd and the abusive shepherds of Israel. C. This imagery of a shepherd is found in both the Old Testament and the New. God is often described as a shepherd like in psalm 23. Shepherd is often used to describe Jesus like in Hebrews 13:20.
