Jesus: The Life

Hey everyone.

This is the last of my entries on Jesus' "I Am" statements.  When Jesus says, in John 14, that He is "the way, the truth and the life," he is saying that he is three different things.  He is the way. He is the truth. He is the life.  I saved this last part "I am the life" for last because I see it as a constant theme throughout these statements.  Here is my evidence:

• John 6:35 - "I am the Bread of Life."  Jesus compares himself to the the bread from heaven (manna) that the Israelites ate in the wilderness and then died.  He, however, is a bread from heaven that upon eating, leads to eternal Life.  
• John 8:12 - "I am the Light of the world."  Jesus' light is connected to Life in John 1:4, where its says, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of all mankind."  His life gives our lives light. 
• John 10 - Jesus makes two of his "I Am" statements.  "I am the gate." "I am the good shepherd."  In the middle of this passage is John 10:10 where Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the the full."  Jesus is The Life and seeks to make our own lives great. In fact, as Jesus discusses the Good Shepherd, he talks about how he will lay down his own life for the sheep.  His life for ours. A very good deal for us.
• John 11:25 - "I am the resurrection."  Actually, He says, "I am the Resurrection and the Life."  This is Jesus talking to Martha about her brother Lazarus, whom Jesus is about to raise from the dead.  The connection between resurrection and life is somewhat obvious, resurrection meaning "to live again." 
• John 15:1 - "I am the vine."  When we are connected to the Vine, we have life.  Disconnected from the Vine, we die.  Also, as we are connected to the Vine, we are connected to each other.  It makes out lives better.

So Jesus is The Life.  He is the Life in many ways.  He shows us how to live our lives in a good healthy full way.  Following him leads to a good life here on Earth and then life in eternity with Him in Heaven.  He is what life is about.  To live a life devoted to something or someone else is foolishness, because outside of Him is hunger, darkness, danger, loneliness and death. He is The Life.  He is life-giving. In Him is the Bread of Life, the Light, the protection and safety of the Gate and Good Shepherd, connection to the other branches through the Vine, Resurrection and a full, full life. Stay connected to Jesus: The Life.

Tom