Introduction

Good morning, dear friends in Christ. It is a joy to gather with you once again in this place of worship, this sanctuary of solace, where we can find comfort, strength, and inspiration in the Word of God. Today, we are going to be focusing on some of the most powerful and profound statements made by our Lord Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. These are statements that carry immense weight, statements that reveal the very heart of who Jesus is, statements that offer us a glimpse into the divine nature of our Savior.

These are the 'I Am' sayings of Jesus found in the Gospel of John:

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'" - John 6:35

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" - John 8:12

"Therefore Jesus said again, 'Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.'" - John 10:7

"'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.'" - John 10:11

"'I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.'" - John 10:14

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.'" - John 11:25

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" - John 14:6

"'I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.'" - John 15:1

These are not just words. They are life-giving, soul-nourishing declarations from the Savior of the world. They are the essence of who Jesus is and what He offers to us: sustenance, light, access, protection, resurrection, truth, and fruitful life.

The preacher John Owen once said, "Christ is the meat, the bread, the food of our souls. Nothing is in him of a higher spiritual nourishment than his love, which we should always desire." How true this is, dear friends! In the 'I Am' sayings, we find the bread that our souls hunger for. We find the light that our hearts yearn for. We find the shepherd who knows us by name, the gate that leads us to eternal life, the vine that sustains us, and the resurrection and the life that gives us hope beyond the grave.

So, let us open our hearts today to receive the richness of these divine declarations. Let us allow the 'I Am' sayings of Jesus to strengthen our spirituality, to deepen our understanding of who He is, and to draw us closer to Him.

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Word. We thank You for the 'I Am' sayings of Jesus, which reveal to us His divine nature and His deep love for us. As we reflect on these powerful statements today, may our hearts be open to receive the truth they contain. May they nourish our souls, light our paths, and draw us closer to You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Satisfaction

The Gospel of John presents us with a profound declaration from Jesus, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." This statement is rich in meaning and implications for our spiritual lives. It speaks to our deep-seated human needs and desires, and it offers a solution that is both satisfying and eternal.

When Jesus says, "I am the bread of life," He is not speaking of physical bread or physical hunger. He is speaking of a deeper, spiritual hunger that exists within every human heart. This is a hunger for meaning, for purpose, for love, for acceptance, for peace, for joy, for fulfillment. It is a hunger that cannot be satisfied by the things of this world, no matter how much we may try to fill it with material possessions, worldly success, or human relationships.

Jesus is the only one who can satisfy this deep spiritual hunger. He is the bread of life, the source of spiritual nourishment and fulfillment. When we come to Him, when we believe in Him, we find the satisfaction that our souls have been longing for. We find a fulfillment that is not temporary or fleeting, but eternal.

But how do we come to Jesus? How do we believe in Him? This is where the second part of Jesus' statement comes in: "Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." To believe in Jesus is not merely to acknowledge His existence or to accept certain facts about Him. It is to trust in Him, to rely on Him, to depend on Him for our spiritual nourishment and fulfillment. It is to recognize our own spiritual poverty and to turn to Him as our only source of spiritual wealth.

This belief is active and ongoing. It involves a daily turning to Jesus, a daily feeding on Him, a daily drinking from Him. It involves a constant reliance on Him for our spiritual sustenance, just as we rely on physical food and drink for our physical sustenance.

But what does this look like in practical terms? How do we feed on Jesus? How do we drink from Him? This is where the third part of Jesus' statement comes in: "Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." To come to Jesus is to approach Him in prayer, to seek Him in His Word, to worship Him in spirit and in truth, to serve Him in love and obedience. It is to make Him the center of our lives, the focus of our attention, the object of our affection.

This coming to Jesus is a lifelong process. It involves a daily seeking of Him, a daily drawing near to Him, a daily abiding in Him. It involves a constant turning away from the things of this world and a constant turning towards Jesus.

But what is the result of this coming to Jesus, this believing in Him, this feeding on Him? This is where the fourth part of Jesus' statement comes in: "Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." The result is a satisfaction that is deep, lasting, and eternal. It is a satisfaction that transcends the ups and downs of life, the joys and sorrows, the successes and failures. It is a satisfaction that is not dependent on our circumstances, but on our relationship with Jesus.

This satisfaction is not a selfish thing. It is not about getting what we want or fulfilling our own desires. It is about finding our true purpose and fulfillment in Jesus, about living for His glory and not our own. It is about experiencing the joy and peace that come from knowing Him, loving Him, and serving Him.

So, dear friends, let us come to Jesus. Let us believe in Him. Let us feed on Him. Let us drink from Him. Let us find our satisfaction in Him. For He is the bread of life, and in Him alone can our deepest spiritual hunger be satisfied.

Sustenance

As we continue to reflect on the 'I Am' sayings of Jesus, we find ourselves drawn to the image of Jesus as the bread of life ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO