I AM: The Son Reveals the Father
Welcome to this study of the ‘I AM’ statements from the Gospel of John!
The push for this study came from Psalm 9:10, ‘Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.’ Study of the names that Jesus gave for himself surely must increase our trust in him and lead us to knowing him more deeply. The depth of our knowledge of Jesus should not rest merely at knowing of him but should develop the relationship that we have with him. As John 17: 3 says, ‘Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent,’ in knowing Father and Jesus, we will find eternal life. This eternal life, according to the Hebrew word, is the unique quality of God’s life at work in us, as a present possession (1).
The purpose of this study is to better understand and therefore know the Father by knowing the Son, as he identified himself. As Hebrews 1:3 tells us that Jesus is ‘the exact representation of his {the Father’s} being’, we have the opportunity to view the Father through the lens of the Son in these identifying phrases. The study looks at Jesus’s ‘I AM’ passages from John and passages in the Old Testament which echo the heart of the message of Jesus and reveal the way in which the Old Testament has reflected the name. Each study session ends with questions to consider for personal application.
This study is designed for individual or small group study, with 8 sessions. It is designed to encourage thought and discussion of the scripture with no specific answer sought, but rather encourage individuals and groups seeking God. For ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,’ as Jeremiah 29:13 says.
There will generally be two weekly postings of the study sessions and an accompanying article or free material as related to those sessions. Your questions and comments are welcome as we go through the study!
Before beginning the study in earnest, take a few moments to consider these introductory questions.
Introduction
How would you finish the statement: I am …
Who is Jesus to you? He is …
1 https://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm, 23 February 2021.
