April 13, 2012 – June 1, 2012
Jesus' "I Am" Statements
In the gospel of John, Jesus offers eight word pictures to help understand his identity. These names Jesus chose for himself throughout his ministry matter because they connect him to God. They demonstrate both the eternal and the personal nature of God, all the while inviting us into relationship with Him. In this Groundwork series we study Jesus eight “I AM” statements in the biblical book of John to discover the facets of God Jesus shares with us, understand the parallels these statements have in the Old Testament, and discuss what these identity statements continue to mean for us and our relationship with God today.
Episodes in this Series
April 13 , 2012
I AM the Bread of Life
Bread is a symbol of nutritional sustenance and satisfaction. What does it mean for Jesus to be the bread of your life?
April 20 , 2012
I AM the Light of the World
The symbolism of light is mysterious and compelling. Why did Jesus call himself the “Light of the world� What did he mean?
April 27 , 2012
I AM the Gate for the Sheep
Let's dig into one of Jesus' teachings that can be difficult to understand. What does Jesus mean when he says "I Am the gate for the sheep"? And what does it mean for us?
May 4 , 2012
I AM the Good Shepherd
Religious art often depicts Jesus holding a little lamb and surrounded by children. It's a picture that Jesus himself gave us in John 10: The picture of himself as a shepherd, a good shepherd. But what is Jesus telling us about himself with this picture?
May 11 , 2012
I AM the Resurrection & the Life
Death is not a popular conversational topic. We don’t like to think about dying. It’s so final. But in the gospel of John, Jesus calls himself the Resurrection and the Life. How does Jesus’ encounter with the death of Lazarus give us hope?
May 18 , 2012
I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life
Have you ever been called "intolerant" because of your belief that Jesus is the only way to God? Let's discuss John 14:1-11 and what it really means for our relationships with fellow Christians and non-Christians.
May 25 , 2012
I AM the True Vine
This I AM statement is different than the rest. Jesus has a new invitation for us.
June 1 , 2012
The Great I AM
Jesus doesn't make the "I am" statements by mistake. Not only is he telling us about himself, but he's inviting us into relationship with the Great I AM.