The 7 "I AMs" of Jesus in John's Gospel

Last night at our corporate prayer meeting, we utilized Jesus' "I AM" statements as the foundation for our prayers for our church. And what a rich foundation it is!

1.     I AM the Bread of Life.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35 ESV)

2.     I AM the Light of the World.

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

3.     I AM the Door of the Sheep.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:7-9 ESV)

4.     I AM the Good Shepherd.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:11-15 ESV)

5.     I AM the Resurrection and the Life.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

6.     I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

7.     I AM the True Vine.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1-5 ESV)

Jesus in each chapter of John

If I had to narrow it down to just one aspect of Jesus in each chapter, I'd go with this:

In chapter 1, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In chapter 2, He is the true temple.
In chapter 3, He is the teacher from God.
In chapter 4, He is the living water.
In chapter 5, He is the authoritative judge.
In chapter 6, He is the bread of life.
In chapter 7, He is the One who abundantly gives the Spirit.
In chapter 8, He is the light of the world.
In chapter 9, He is the One who opens blind eyes.
In chapter 10, He is the good shepherd.
In chapter 11, He is the resurrection and the life.
In chapter 12, He is the promised King.
In chapter 13, He is the humble servant.
In chapter 14, He is the returning Savior.
In chapter 15, He is the true vine.
In chapter 16, He is the One who has overcome the world.
In chapter 17, He is the One who has guarded His own.
In chapter 18, He is the willing sacrifice and sovereign Lord.
In chapter 19, He is the Passover lamb.
In chapter 20, He is the resurrected One.
In chapter 21, He is the restoring Savior.

Gospel of John Commentaries

Here are my thoughts on Gospel of John commentaries:

The Best:
DA Carson's Pillar NT Commentary

Next to Best:
Leon Morris' New International Commentary

Best Short commentary:
Bruce Milne's Bible Speaks Today Commentary

Best Devotional commentary:
JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts (3 volumes)

Not worth the time or money:
-Kent Hughes' Preaching the Word Commentary
-Kostenberger's Baker Exegetical Commentary (This is a good commentary if it is all you have. However, Kostenberger usually just restates what Carson says. They are almost identical. No need to have both.)
-Beasley-Murray's Word Biblical Commentary (very weak volume; I sold mine.)

Promises to those who believe

A few of the promises in the Gospel of John to those who believe in Jesus:

John 1:12: “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

John 3:16: “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

John 6:35: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

John 14:12: “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

Seeing Jesus

The Gospel of John exists to reveal Jesus. In my sermon on Sunday, I tried to describe some of the reasons why it is important to see Jesus:

1. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him is what transforms us.
2 Cor. 3:18: “And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”

2. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him prepares us to suffer well.
Heb. 12:3: “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

3. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him gives us content for sharing the gospel with unbelievers.

4. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him delights the Father’s heart.
The Father wants us to behold the glory of His Son.

The Holy Spirit in John's Gospel

Some of the main teaching about the third Person of the Trinity in John's Gospel:

7:37-52:
-The Spirit is given to all those who believe in Christ.
-The Spirit is given abundantly.
-The Spirit is given as a result of Christ’s glorification.

14:16-17:
-The Spirit is a gift from the Father.
-The Spirit is a “helper”.
-The Spirit is a permanent resident (inside us).
-The Spirit will teach us the truth.

16:4-15:
-The Spirit convicts the world.
-The Spirit serves the church.
...by guiding us to the truth.
...by glorifying Jesus (for more on this role of the Spirit see this post).

Changed by Looking at Jesus

This Sunday will mark the end of our sermon series through the Gospel of John at Christ Baptist Church. We have spent about 16 months in the fourth Gospel (about 60 sermons). When you spend that kind of time with someone or something, you naturally cultivate ties that are difficult to break. My life will never be the same. I will forever be marked by the truth of John’s Gospel. I’m not ready to move on. We could spend the rest of our lifetime (and eternity) exploring and admiring the person and work of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John (John ends his Gospel by pointing to Jesus’ inexhaustible greatness – 21:25). However, we must move on to explore the person and work of Jesus Christ from all of Scripture. God’s Word is rich with fresh truth about our Savior.

So, Justin, what particularly has been precious to you from your study and preaching of the Gospel of John? I’m glad you asked. I have been specifically captivated by just how passionate Jesus is to glorify the Father by speaking the words of the Father and accomplishing the will of the Father. John answers the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” in a profoundly simple and majestic way. I counted well over 100 references in the Gospel of John to the relationship of the Father and the Son. The vast majority of these references communicate Jesus’ relentless passion to please His Father. Here are some examples:

4:34 – “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
5:19 – “…the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
6:38 – “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
8:29 – “for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
12:50 – “What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
14:31 – “I do as the Father has commanded me so that the world may know that I love the Father.”
17:4 – “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”

So, what is so significant about this emphasis on Jesus’ desire to please the Father by accomplishing the will of the Father? Here are just 3 of the many life-altering implications:

1. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so in the place of all those who trust in Him. Jesus’ obedience is credited to our account when we embrace Him as our Savior (Rom. 5:19). He not only died in our place; He lived in our place. We have not obeyed the Father and lived for His glory. However, because of what Jesus accomplished, we are treated as if we had obeyed as perfectly as Jesus obeyed. Take some time to ponder the greatness of this gospel!

2. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He left us an example to follow. We are to do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). We are supposed to have a relentless passion to please the Father in everything we do. With Jesus, we should say, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”

3. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so to the end. His obedience culminated in His death on the Cross for our sins. When He said, “It is finished” (19:30), He was declaring that He had completed the plan of the Father to bear the sins of His sheep. The Cross was the supreme display of the glory of God because it was there that Jesus proved that His obedience was not half-hearted. He went all the way. The Father was glorified in the sacrifice of the Son and we get to spend eternity enjoying the benefits. And, because of His death, Jesus will continue to obey the Father by guarding those entrusted to Him (6:37-39; 10:28-29). What a Savior!

Friends, as we move on from the gospel of John, let us not forget the glory we have seen and the lessons we have learned. Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (12:26).

Following Jesus to the End

John ends his Gospel about the glory of Jesus with a call to follow Jesus. I brought out 4 aspects of following Jesus from John 21:15-25 Sunday:

1. Following Jesus involves committment to His people ("Feed my sheep").
2. Following Jesus is costly (Jesus tells Peter it will cost him his life).
3. Following Jesus frees us from comparison ("What is that to you? You follow me").
4. Following Jesus is more than worth it (The greatness of Jesus -v.25).

Verse 25 is John's way of saying, "We haven't even scratched the surface of the greatness of this Savior. He is deeper and wider and longer and greater than I can write."

He is limitless.
He is vast.
He is unending.
He is inexhaustible.
He is incomprehensible.
He is boundless.
He is immeasurable.
He is infinite.
He is incalculable.
He is unfathomable.
He is uncontainable.
He is worth following...

Here is how JC Ryle closes his commentary on John

JC Ryle (Expository Thoughts on John) quoting Bullinger:

“Reader, I have now set before thee thy Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, that very Son of God, who was begotten by the Father by an eternal and ineffable generation, consubstantial and coequal with the Father in all things;--but in these last times, according to prophetical oracles, was incarnate for us, suffered, died, rose again from the dead, and was made King and Lord of all things.—This is He who is appointed and given us by God the Father, as the fullness of all grace and truth, as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, as the ladder and door of heaven, as the serpent lifted up to render the poison of sin harmless, as the water which refreshes the thirsty, as the bread of life, as the light of the world, as the redeemer of God’s children, as the shepherd and door of the sheep, as the resurrection and the life, as the corn of wheat which springs up into much fruit, as the conqueror of the prince of this world, as the way, the truth, and the life, as the true vine, and finally, as the redemption, salvation, satisfaction, and righteousness of all the faithful in all the world, throughout the ages. Let us therefore pray God the Father, that, being taught by His Gospel, we may know Him that is true, and believe in Him in whom alone is salvation; and that, believing, we may feel God living in us in this world, and in the world to come may enjoy His eternal and most blessed fellowship.” Amen and Amen.

The Restoring Savior

John 21 is a rich and encouraging chapter. After the disciples (and especially Peter) fall away and desert Jesus, Jesus comes to them and restores them to the ministry He had called them to 3 years earlier. He restores them by revealing Himself to them.

Here is how Jesus reveals Himself:
1. as the Sovereign Lord (the miraculous catch of fish).
2. as the means to fruitfulness ("apart from me, you can do nothing").
3. as the intimate companion ("Come and eat with me").
4. as the object of Peter's love ("Do you love me?").
5. as the One who protects His own (Jesus' relentless passion to obey the Fater by guarding those entrusted to Him).

"I Thirst"

Why did Jesus declare His thirst from the Cross (John 19:28)? I made 3 observations in my sermon Sunday:

1. This statement reveals something of the depth of the suffering of Jesus. He was really human and really was thirsty. The One who changed the water into wine could have called all the water in the world to quench His parched throat. Every river and stream and fountain on the face of this earth would have leaped at the opportunity to moisten the lips of its Creator. But, He was physically thirsty so that we can have our soul’s thirst quenched forever.

2. John tells us that Jesus said this in order to fulfill Scripture (John 19:28). While suffering on the Cross, Jesus was conscious of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah (Psalm 69:21). It wasn’t that He just happened to fulfill the Scriptures. No, He intentionally fulfilled the Scriptures.

3. He had something else He wanted to say. He was about to say something that He wanted others to hear. So, He asks for a drink in order to moisten His throat. Then He said, "It is finished!"

Jesus' Finished Work

I had the privilage of preaching on "It is finished" Sunday morning (John 19:30). Jesus' cry of victory from the Cross is full of meaning and significance for our lives.

This is not the moan of a defeated man resigning to his fate. This is not a sigh of relief because the physical suffering is over.

No, this is the triumphant recognition that He has now fully accomplished the work He came to do. This is the cry of triumph.

Spurgeon said of this cry, “it would need all the other words that ever were spoken, or ever can be spoken, to explain this one word. It is altogether immeasurable. It is high; I cannot attain to it. It is deep; I cannot fathom it.”

Jesus perfectly accomplished His work.
Jesus left nothing undone or incomplete.
Jesus left nothing unfinished or deficient.
Jesus left nothing unaccomplished or lacking.
His work was totally sufficient.

Here is the one implication I made from this cry:
Since Jesus paid it all, nothing needs to be added to His finished work.

All my hope is in His Work, not my works.

Derek Tidball wrote, “This single word rings out from the crucified Christ like a trumpet blast. It is finished, It is accomplished. The work his Father had sent him to do has been completed. The Father’s will had been obeyed to the last detail. The Father’s love had been revealed in its ultimate form. The Father’s grace had been released in the most convincing manner. The Father’s forgiveness had been purchased with the costliest payment. The Father’s glory had been displayed in the least expected way. The Father’s enemies had been definitively defeated" (Message of the Cross, p. 174).

Jesus' Majestic Willingness

I absolutely loved studying and preaching the beginning of John 18 this week. John's goal is not to just tell us the historical events (although those are very important). John's goal is to help us see the glory of Jesus even in these darkest of hours.

I drew out 3 aspect of Jesus' glory from John 18:1-11:
1. Jesus' complete control (over all the events).
2. Jesus' loving care (in protecting His disciples).
3. Jesus' submissive willingness (to the Father's plan).

A Glorious Intimacy

In John 17:24, Jesus concludes His High Priestly Prayer by stating His desire. What does Jesus desire just hours before He goes to the Cross?

He says He desires for His Bride (those given to Him by the Father) to be with Him and to see His glory.

As He approaches His death for those whom the Father gave Him, Jesus ponders eternity future where His pure Bride will be with Him and enjoy His glory.

Jesus is not reluctant to reveal His glory. He desires that we see His glory. And, we will spend all eternity exploring and enjoying a glorious intimacy with the Savior.

John 15:16 - Memory Verse Meditations

John 15:16 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Jesus’ has loved us by choosing us. If He had not chosen us, we would have never chosen Him. We must always be aware of the initiative in our relationship with Jesus. His action is always prior to our actions. He chose us that we might bear lasting fruit for His glory. When we bear fruit for Him, the Father answers our prayers prayed in His name. What are you asking the Father for in Jesus’ name today?

The Greatest Prayer Ever Recorded

My gratefulness for John 17 is higher than ever. I am amazed that we are allowed to hear one person of the Trinity address another person of the Trinity at such length. We have a record of what the eternal Son said to the eternal Father regarding the fulfillment of their eternal plan.

The significance of this chapter would be difficult to overstate. Never before or since has a sweeter voice been heard in Heaven than the voice of the Savior submissively pleading with the Father to accomplish His purposes.

I preached on verses 1-5 Sunday and meditated on these 3 points:
1. Jesus' Supreme Passion was the Glory of the Father.
2. Jesus Gives Eternal Life.
3. Jesus is Particularly Glorified in the Cross.

John 15:15 - Memory Verse Meditations

John 15:15 – “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

According to Jesus, the fundamental difference between a servant and a friend has to do with the information disclosed. A servant doesn’t get to know what his master is doing. He just does his work because he is supposed to. However, a friend is privileged to hear what and why things are happening. The friend is made aware of the plans. Jesus says that He has made known all that He has heard from His Father. Jesus is the perfect revelation of the glory of the Father. He spoke only what the Father told Him to speak. He has not withheld the Father’s plans from us.

John 15:14 - Memory Verse Meditations

John 15:14 – “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

Jesus’ emphasis on doing what He commands is unmistakable in John 14-16. Jesus’ commands are authoritative and binding on all people. However, it is those who obey His commands who are called His friends. Who of us can claim to be His friend? Who of us can claim to do what He commands? Verses like this should cause us to flee to the Cross, where our lack of obedience was atoned for and our present obedience was purchased.

John 15:13 - Memory Verse Meditations

John 15:13 – “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.”

In verse 12, Jesus commanded us to love one another as He has loved us. Well, here is how He has loved us. He loved us by laying down His life for us as a substitution for our sins. This is how Jesus defines the greatest love: selflessly laying down your life for others. So, as you meditate on this verse, ponder the greatest demonstration of love in the history of the universe in the Cross. Then, ponder the ways you can lay down your life for others.

The Aim of the Holy Spirit

On the night of His betrayal and arrest, Jesus said a lot about the Holy Spirit. The Farewell Discourse (John 14-16) contains at least four passages on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus wanted to ensure His troubled disciples that the Spirit of truth would enable them to accomplish all that He commanded them to do.

And, of all that Jesus said about the Holy Spirit, one particular aspect of the Spirit’s work stands out. Jesus said, “He will glorify me” (John 16:14) and “He will bear witness about me” (John 15:26). This is the Holy Spirit’s primary ministry. The Spirit glorifies Jesus. The content of the Spirit’s witness is the glory of Jesus Christ.

Clearly, this is not all that the Spirit does. The New Testament is full of references to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. However, in everything that the Spirit does, this is His aim. When the Spirit is at work, the Savior is exalted.

Charles Spurgeon said, "It is the CHIEF office of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ. He does many things, but this is what he aims at in all of them, to glorify Christ. Brethren, what the Holy Ghost does must be right for us to imitate: therefore, let us endeavor to glorify Christ. To what higher ends can we devote ourselves, than to something to which God the Holy Spirit devotes himself? Be this, then, your emotional prayer, "Blessed Spirit, help me ever to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ!"

In his book, Keep in Step with the Spirit, J.I. Packer compares the Spirit’s work with that of a floodlight. A floodlight aims to illumine whatever it is directed toward. When floodlighting is done well, you cannot even see the floodlight. You are not supposed to even notice where the light is coming from. In the same way, the Spirit is shinning on Jesus Christ. The Spirit points men and women to behold the Savior and find their deepest joy in Him.

Think of the implications of this truth. We can say with confidence that whatever does not glorify Jesus Christ is not of the Holy Spirit. If the Spirit does something, it will inevitably glorify Christ.

We should learn to test everything by this truth. How many churches claim to be “Spirit-filled,” who do not make much of Jesus Christ? How many ministries claim to be depending on the Spirit, who take up 100 causes without reference to the Savior?

Perhaps this is one of the greatest weaknesses of churches today. We try to accomplish God’s work in our own strength. We divorce the mission of God from the empowerment of the Spirit of God.

If we want to be in step with the Spirit, we must keep in step with the Spirit’s aim. How can we expect the Spirit’s power if we are not passionately engaged in the Spirit’s work? Spurgeon’s question is powerfully convicting: “To what higher ends can we devote ourselves, than to something to which God the Holy Spirit devotes himself?”

For the Glory of Jesus,
Pastor Justin