Post-Easter Series: “The Jesus I Never Knew: Encountering Jesus in His Own Words”
March 30-May 18
Who was Jesus? History records countless attempts to answer the question. So, how did Jesus Himself answer the question? The Gospel of John offers us an intimate understanding of Jesus’ identity through His own words. Seven times, Jesus defines Himself with an “I AM” statement. In His own words, He offered us the best way of understanding who Jesus is and what He desires to share with us. Through Jesus’ words, we’ll gain a new understanding of who Jesus was and is – and how that knowledge can help us to experience Him and trust Him.
March 30: “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:1-11) Download
This is perhaps the most familiar of the “I Am” statements of Jesus and has usually been used to convey the idea that Jesus is the exclusive way to know God and experience God. In a “politically correct” world, such words are viewed as exclusive and intolerant. But we must remember that when Jesus first spoke these words, Christianity was a fledgling movement, not a major world religion. Perhaps we need to re-hear these words as if for the first time – and discover they have a far richer meaning than defining who is “in” and who is “out.”
April 6: “I Am the Good Shepherd” (Psalm 23, John 10:1-30) Download
Jesus taps into powerful images from Israel’s life about shepherds and sheep. In claiming the title of “Good Shepherd,” He also connected Himself with the images from Psalm23. The shepherd’s understanding of the deepest needs of the sheep prompts him to take the initiative to make good things happen. And the leadership of the shepherd will guide us along trusted pathways to a place of abundance, security and hope.
April 13: “I Am the Light of the World” (Psalm 27; John 8:1-12; 9:1-41)
What does Jesus mean by claiming to be the source of illumination for life? He reveals truth, exposes sin, provides enlightenment, offers guidance? His words echo Old Testament passages of God as light (Psalm 27), of God’s word as light (“your word is a lamp to my feet”). Jesus also gives light to His followers, who are in turn to reflect that light (“you are the light of the world” – Matt. 5).
April 20: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life” (Psalm 66:8-20; John 11:1-44) Download
Looking at Jesus’ encounter with Martha, Mary and Lazarus, the message explores Jesus’ promise of resurrection, His ultimate triumph over death, and His promise of eternal life.
April 27: “I Am the Bread of Life” (Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 34:8; John 6:47-69)
Jesus sustains us and feeds us with His life. The message looks at the choices we make that either nourish us or leave us malnourished.
May 4: “I Am the True Vine” (John 15:1-17)
The message explores Jesus’ promise of fruitfulness in life and how He (and the Father as the gardener) tend, prune and nurture us through the stages of growth. During worship, we recognize our graduating seniors.
May 11: “I Am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 1:1-8)
Jesus claims He is both the beginning of life and the end of life. Our lives have their beginning in Him, and He is the goal to which we are moving. To know Christ is to begin a relationship that leads us to be “conformed to the image of God’s Son” (Romans 8:29). We look at how His promise of being both the starting point and the ending point of life means that all of life is lived under His care. He is truly the Pioneer and Perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
May 18: “We Are the Body of Christ” (selections from 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12)
The Body of Christ is the dominant image for understanding the church. In light of how Jesus describes Himself in the “I Am” statements, how, then, should we live so that we embody these characteristics of Jesus?
