Jesus' 'I AM' Claims Show Us Who He Is
Month 8: The Heart of Jesus · Why We Believe
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 8:58, John 6:35 & John 10:11
58 “Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” — John 8:58
35 Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. — John 6:35
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. — John 10:11
Memory Verse
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.””— Luke 19:10 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Jeremiah 15-18
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (The God who told Moses "I AM" is the same Jesus who speaks those words in John.)The Heart of It
Once, when His enemies challenged Him, Jesus said something that made them pick up stones to kill Him: "Before Abraham was, I AM" (). That sounds like odd grammar until you remember . There God told Moses His name was "I AM WHO I AM." Jesus was taking the holy name of God for Himself, and everyone listening knew it. He wasn't claiming to be a good teacher or a kind prophet. He was claiming to be God in the flesh. That's why the Gospel of John records seven great "I AM" sayings of Jesus: "I am the bread of life" (6:35), "the light of the world" (8:12), "the door" (10:9), "the good shepherd" (10:11), "the resurrection and the life" (11:25), "the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6), and "the true vine" (15:1).
These claims matter because they leave us no comfortable middle ground. Think about a man who says "I AM." He says He existed before Abraham. He says He is the only way to the Father. He is either telling the truth, or He is badly mistaken, or He is lying. He cannot be merely "a nice teacher," because nice teachers don't say things like this. The evidence of His perfect life, His miracles, and His resurrection points to the only sane conclusion. He told the truth. The very God who made you stepped into history to seek and save you. That changes everything.
Around the Table
Jesus said, "I AM the bread, I AM the shepherd, I AM the light!" That means Jesus is God, and He gives us everything we need.
Let's do it: Hold up fingers and count three "I AM" sayings: bread (1), shepherd (2), light (3)!
When Jesus said "I AM," people knew He was using God's own name from the Bible. Why would that make some people angry and others worship Him?
Let's talk: Which "I AM" saying is your favorite, and why?
When Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," He was claiming to be the God who spoke to Moses. That's exactly why the crowd tried to stone Him.
Let's go deeper: C. S. Lewis said Jesus must be a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord. He could not be merely a good teacher. Walk through why those are really the only three options.
💬 Conversation Starter
If you had to finish the sentence "I am ___" with one true thing about yourself, what would you say?— Jesus finished it with the name of God.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says, "Jesus never claimed to be God — that came later" you can answer kindly and confidently. He claimed it Himself, in His own words. "Before Abraham was, I AM" () takes God's personal name from . His listeners understood it so clearly that they immediately tried to stone Him for blasphemy (). The seven "I AM" sayings of John all flow from that same claim. Think of bread, light, shepherd, way, and more. So the real question isn't whether Jesus claimed to be God. It's what we'll do with the claim. As reminds us, we give that answer with gentleness and respect. We aren't trying to win an argument. We are pointing to a Person.
For Dad · Go Deeper
The "I AM" sayings are John's way of opening a window onto Jesus' identity, and they reward slow study. Each one is both a claim to deity and a tender promise. He is not only the great I AM of Sinai. He is also the bread your hungry soul eats, and the shepherd who lays down His life for you. Hold those two together and you guard your home from two errors at once. One is a Jesus so divine He feels distant. The other is a Jesus so friendly He's no longer God. Dad, your kids are forming their answer to Jesus' biggest question, "Who do you say that I am?" (). And they form it largely by watching you. Don't outsource it. Let them hear you confess, with reverence and warmth, that the I AM is your Lord.
Draws on: D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John; C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.
Let's Pray Together
"Lord Jesus, You are the great I AM. You are the bread, the shepherd, the light, and the way. Thank You that the God who made everything came to save us. Help our family know who You really are. And help us trust You with our whole hearts. In Jesus' name, amen."
Jesus is not just a good teacher. He is the great I AM, my God and my Savior.