Lesson 61: - Summary of the Gospel of John
Many people tell us Jesus never claimed to be God. In these two studies covering this Gospel of John we find He DID claim to be God, the Son of God. Some tell us God could not have a Son – and He did not in the same way we have children. From the very first chapter of this book we find Jesus was eternally with God, He was part of God as God’s Word, and then at the right time God’s Word became flesh. One writer said, “God spelled Himself out in Jesus.”
God spelled out His nature in human form. What an incredible statement! Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God…” He is the picture, the explanation-so-we-can-understand who God wants to be in our lives.
From the moment God became personal to humanity after we had sinned, He gave us His name – Yahweh (Jehovah), or “I AM” (see Exodus 3). This name is a name of eternity, of the ever-present One. God never said “I will be” or “I was” – He only stated “I AM.”
When Jesus came to earth, to “spell out God” before the people, He expanded on this idea by giving us descriptions of His character:
I AM – the Bread of Life – John 6
I AM – the Light of the World – John 8 and 9
I AM – before Abraham was – John 8
I AM – the Door – John 10
I AM – the Good Shepherd – John 10
I AM – the Resurrection and the Life – John 11
I AM – the Way, the Truth, the Life – John 14
I AM – the true Vine – John 15
*Thought question: As you re-read each of these great verses telling who Jesus is, think also about Colossians 3:10 which says God wants to renew us and make us into the image of Jesus. How is God transforming you into this image of Jesus? How do you become life-giving bread for others? How do you become a light in our dark world (see Matthew 5:14)? We can never be the Bread, the Light, the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and so on – only Jesus is – but our lives can be signposts to point others to Him.
Many people tell us Jesus never claimed to be God. In these two studies covering this Gospel of John we find He DID claim to be God, the Son of God. Some tell us God could not have a Son – and He did not in the same way we have children. From the very first chapter of this book we find Jesus was eternally with God, He was part of God as God’s Word, and then at the right time God’s Word became flesh. One writer said, “God spelled Himself out in Jesus.”
God spelled out His nature in human form. What an incredible statement! Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God…” He is the picture, the explanation-so-we-can-understand who God wants to be in our lives.
From the moment God became personal to humanity after we had sinned, He gave us His name – Yahweh (Jehovah), or “I AM” (see Exodus 3). This name is a name of eternity, of the ever-present One. God never said “I will be” or “I was” – He only stated “I AM.”
When Jesus came to earth, to “spell out God” before the people, He expanded on this idea by giving us descriptions of His character:
I AM – the Bread of Life – John 6
I AM – the Light of the World – John 8 and 9
I AM – before Abraham was – John 8
I AM – the Door – John 10
I AM – the Good Shepherd – John 10
I AM – the Resurrection and the Life – John 11
I AM – the Way, the Truth, the Life – John 14
I AM – the true Vine – John 15
*Thought question: As you re-read each of these great verses telling who Jesus is, think also about Colossians 3:10 which says God wants to renew us and make us into the image of Jesus. How is God transforming you into this image of Jesus? How do you become life-giving bread for others? How do you become a light in our dark world (see Matthew 5:14)? We can never be the Bread, the Light, the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, and so on – only Jesus is – but our lives can be signposts to point others to Him.