Exodus 3:14 ‘And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent Me to you.’”

No one could have had a better insight as to who Jesus is than John the Apostle. John was one of three very close disciples. The other two were Peter and James. All three of them were present at His *transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36). In his gospel, John testified: ‘we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14).’

When Jesus died, John was there at the foot of the cross (John 19:26), and later, after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to John and six other disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-14).

At the suggestion of Peter, the disciples had gone fishing, but they caught nothing. In the morning light they saw Jesus standing on the shore nearby. At first, they did not recognise Him. He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, whereupon they caught so many fish they were unable to draw them in. Immediately, John, ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20),’ knew it was Jesus, and he told Peter. Peter couldn’t wait to get to Him; so he jumped into the sea and waded ashore (v 7).

The point I wish to make is that John had a very close relationship with Jesus. He knew Him well. For him there wasn’t a shadow of doubt that Jesus was who He claimed to be – the Son of God, the Son of the great ‘I AM’. Being the second Person of the Godhead, He was Immanuel – “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

Knowing this, John was compelled to write his gospel for the world to know that Jesus, God [Theos] Himself (John 1:1) had come. He was both the Messiah and Saviour (John 4:42; 1 John 4:14). John was a witness to what he had seen, touched (1 John 1:1) and heard – namely the Lord Jesus. He wanted people to believe his testimony (John 20:31) so that they may have life in Jesus (v 31). John vouched his testimony was true (John 21:24).

In addition to recording seven **miracles [signs] that Jesus did, John also tells of seven ‘I AM’ proclamations He made about Himself and His relationship with His ‘sheep’.

Jesus’ Seven ‘I AM’ Proclamations

1) 6:35 ‘“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”’

2) 8:12 ‘Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”’

3) 10:9 ‘“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and I will go in and out and find pasture.”’

4) 10:11 ‘“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for his sheep.”’

5) 11:25, 26 ‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”’

6) 14:6 ‘Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”’

7) John 15:5 ‘“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.’’

What is your response?

‘Now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).’

* The Transfiguration

https://thebiblicalway.blog/2018/01/23/the-transfiguration/

** Seven Miracles/Signs performed by Jesus

2:1-11 Changing water into wine at Cana.

4:46-54 Healing the official’s son at Capernaum.

5:1-15 Healing the paralytic at Bethesda.

6:5-14 Feeding the 5,000.

6:16-24 Jesus walking on water.

9:1-7 Healing the blind man.

11:1-45 Raising Lazarus from death.