You Are Not the Only One

The seven “I am” statements of Jesus are found in the Gospel of John.

In the book of John, Jesus demands that we believe He is the Christ, the divine Son of God sent from Heaven. He makes these demands by making many comparisons to Himself and by performing miracles that display not only His presence and power but also God’s presence and power. The comparisons are proclaimed in the seven “I AM” statements of Jesus, and the acts that show Him as the divine Son of God sent from Heaven are shown in the seven signs of Jesus.

First, ““I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35). Jesus tells us that He is the spiritual food we need. He relates Himself to bread to indicate that we must consume His teaching and lifestyle if we are His disciples. Of those who do consume His teachings and His lifestyle, Jesus promises that these people will not be hungry and will not thirst—spiritually, that is.

Second, “I AM the Light of the World” (John 8:12). Jesus is the only genuine Light and accepting Him and following Him removes the darkness, such as sin and death, from our lives. The light of Jesus represents His purity and His holiness. Throughout the scriptures, we are commanded to walk in the light, and John 8:12 tells us what light that is – His light. The light of Jesus gives us life, and according to Jesus, those who follow Him never have to worry about walking in darkness again.

Third, Jesus says, “I AM the Door” (John 10:7). Jesus is telling us here that He is the entrance into a relationship with God the Father—THE ONLY ENTRANCE!! He is also the entrance into forgiveness, victory, holiness, heaven, and, most importantly, salvation—THE ONLY ENTRANCE! Jesus Christ is the only door. There are no side doors, no back doors, and no doors of any other kind.

Fourthly, Jesus says, “I AM the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11,14). We see God rebuking wicked shepherds in the Old Testament books, such as Zechariah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah. Jesus tells us here that He is the good Shepherd. A shepherd leads, feeds, and protects his flock, and that’s precisely what Jesus does to those who believe in Him and trust in Him. This “I AM” statement speaks of Jesus’ tender loving care and devotion for us, His people. A good shepherd is willing to die for his sheep, and so Christ, the Good Shepherd in John, the Great Shepherd in Hebrews, and the Chief Shepherd in Peter, was willing to, and did, die for His sheep.

Fifthly, Jesus said, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25). Jesus is not telling us that we will avoid a physical death, but rather promising that He is the gateway to everlasting life and fellowship with God in heaven. He also tells us that He is the life, and to not know Him means one has no life. One can be physically alive but spiritually dead and on their way to hell unless they receive the Resurrection and the Life.

Next, Jesus says, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Jesus concluded this “I AM” saying by stating that no one can come to His Father but by Him. Jesus is the way to the eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before the beginning of time. (Titus 1:2) Jesus is the way because He is the truth, and He is the truth because He is the way. As God incarnate, He is life for all who believe in Him and accept His salvation to eternal life.

Finally, Jesus said, “I AM the True Vine” (John 15:1). In the Old Testament, a vine represented Israel, God’s chosen people.

Since Israel has rejected Christ, Christ becomes the whole vine, and those who believe in Him become branches. This means that we are connected to Him and absorbed by Him. If we obey His commandments, we will bear fruit on our branches, fruit that will ultimately belong to the vine. It is reassuring to know that when we provide fruit, we prove to Jesus that we are His disciples, and we, therefore, glorify His Father.