In the Gospel of Mark, we read that Jesus asked his disciples to fill in the blank for him:
Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them,“Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
-Mark 8:27-30 (TNIV)
In the Gospel of John, though, Jesus fills in the blank on his name tag several different ways ... each time revealing a different aspect of himself and his mission. These statements are known as the "I am" statements, because each one starts with Jesus saying, "I am ..." This week in Sunday school, the Rolling Hills Youth read each of these "I am" statements and chose their favorite for our Wesley Award ...
"I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE."
Matt nominated this "I am" statement. Jesus said this about himself in John 6:35 (TNIV): 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. Think about how important bread is to people all over the world. We all eat it in some form. It's a staple of our diet. It nourishes us and keeps us going throughout the day. How is Jesus like bread? What does this image teach us about Jesus?
"I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD."
While this is one of the most well-known of the "I am" statements, none of our youth chose it as a favorite. In John 10:11 (TNIV), Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." Jesus goes on to explain: "The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me -- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father -- and I lay down my life for the sheep." -John 10-12-15 (TNIV). Jesus is not a half-hearted, hired-hand savior. Jesus is all in for us -- willing to make the ultimate sacrifice (giving up his life) for us sheep.
"I AM THE WAY."
Adrienne picked this as her favorite "I am" statement. In John 14:6 (TNIV), Jesus tells his disciples, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." If we know Jesus, we know God. Jesus is our way, our path to God. We can trust Jesus to take us there.
"I AM THE GATE."
This is my favorite "I am" statement, and here is a picture I took of the Natural Bridge in Virginia ... a gate of sorts carved in a rocky hillside by a tributary of the James River. "Therefore Jesus said again, 'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.'" John 10:7-10 (TNIV). Shepherds in Jesus' day often slept at the gate to the sheep pen, literally becoming a human shield to protect the animals in their care from thieves or predators. After passing through the gate, the sheep flourished knowing they could count on the shepherd to protect them. How is Jesus the guardian of the entrance to our lives? How does having Jesus as that protector help us to live "life to the full" both here and in heaven?
"I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE."
This was Jake's selection. Before Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead, Jesus declared to Martha (the sister of Lazarus) that her brother would rise again. Martha said that she knew Lazarus would be resurrected "at the last day," but that wasn't what Jesus meant. He had something much more immediate in mind. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” -John 11:25-26 (TNIV). Then, Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave. Our Savior, Jesus not only went on to be resurrected himself on that first Easter Sunday, but he is resurrection! He is the power that can conquer death for us all, and he is the central force for renewal of this world we live in. In Revelation, we read: "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' " -Rev. 21:5 (TNIV).
"I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD."
Paige nominated this wonderful "I am" statement: "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" -John 8:12 (TNIV). Jesus shines in the darkness of our lives, helping us to see ... like the night-lights Paige has at home! Jesus not only is the Way, but he lights our path.
"I AM THE VINE."
This was Nick's pick for Best "I am " Statement. In John 15:5 (TNIV), we read that Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." Like a branch on a vine, we are connected to Jesus, who provides our roots and our support. A branch cut from its vine won't grow any grapes. The branch grows fruit because it is connected to the vine. So too we Christians are connected to our vine, Jesus. When we bear fruit, it's not something we do on our own ... It's done through Christ, who gives us what we need to be fruitful.
And our winner for the Wesley Award for Best "I am" Statement doesn't come from John's Gospel. Instead, Wes picked this verse from the Book of Revelation 22:13 (TNIV), where John writes of a vision in which the risen Jesus speaks in the last days, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Jesus has been there from the very beginning and will be there at the very end. He is always with us.
Congrats to Wes for picking our top vote-getter for Best "I am" Statement. Join us next week, when we vote on Best Parable. It should be a great topic!
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