Read the Bible in a Year (12NOV19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, November 12’s Bible reading is John 19-21.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, November 13’s Bible reading is Acts 1-3. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.
                                                                     
JOHN MOMENT – (12NOV19)
 

 Conclusion of the Seven "I AM" Statements

The Gospel of John reveals that Jesus is the I Am sent by the Father to embody His divine attributes, for He and the Father are One. The seven I Am statements spoken by Jesus bears metaphors to help His disciples and others learn about the Father’s love and care through Him. Jesus often used parables when speaking to a crowd so that they could have simplicity in their understanding of Him. Therefore, the seven I Am statements, although mistakenly taken literally by some of the Jews, was Jesus’ way of relating a message of compassion for all who were willing to accept Hm as their Creator, Provider, Shepherd, and Redeemer.

 First, Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, gives spiritual nourishment to the believer just as the Israelites were given manna in the wilderness. Second, He is the Light of the world to those wandering around in spiritual darkness. Third, Christ Jesus is the Gate that protects His sheep from would-be wolves, strangers and robbers whose goal is to spiritually sabotage His children. Fourth, He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep, so they could experience Him fifthly as the Resurrection and the Life – having gained victory over death and hell. 

Sixth, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, for it is only through Him that a believer can have access to the Father. He was the Word made flesh in which Truth, that leads to eternal life, offers anyone who will accept Him the hope of redemption. Finally, Jesus is the True Vine who enables the believer to have an unlimited supply of Holy Spirit power. As a result, the believer produces good fruit and acts as a living witness for the world to see that the Lord is Good.[1] Therefore, everything has been made complete in Jesus since the beginning of creation for the salvation of all who ask, believe, repent and confess that He is Lord over their lives.[2] Jesus offers rest for those who are weary, salvation to those who are lost, freedom from the captivity of sin, and resurrection to those who are spiritually dead.[3] All one has to do is walk in the knowledge gained from the seven I Am statements to be in alignment with the will of the Father that was manifested through the works of His son, Jesus Christ, who takes away the sins of the world.

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[1] Ps. 34:8 (New International Version).

[2] Brown, "Creation’s Renewal," 288.

[3] Carson and Moo, New Testament, 263.