I Am...Revealed
February 21 through April 4 (Easter)
The true identity of Jesus, as told in his own words.
Read Craig's blog
Find the "I am's" in the Gospel of John (cf. chaps 6, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 15).
Series Messages
Feb. 21 I am...the Bread of Life (John 6:35) Mike Loudon
Feb. 28 I am...the Light of the World (John 8:12) Kenny Ellis
Mar. 7 FPC 125th Anniversary! Combined Worship at 10:30 in Sanctuary
Mar. 14 I am...the Good Shepherd (John 10:14) Craig Sumey
Mar. 21 I am...the Vine (John 15:5) Mike Loudon
Mar. 28 I am...the Way (John 14:6) Cecelia Moore
Apr.4 (Easter) I am...the Resurrection (John 11:25) Craig Sumey
Series Notes
About the “I Am’s”
In the Judaism which emerged from the Old Testament, the knowledge of God was deemed to great, mysterious and transcendent to speak of. God’s name, Yahweh, could not be verbalized and would be written in ancient scrolls using four dots (“…”). To look upon God would be to cross the line between life and death…human eyes could not look upon the magnificent glory of God and be able to see anything again. In the great Temple in Jerusalem, a great veil kept the most Holy of Holies hidden from human eyes…only the high priest could go inside, and then only once a year to atone for the sins of God’s people.
Yet, when Jesus was crucified, the veil was torn in two…and done away with forever. The barrier separating profane humanity from its holy God was removed, and separation became reconciliation.
Jesus sought to remove the barrier in life as well as in His death. In his “I am” claims in the Gospel of John, Jesus invites his followers to come into his presence, to understand him well, to touch him, to receive his deep and abiding love, to be forgiven, and to live in him.
John is unique among the Gospels in that it seeks to describe not the kingdom, but the King himself. This Gospel has more discourse of Jesus than activity, miracles or healings of Jesus. Jesus says more about himself here than in the other three combined. In his eigo eimi (“I am”) statements especially, Jesus openly declares and vividly describes his identity, using word pictures his followers could immediately comprehend but which also lent themselves to new depths of meanings each time they revisited them.
A student of the whole Bible cannot read Jesus’ statements about himself in John and not think of the one who revealed himself as “I AM” through the burning bush to Moses in the Exodus story. Jesus’ confident appropriation of this theological language affirms what John himself claimed in his chapter 1 prologue – that this Jesus is the one through whom and for whom all things were made, and there is oneness between Jesus and the Father. To know Jesus fully, to believe what he reveals about himself, is truly to know God.
Why This Series? Why now?
Any real discussion of Jesus must break through to a confrontation of who he said he really was. And in his identity is also an invitation – to anyone who knows him there is also a promise to satisfy spiritual hunger, guide to eternal life, abide and bear much fruit. Jesus is who he is so that, in faith, we might become who we were made to be.
Each year, during Lent, Vine focuses its message series on the very person of Jesus, seeking to simply know him better. To know him as he has made himself known is led inevitably by the Spirit to point of decision: to commit oneself wholly to following Jesus or to turn away from his path of life. Jesus never allowed people to merely appreciate him at arms length, he spoke words of life which called people to come near to him and follow him into abundant life of the cross.
Each message of this series will have the goal of illuminating Jesus through his own words, and calling people to become his followers or renew their covenant to discipleship.
