In each of the seven instances where Christ declared Himself the "I Am," He was making a statement concerning who He was. When John the Baptist was introducing Christ to Israel he said: "This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me." John the Baptist made that statement on three different occasions. In actuality, John the Baptist was born six months before Christ; so what did John mean "He was before me?" John was declaring that Christ ever was – He was from the beginning.

Fifteen hundred years prior to John’s annunciation, Moses was being commissioned at the burning bush to return to Egypt. When Moses said to the Lord, "Who shall I say sent me? The Lord responded: "I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." The "I Am" that is being revealed in John’s Gospel, was none other than the "I Am" that appeared to Moses. Two thousand years prior to John the Baptist’s annunciation, the Lord appeared to Abraham. Jesus said this concerning Abraham: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad." Of course, that statement infuriated the Jews, who with great indignation said: "Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?" The Master’s reply was: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am."

Unto the very end, John’s Gospel proves Christ to be the "I Am" of the Old Testament. Christ ever was, He was the Son of God (Jehovah) that Isaiah saw upon the throne (John 12:41). When the Lord Jesus Christ revealed these seven aspects of Himself to Israel, we discover that there is a common thread that connects them all. They all reveal that in Him is life: the Bread of Life, the Light of Life, the Resurrection and the life, etc. Christ was showing us the way to have eternal life, and not only this, but, life more abundantly!

John 6:35: "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." This statement sets in the midst of quite a lengthy discourse (verses 22-66). Jesus declared Himself to be the bread that had come down from heaven. In this discourse, Jesus points to the fact that the generation that ate the manna from heaven was dead. Yet, if they would eat His flesh (which He declared to be bread) they would have eternal life (6:50-51).

The Jews could never see the spiritual implications in their law or in their ceremony. Part of the blindness that God had given to them was that their (spiritual) eyes could not see, and their (spiritual) ears could not hear: "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them (Matt 13:14). O yes, they could hear very well with their natural ears, but most of them could never understand the spiritual implications. When Christ said to them, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man," there was an immediate spiritual impasse. What was Christ really saying to them? He was revealing the fact that He was the Eternal Word.

John’s gospel begins: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Christ is declared to be the Living Word from the beginning. Let us proceed to John 1:14: "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." Christ is called the Word of God incarnate – that means, the Word of God in the flesh. We also see a picture of Christ when He comes, (Second Coming) wearing a vesture that is labeled " The Word of God" (Rev 19:13). That said, we can now understand what Jesus meant about eating the Living Word. Jesus said that the words that He spoke were spirit and life (John 6:63).

The Word of God is not like reading a novel; it is spirit and life. It has the power to reform our thinking, and reform our lives. When I say "reform" I mean, transform. The Master said, "Unless you eat My Flesh… ye have no life in you." For a Christian, the Word of God must be his food. If we do not feed upon the scripture, we will be like walking skeletons – no spiritual strength, no spiritual muscle. The Lord not only wants us to feed upon His Word, but He desires that the Word become flesh in our lives. What that means is that we progress on from the theory (mental appreciation) of the Word, until it become reality – demonstrated through our everyday walk. "For my flesh is meat indeed." One of the keys to the "abundant" life – feeding upon the Bread of Life!

John 8:12: "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." Jesus also repeats this phrase in John 9:5. In this second "I Am" we can again point to the connecting thread – life. "The light of Christ is life." Even naturally speaking, life would eventually disappear from the earth if there were no light. Several years ago, we visited a cave down in the mountains of West Virginia. The guide took us back to a certain point in the cave that was marked "TD." He then said, "Do you know what this means? It means total darkness." Then he turned out the lights so that we would get the point. He went on to explain that within a short time we would go completely blind living in this kind of darkness.

In the beginning, this world was in total darkness and void of life. The first act of creation was "light." Our Creator spoke light to this darkened planet so that life could exist here. When I say, Our Creator, I am referring to the Godhead. The Father and the Son worked together in this creation. Christ was the Co-Creator of this universe, and this is clearly stated in John 1:3: "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Not only did our Co-Creator speak light to this natural world, but he also put within man a certain light. It is called the light of conscience; chapter one explains this concerning Christ: "Who was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." Christ put within every man the inner witness (light) to know the difference between right and wrong.

When Christ came into the world, John the Baptist declared Christ to be the true light. (John the Baptist’s ministry was to bear witness to the One who was the true light.) The ministry of Christ was to bring the light of salvation to Israel, and yet because Israel rejected the light, that light was given to the gentiles (Isa 49:6). It is a terrible thing to have the light and then reject that light. That was what Israel did, they rejected the light. Jesus tells us why some receive the light, and others reject it: "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God" (John 3:19-21).

Those who are of the truth, come to the light of the world (Christ). They are willing to be exposed and cleansed by the light. They are willing to continue to walk in that light because they recognize that it is the light of life. It is the light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Yet, it is possible to possess that light and later let it go out. Unless we continue to walk in the light (through obedience), that light can go out. Listen to the warning: "If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" (Matt 6:23). Jesus fulfilled the role of the candlestick – the Anointed One who gives us the light of His Spirit whereby we may walk. Another key to the abundant life – walk in the light!

John 10:7-9: "I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." In the following passages, Christ again links the third "I Am" with the word life: "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). All the others who claim to be the Christ, or the Messiah, or the Deliverer are imposters. I think of the pilgrim (Pilgrims Progress), travelling toward the Celestial City, when suddenly two men jumped over the wall. They told the pilgrim that they too were on their way to the Celestial City. Pilgrim was very disturbed about there entrance, and he told them that they could only be admitted at the gate. They assured him that it was ok because people had used that entry for centuries. Herein, is quite a revelation of the evil one, he creates a false door and a false hope, because he is a sheep thief.

There is only one door, which will allow (doomed) man back into the paradise of God. There is only one door to the true "abundant life." Only one door into the ark (Gen 6:16). There is only one door into the tabernacle, there is only one door into the sheepfold, and they are all figurative of the "One Door" which is Christ. All the other claims are phony. There is no salvation in any other. There is no other name under heaven whereby we might be saved. Buddha cannot save, Mohammed cannot save, nor can Confucius, nor any other. One thing that I have particularly noticed about the older generation is that so many of them have the notion that; "We are all coming to God in our own way." My own grandmother said this to me on several occasions. I emphatically said, "No! There is no other way into the kingdom except through Christ."

There is also the thought of the antichrist, which precedes the coming of Christ. The Lord Himself said that many would come in the last days, proclaiming to be the Christ. In fact, it appears that many of Israel will accept him as their Messiah. The key to eternal life, and the abundant life can only be found by coming through the Door (the Person of Christ). He is our righteousness, peace, and joy. He is the supplier of everything that we need.

John 10:11 and 14: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep… I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." The fourth "I Am" conveys the same thought as the others – life. The Good Shepherd gives His life to save the sheep! The theme of the Good Shepherd blends in with the last theme; Christ is not only the Door of the sheepfold, but He is also the Shepherd of the sheep. In this revelation of Himself to Israel, Christ is again pointing to His Divinity. Indeed, one of the names of Jehovah is "Jehovah Raah" – Lord Shepherd; or, as David proclaimed: "The Lord is my Shepherd."

As we examine the Shepherd Psalm (Psalm 23), we shall find that all of the seven names of the Lord are revealed here (in substance). For example, He is the provider – "I shall not want" (Jehovah Jireh). He is our healer – "He restoreth my soul" (Jehovah Rapha). In truth, the shepherd role of our Master incorporates all of the other aspects of our heavenly Father: He provides for us; He leads us into the way of peace and righteousness; He heals us, and He protects us. He gives His very life for us!

When Jesus proclaimed Himself the "Good Shepherd," He was also fulfilling a promise given in the book of Ezekiel. Notice the emphasis on "I": "For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep…" (Ezk 34:11-12). This was not just a man proclaiming to be the Good Shepherd; it was the Lord Himself! When the Lord said, "I Am the Good Shepherd," He was saying that He was good at being a shepherd. Our Lord became a man so that He could relate to the needs of man. The desire of our Shepherd is that we know Him as such: "I am known of mine." The key to abundant life is to "know" our Shepherd! (May we who are ministers imitate our Chief Shepherd!)

John 11:25: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." Jesus not only proclaimed to be the resurrection and the life, but also (in the narrative) demonstrated His resurrection power in the raising of Lazarus. The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead was (again), to prove His Divinity. Who but God can raise the dead? Who but God can say, "I have power to lay down My life, and power to take it again?" In Him was life; He was the Co-Creator of all life!

There have been many over the centuries that have proclaimed to be Gods, but they are all dead! One of the (pseudo) great magicians of the last century, (the Great Houdini) proclaimed that he would return from the dead on a certain date. Many believed that he would, but it did not happen. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead; (in order to dissolve all doubt) He purposely waited until the fourth day so that the body would be decomposing. Moreover, when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He was careful to say: "Lazarus come forth." Had Jesus simply said, "Come forth," many graves would have given up their dead! Jesus said this concerning the resurrection: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29). Jesus was referring to His own voice.

However, there is another truth that we do not want to miss here: Being that man is dead in sin and trespass, man must hear the voice of the One who said, "I Am the Resurrection and the life." Consider John 5:24-25: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." Jesus is talking about a "present tense" experience. When we believe upon the One that the Father sent from heaven, and hear His voice, we then have the spirit of life residing in us and we shall have eternal life!

John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Although this saying may appear to be similar to the third "I Am," it is different because it is a truth for those who have already come through the "Door" of Salvation. When the pilgrim (Pilgrims Progress), came through the gate of salvation, he was in a quandary as to which way to go. Here is where the study of the tabernacle is helpful. The tabernacle is a pattern of heavenly (spiritual) truths. In the first section (the outer court), we are shown the first principles – the primary doctrines that show us the "way" in which we must walk (Heb 6:1-3). We must be founded upon these principles before we can proceed.

Once we have been grounded upon the fundamental of the faith, we can then proceed to the next section of the tabernacle, which is the "holy place." The holy place is the section that contains the shewbread. This is where the truths of the Gospel become reality – the Word become flesh, we become the bread as we have experienced the truths of God’s Word. We become an expression of truth, as we the Word worked out in our lives. As King David said, "Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom" (Psa 51:6). The Lord said "I Am the Truth," and the Lord wants us to proceed from the theory of the outer court into the reality of becoming bread – truth.

As we progress on to the Holy of Holies, we find that this is where the power of the endless life exists. The Ark of the Covenant (in the Holy of Holies) contained the "rod that budded." The budding rod speaks of the resurrection life. Christ showed us the way into the Holiest Place through His crucifixion. The apostle Paul also demonstrated this "Life;" this resurrection life, through the identity of His death. (See Galatian 2:20.) The key to manifesting the true power/the true life is by identifying with the death of Christ. Paul said, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live…" I believe that the last-day church shall manifest the resurrection life. They shall raise the dead. The life of Christ shows us the way to the abundant life!

John 15:1: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." The theme remains the same in this final "I Am." There is no life outside the Vine – which is Christ. Notice, that Jesus said "True Vine." Whenever, there is the preface "true" it is because there is always the counterfeit. For example, there is the vine of the earth. The vine of the earth yields fruit also. As it says in Deuteronomy 32:32: "…Their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter." The book of Revelation also gives us a picture of this earthy vine: "Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God" (Rev 14:19-20).

The True Vine of Christ will produce the Holy Spirit fruit of love, joy, and peace. The counterfeit vine produces the kind of fruit that Cain tried to offer up – unacceptable (Gen 4:3-5). At one point in Israel’s history, the prophet Hosea likened God’s people to an "empty vine," that is, a vine that only brought forth fruit unto themselves. Solomon’s life turned out to be an empty vine. He forsook the True Vine, and tried to find satisfaction in the things of this life (counterfeit vine).

Jesus continues His discourse: "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit" (John 15:2). This verse is not directed to those outside the kingdom… "Every branch in Me…." When we become Christians, we become a part of the Vine; and the purpose for this illustration is to let us know that we are expected to produce some fruit. In fact, Jesus later said this: "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16). Christ chose us that He might develop in us the beautiful fruits of the Spirit; and that they should remain. (This can also allude to reproducing good fruit in the lives of others.) After a time and season, there should be some evidence in our lives that we belong to Christ. A baby deer resembles its species; a baby lamb resembles its species; and a baby Christian must eventually resemble Christ.

The Husbandmen works with the branches. If they show signs of fruitfulness, they are pruned. If they still show signs of fruitfulness, they are pruned even more. It is clear from this whole discourse that there are levels of fruitfulness. God wants to cut the dead works from off our branch – these are the areas in our lives that only weaken us as Christians. The awesome warning in this final lesson is that if the branch still continues to be unfruitful, and still continues to manifest the old life, it is eventually cut off and cast into the fire! We can abide in the Vine by keeping His commandments: "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love" (John 15:10). These sayings are all keys to the abundant life!

The seven revelations of the "I Am" are all intended to reveal Christ as the Son of God. They are also to inspire man to believe in Christ, the Son of God. As the Lord Himself said: "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I Am, ye shall die in your sins. These seven revelations of Christ give us the key to the "abundant life." Without bread, man dies! Without light, there is no life! Without the gate (Door) of salvation, there is no salvation. Without the Shepherd, the sheep will die! Without the Life-giving Spirit, there is no Life! Without the One to show us the Way, we soon stumble and fall! Unless we abide in the life-giving Vine, we shall soon die! Let us choose Life! Amen!