John • Comparison between the 7 signs & the 7 "I AM" Statements

It would be logical to assume that since there are 7 signs, and also 7 "I AM" statements, that there would be a direct one-to-one correlation between them, but there isn't. But I have found a way to group them into 5 themes that do run in sequential order.

• Please remember with me John's reason for writing his gospel

John 20:30-31 → 30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the

disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• Please also remember, that the "I AM" statements are all predicated on Jesus specific use of the memorial name of God as found in the Old Testament.

Exodus 3:13-15 → 13Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” 15God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.

• For a review of the names of God, and the significance of His name "I AM", click here... NAMES

• So let's explore the 5 themes...

Theme 1 • Jesus, the Power of God

► Sign 1, Water to Wine, Jesus is the master of the ELEMENTS → John 2:1-12

► Sign 2, Nobleman's Son, Jesus is the master over DISTANCE → John 4:46-54

► Sign 3, Lame Man at Bethesda, Jesus is the master over TIME → John 5:1-18

• There are three distinct attributes of God in these three signs that clearly indicate one thing – Jesus is the Creator.

• A quote from the attached document says "Scientists at ICR (Institute for Creation Research) hold to the presupposition that the "uncaused First Cause" is the Creator who exists outside of the physical creation He made. Time is not eternal, but created. To ask what happened in time before time was created is to create a false paradox without meaning. There was no "before" prior to the creation of the triune universe of time, space, and mass/energy. Yet even more amazing (and the universe is amazing) is the historic fact that the Creator-God, after purposefully creating the time-space-matter universe, chose to enter it in the God-human person of Jesus Christ - for the sole purpose of providing a means by which humanity could have a personal relationship with the Creator."

• In Sign 1, Jesus demonstrates that He has control over matter

• In Sign 2, Jesus demonstrates that He has control over space

• In Sign 3, Jesus demonstrates that He has control over time

• What about the last part – ENERGY?  Jesus IS the ENERGY.  Jesus IS the POWER OF GOD.   The “uncaused First Cause” is the Creator. 

• John 1:1-3, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

• John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

• Jesus, the Power of God, The Creator, came to dwell with us.

   Theme 2 • Jesus feeds and nurtures us

► Sign 4, Feeding of 5,000+, Jesus is the master over DIMENSION → John 6:1-15

► Sign 5, Jesus walks on water, Jesus is the master over NATURE → John 6:15-21

► I AM #1 • I AM the Bread of Life - Jesus ELIMINATES HUNGER → John 6:26-58

• So the whole point of this is that the one-time event of the feeding of the 5,000, and even the prolonged provision by God of the manna only sustain life on a temporal basis.

• But when we "feed" on Jesus, we receive life eternal.

• Jesus feeds and nurtures us. Eternal life only comes when we feast on the “bread of life”.

   Theme 3 • Jesus is our light, and makes us to be His light

► Sign 6, The Man Born Blind, Jesus is the master over HISTORY → John 9:1-41

► I AM #2 • I AM the Light of the World - Jesus ELIMINATES DARKNESS → John 8:12-9:5

• We talked before about being in a totally dark room. Darkness cannot overcome the light, but light can overcome darkness.

• When Jesus made the statement in John 8:12 that He was “the light of the world” He went on to talk about how those who do not believe in Him would remain in darkness.

• Jesus also challenged those who would listen to do the “deeds of Abraham” (John 8:39). Romans 4:3 tells us what the deeds of Abraham were… “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

• Then in John chapter 9 Jesus heals the man born blind. In verse 5 Jesus makes this statement… “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”. We always have a tendency to focus on the last part of that verse. Yes, Jesus is the “light of the world”. But what does He mean when He says “while I am in the world?”

• In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus says “You are the light of the world.” While Jesus is in heaven we are to be His representatives on earth, sharing His light. Verse 16 says, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

• How did the man who was born blind, when he was confronted with the truth of who Jesus is? In John 9:38 he responded by stating “Lord, I believe.” And he worshipped Jesus.

• Jesus is our light, and makes us to be His light. This is our mandate – to embrace the light for ourselves; then to pass it on to others.

   Theme 4 • Jesus is our source of life

► I AM #3 • I AM the Door of the Sheep - Jesus ELIMINATES DEATH & DESTRUCTION → John 10:1-10

► I AM #4 • I AM the Good Shepherd - Jesus KNOWS US → John 10:11-19

► Sign 7, The Raising of Lazarus, Jesus is the master over DEATH → John 11:1-46

► I AM #5 • I AM the Resurrection and the Life - Jesus is the SOURCE OF ETERNAL LIFE → John 11:24-27

► I AM #6 • I AM the Way, and the Truth, and the Life - Jesus is THE WAY TO THE FATHER → John 14:1-6

• This theme, that of Jesus being our source of life, begins with and ends with 2 “I AM” statements on either side of one sign. That sign being the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

• The first two “I AM”s are the ones where Jesus calls Himself both the “Door” to the sheep and the “Good Shepherd”.

► I AM #3 – Jesus first off not only provides life for us, and abundant, eternal life at that, but He does it by protecting us from the “thief” who would steal away any opportunity to be forgiven, and who seeks our death and destruction.

► I AM #4 – Jesus also leads us, protecting us along the way. We follow, even more closely, as we consistently learn to know His voice. He knows us, and as we listen we begin to know Him more and more.

• The next set of two “I AM”s are ones where Jesus presents to us that He and He alone is the only path to eternal life, and all that it entails.

► I AM #5 – Jesus tells us clearly that He has the power and desire to raise us from the dead, and has the power to do so not only at the end of time, but even now if He so desires.

► I AM #6 – Jesus also let’s us know that while heaven is prepared for our arrival, Jesus, and Jesus alone, is not only the WAY to the Father, but is also the TRUTH of the Father, and gives to us the LIFE of the Father.

• The last sign, that of raising Lazarus from the dead, is the capstone that demonstrates Jesus' power over death. When Jesus told Martha that He was “the Resurrection and the Life”, He then followed this statement with a question. Jesus' question applies to us also. “Do you believe this?”

• Jesus has revealed to Martha, and to us, that He is the source of eternal life; that He is our Savior. That death is not an end for those who believe in Jesus for who He really is.

   Theme 5 • Jesus is our source of life for others

► I AM #7 • I AM the True Vine - Because of Jesus WE WILL BEAR FRUIT → John 15:1-11

• This theme stands to remind us that Jesus never intended for us to be idle while we are waiting for Him to return for us.

• Jesus started His comments about being connected to the Vine by springing immediately off of the 6th “I AM” statement. John 14:6 → “I AM the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

He then introduces several ideas related to our salvation, and that affect our ability to fulfill His purpose.

1	He tells us our love for Him is demonstrated by keeping His commandments	John 14:15
2	He tells us that He will provide help, in the form of the Holy Spirit	John 14:16-17, 26
3	He tells us that we need to “abide” in Him, and that He will abide in us	John 15:4
4	He tells us that abiding in Him will produce MUCH fruit	John 15:5
5	He tells us that bearing fruit will prove our discipleship and glorify the Father	John 15:8
6	He tells us that what we are abiding in is His love	John 15:9
7	He tells us that the way to abide is to keep His commandments	John 15:10
8	He tells us that all of this is so we can experience His full joy	John 15:11
9	He tells us that His commandment is that we love one another as He loved us	John 15:12

These ideas are reiterated in Matthew 22:37-39 → 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’

• Jesus wants us to love others as He loved us. We can’t die for another to save them from their sins, but we CAN point them to the One who can save them from their sins.

“Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995

by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org”