The Names of God (part 4)

I AM the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved (John 10:9).

Today we conclude our look at the Biblical names that God has chosen for Himself.

In John chapter 10 Jesus said, I AM the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. As I said earlier, we are like sheep who need careful tending and constant protection. Jesus is devoted to our welfare—so devoted that He gave up His life to save us from the enemy. The enemy is sin, the ugly defect we all share which leads to evil thoughts, hurtful words, and foolish behavior. Jesus went to the cross to end sin’s cursed hold on us, and He died in our defense.

In John chapter 11 Jesus told Martha, I AM the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Jesus is the Lord of Life. Death cannot withstand His power. Jesus restored a young boy, a little girl, and a grown man back to life. He Himself rose from the grave, assuring us that death does not have the final say over our lives.

In John chapter 14 Jesus said, I AM the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. The world is a confusing place, full of different opinions. How can you know what’s true and what’s not? Truth cannot be found in human wisdom, because all human thinking is flawed by sin. The only way to know the truth is to seek it from God, the Maker of all that is. Only Jesus’ words can be fully trusted; only the Son of God can reveal to you the path that leads to heaven.

In John chapter 15 Jesus told the disciples, 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. Each of us likes to believe that we are something special. Each of us takes pride in our accomplishments. But every now and then, things go wrong and we realize that we aren’t as smart or as talented as we thought. Because of sin, everything we do is substandard. Thankfully, Jesus helps us to do things that we cannot do on our own.

Our Lord is the great I AM. He has done marvelous things. And He has done them for you.