On any given day I hear someone say:
I am…
I am the champion.
I am an Olympic gold medalist.
I am the winner of American Idol.
I am the boss.
I am someone…
I am an Olympic gold medalist.
I am the winner of American Idol.
I am the boss.
I am someone…
I look to this phrase, I am, with expectation. I trust that
this is someone who knows. They have the authority and experience so I need to
take notice.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus mentions seven ‘I AM’
statements. He tells us,
I AM the Bread (6:35)
I AM the Light (8:12)
I AM the Door (10:9)
I AM the Shepherd (10:11)
I AM the Way, the Truth and the
Life (14:6)
I AM the Vine (15:5)
NOTE: The name, I AM, goes back to Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked God how the people would know who sent him. God replies, "tell them I Am that I Am, has sent you."
Jesus gets some attention with this calling card in John 8:58.
NOTE: The name, I AM, goes back to Exodus 3:14 when Moses asked God how the people would know who sent him. God replies, "tell them I Am that I Am, has sent you."
Jesus gets some attention with this calling card in John 8:58.
Here at The Stream’s Edge we will look at each of these
identities over the coming weeks. Each holds a truth to His identity. Every
name helps us to trust Him more. First,
He calls Himself the Bread of Life. He also tells anyone who is thirsty to come
for His living water.
Bread has long been the staple of our diet. During war time
food shortages, bread lines formed to provide the much needed nutrition—yet
there was never enough. Those who arrived too late were disappointed.
My grandmother experienced the food rationing earlier in the
last century. And, it seventy years later it wasn’t unusual for her to cut the
edges off the bread where one of the grandchildren nibbled to save what was
left. Habits of conserving food are not easily left behind just because the
grocery store shelves have plenty.
Lack of bread has caused people to do things they wouldn’t
normally do, stealing food to survive.
Jean Valjean went to prison for stealing bread in
Les Miserables.
Without bread children go to bed hungry.
Without enough, a mother gives to her children what little she
has while the gnawing in her belly grows louder.
All over the world, news graphically portrays the effects of
hunger because of the need for daily bread.
When Jesus calls Himself the bread of life, He’s telling us
He is the source of our sustenance. He is what we need to live and only He will
satisfy our inner hunger. He is also called The Word--and we are to live on every word that comes from God.
In John chapter six Jesus reminds the people of the manna
given to the Israelites in the wilderness. Fresh wafer-like bread covered the
ground every morning. The people were to gather just what they needed to eat for
that day. If they tried to gather more than they needed it would spoil. And, if
hoarded until the next day it was full of worms. The only exception, they were
told to gather a double portion on the eve of the Sabbath—and that extra
portion didn’t spoil. It fed them on their day of rest.
This powerful object lesson of God’s faithful provision
needed to be taught to former slaves who didn’t trust anyone. Their belief and
trust in God had been beaten out of them during their 400 years of captivity in
Egypt.
Like the Israelites, we also need to learn that He is the
provider of all our needs—our daily bread. Jesus says, “I AM the Bread of Life.
He who comes to me will never go hungry…” John 6:35
How has He provided your daily needs? I’d love to hear your
thoughts about Jesus, the Bread.
Jeanne
Images Courtesy of Morguefile.com
Join me next time when we’ll talk about the Source of Living
Water....Jesus.
Warren Wiersbe's book, Jesus in the Present is a wonderful resource for more about the I AM statements of Jesus:
