You can literally never look to Jesus too much! He is everything! Your life is because of Him. Your every breath is because He continues to breathe life into you. Even the time of your physical death is planned by Him with great care.
The Lord is eternal. There was no beginning and there’ll never be an end to Him. He is the God who was from eternity past, is ever-present in all our lives, and He will continue to live forever. It’s unfathomable, really.
And yet, this powerful, eternal God who runs all of the heavens and the earth, cares about every single detail of your life. He pursues you with great, zealous love.
Since the beginning of the year, we’ve gotten to know Jesus on a more personal level. I chose to do the I AM’s study of Jesus at this time for a specific reason. I wanted to get our minds prepared for Easter – when we celebrate our victorious King.
Let’s look at the names we’ve studied in summary:
I AM WHO I AM
“God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.” Exodus 3:14-15
He was on pursuit to rescue us from the beginning and make Himself our adored Saviour.
I Am the Bread of Life
“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” John 6:35
He is all-sustaining. We never go without our needs being met. He satisfies them all. Physical food will never fully satisfy; only Christ will.
I Am the Light of the World
“Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
Jesus is Light. Darkness is not even dark to Him, because everything is exposed by His light. Nothing is hidden from Him. Eventually the sun and moon will fade away, and the only light we’ll ever need, is the light of the glory and truth of God.
I Am the Gate of the Sheepfold
“Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:7-10
Jesus is the only way to Heaven. There’s no other reward system to follow or special pass you get pay for. It’s only through gift of salvation given from Jesus to all who trust in Him with their whole hearts. Because He is the Gate, no stranger/unauthorized person can sneak passed Him. You need to know Jesus personally.
I Am the Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life 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. I lay down my life for the sheep. But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life so that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.’” John 10:11, 14-18
Jesus is Good Shepherd who guides us in the way we should go, tending to our needs, healing our broken pieces, and protecting us from the enemy. By the sacrifice of His own life, He bridged the way for Gentiles to be included in the Jews’ family, becoming one united family under God.
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
‘Yes, Lord,’ [Martha] told him, ‘I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.’ John 11:25-27
Jesus is the resurrection and the life because, as Martha confessed, He is the Messiah. Messiah means Saviour, the anointed one, the promised deliverer. Only by Jesus’ death and resurrection can we find life.
Jesus the perfect God and Man combined, put on the flesh of humanity in order to live with us so that He could die for us as the sinless, spotless sacrifice. Then, as only He could have done, by the power of the Holy Spirit, raised Himself back to life, offering us the same gift of eternal life He has. It is freely given to all who believe in Him.
I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
“’Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also. You know the way to where I am going.’
‘Lord,’ Thomas said, ‘we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?’
Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’” John 14:1-7
Jesus didn’t only provide eternal life for His followers. He and His Father gave us eternal life with Him, in heaven, basking in the rich inheritance of Christ. The Father has rooms for us in His house, and Jesus is specially preparing each one for us.
I Am the True Vine
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener… I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me.” John 15:1,5
So, in knowing who Jesus is, we can safely abide in Him, because as we’ve learned, we can do nothing without Him. But with Him, we can do beyond the imaginable to fulfill the desires He has for us.
I Am the First and the Last
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look—I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades.’” Revelation 1:17-18
Though Jesus has made Himself intimately connected with us, He is still to be revered as the King of Kings. He is seated on the throne ruling over the heavens and the earth. In His sovereignty, He leads with justice and grace.
This Easter, let us study His word afresh. Let us reflect on the intimacy of Christ towards us, the passion He has to pursue us, and the life He was willing to lay down for us. Let us get excited about the gift of salvation we’ve received, and the home we have the assured hope to look forward to!
“’Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to repay each person according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.’
Both the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ Let anyone who hears, say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:12-13, 16-17
Do you know Jesus intimately today? I rejoice if you do! And I ask you to send us a message if you don’t. Please, I’d be happy to share who He is so that you can embrace the abundant life He desires you to have too.
