Who is Jesus? By: Craig A. Crawford December 25, 2006

Every December 25th, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but during his ministry on earth we find out that Jesus always was. Co-eternal with the Father, who is this Jesus who lowered himself and came to earth in human form? About 720 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Immanuel meaning: “God with us”

Jesus tells us who He is.

Jesus said in John 10:30, “I and the Father are One”

And in John 14:9 he said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus makes seven “I am” statements that John recorded in his eye witness account. John 8:58, Jesus says: “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” In the next verse John tells us that the people who heard Jesus say this picked up stones so they could stone him right then and there! The religious leaders quickly recognized that Jesus was claiming to be God, the great “I AM” of their Hebrew Scrolls, known to us today as the Old Testament. To them, to say such a thing was blasphemy, but Jesus slipped away before they could kill him. For this reason, Jesus rarely came right out and claimed to be God. The people wouldn’t have believed such a bold statement. He had to demonstrate to his early followers and teach them in terms the people of that day could understand.

Here are the seven “I am” statements recorded by John.

Jesus said:

“I am the Bread.”

“I am the Light”

“I am the Door”

“I am the Good Shepherd”

“I am the Resurrection”

“I am the Way”

“I am the True Vine”

What do these statements mean? What is Jesus telling us about who he is?

“I am the Bread.”

John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” Not talking about physical hunger, but spiritual hunger. In this case. Jesus is saying I am eternal life.

“I am the Light”

John 8:12 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.” Here Jesus, the creator of light, tells us that apart from him we wonder in darkness and have no eternal life.

“I am the Door”

John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.”

Several times Jesus refers to us (his followers) as sheep. Here Jesus claims to be the actual door of the sheepfold, claiming to be the only entrance into Heaven where the Father is.

“I am the Good Shepherd”

John 10:11 Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Many times Jesus reveals things about his sacrificial, substitutional death. Even his disciples didn’t understand at first. He came to us for one purpose, to lay down his life for yours and mine!

“I am the Resurrection”

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” When Jesus rose from the dead, he demonstrated his power over death not only for his life but for ours. One day, we too shall be resurrected. Read 1Thessalonians 4:16-18

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life”

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus tells us the only way to Heaven is through Him.

“I am the True Vine”

John 15:1-5 Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” In contrast to the description of Israel in Isaiah 5:1-7, Jesus tells us that he himself is the true vine, whose fruits last forever! True followers of Jesus will bear fruit. Several times the New Testament refers to the characteristics of Christians as fruit. See Galatians 5:22-26 for a full list. John 15:5 sums up for us again that apart from Jesus, we can do nothing.

The following scriptures sum up for us who Jesus is and what He is to us!

John 1:1-4 and 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. 14: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:16-17

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

I hope you will share this with someone you know. Merry Christmas

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