There are many times, while our Lord was on earth, that He used the two words “I am.” Even after His ascension back to the Father, He used the same two words as recorded in the book of Revelation. I want us to look at a number of times that these words are used and we can get a better picture of our Lord by so doing. We know that Jesus was the Master Teacher. He taught as no one before had ever taught (Matt. 7:29; Mark 1:22)—He taught with “authority.”

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35; 48). In verse 50, He explained, “This is the bread which cometh down from heaven” and in verse 51, He said, I am the living bread which came down from heaven.” Unless we partake of the Christ, we have no life in us (spiritually) (verse 53-54). We must make His will our will and live as He lived.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus did not say, “I am one of the ways” nor did He say, “I am one of many ways.” He is the only way that one can reach the Father. When He said, “I am the way”, we must enter through Him. When He said, “I am the truth” we must believe in Him. When He said, “I am the life” we must live as He directs. John later wrote, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him” (1 John 3:24).

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). Those who follow Christ “shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” God’s Word gives us the light that we need in a world filled with spiritual darkness (Psalm 119:130). However, we as Christians must “walk in the light as he is in the light” if we are to have “fellowship one with another” and have the continual cleansing by “the blood of Christ” (1 John 1:7).

Some may be wondering about the statement that Jesus made when He said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). May I suggest that we are reflected light. By our lives, we reflect the light of Christ. I am told that the moon has no light of its own, but it reflects the light of the sun. Jesus is called “the Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2), and by our living righteous lives, we reflect His light to the world of darkness.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). In the first place, this suggests that there are false vines. Every denomination is a false vine and those who are members of such are branches in those false vines. Christians are branches in the true vine. As such, we must “abide in” the vine (John 15:4-7). This forever eliminates the arguments that one cannot fall from grace. One must be in the vine before he can abide in it—but it is evident that one can get out of the vine, and when this happens, Jesus said that they are “cast” into the fire, and they are burned.” How could words be clearer? We abide in Christ (the Vine) by allowing His words to abide in us and direct our lives (vs. 7).

Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:9). Anyone who tries to enter in some other way “the same is a thief and a robber” (verse 1). We enter into Christ “the door” by being baptized into Him (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). There is no other way into Christ!

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: (John 10:11). As such, He gave “his life for the sheep.” He knows His sheep and His sheep know Him (verse 14). Paul wrote, “The Lord knoweth them that are his” (2 Tim. 2:19). This is what the Lord had in mind when He said that He would say to “many” at the day of judgment, “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). They were never His sheep.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). He is said to be “the first-fruits” (1 Cor. 15:23). The first fruits of a crop gives assurance of other fruits to come. Jesus is our assurance---our guarantee—if you please—of our resurrection. Jesus told Martha, “he that believeth in me, though here were dead, yet shall he live.”

Jesus said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” (Rev. 1:11). These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. Our Lord was “before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:17). Verse 16 reads, “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things are created by him, and for him.” Jesus told the people of His day that he existed before Abraham (John 8:58), referring to His existence before He came to the earth.

Jesus said, “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts” (Rev. 2:23). Jesus knows the heart of every individual. While on earth He could say, “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” (Mark 2:8). He knew what they were thinking. We are told, “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 5:22, 27; 12:48; Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:10). We must make preparation now.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE JUDGMENT DAY?

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