4. The Savior of Life

📖 Bible Discovery

💡 Focus Passage

🌱 Main Teachings

1. Jesus’ Identity

   We can dig deeper into Jesus’ identity by studying His self-proclamations throughout the book of John (”I am…”) and examining how the Bible describes Him. These all reveal His identity as the only Savior and Giver of eternal life.

   *Additional notes for each of the 7 “I am” statements can be found in Further Study (L4). If under time constraints, facilitators can select a few to focus on. Alternatively, main teachings from this lesson can be covered across multiple class sessions.

   A. Jesus’ “I Am” Declarations - salvation and life are found in Him and through Him alone.

   • “I am the bread of life” (Jn 6:35, 48-58).
     • Jesus declared that He is the bread of life which has come from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will not hunger, but will live forever.
       • Not only can Jesus provide for our physical needs (Mt 6:31-32), but He can give our hearts true and lasting satisfaction (Jn 6:35; Ps 107:9).
       • We receive this satisfaction by coming to Jesus and believing in Him, for whoever believes in Him will have eternal life (Jn 6:40, 47).
   • “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12).
     • Jesus declared that He is the light of the world. Those who follow Him will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.
       • Those who come to Jesus will find life and light (Jn 1:4; 3:21).
         • Those who believe in Jesus will not live in darkness (Jn 12:46).
         • By having Jesus, we will have light. Light will give us guidance and a clear direction. Our spiritual eyes will be opened to see the path of salvation.
   • “I am the door” (Jn 10:7, 9-10).
     • Jesus declared that He is the door. Those who enter through Him will be saved. In Him, we can find security, safety, and abundant life (v. 9-10).
     • Jesus is the only way to eternal life. By believing in Him and obeying Him, we can enter through Him and receive life.
   • “I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11-15, 27-28).
     • Jesus willingly laid down His life for the sheep. He personally tends to and protects His sheep. He knows each of His own (v. 14-15, 27).
       • God’s people are His sheep. He will care for them and lead them to rest (Ps 23:1-4; Ezek 34:11-16).
       • When His sheep go astray, He will search for them, seek them out, and bring them back (Lk 15:4-5).
       • As His sheep, we are to listen to His voice and follow Him (v. 27).
   • “I am the resurrection and the life” (Jn 11:25-26).
     • Jesus has power over life and death (Rev 1:17-18).
     • Whoever believes in Jesus has life. Therefore, those who believe in Him will never die, meaning they will never experience the second death (spiritual death), even if they die physically.
       • On the last day, the dead will be raised (Jn 5:29). Jesus will raise believers to everlasting spiritual life (Jn 6:40; Rom 6:8; 1 Thess 4:16-17).
   • “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (Jn 14:6).
     • Jesus is the only way to the Father (1 Tim 2:5). Only through believing in Him is there salvation (Jn 3:14-17; 6:40; Acts 4:12).
       • He is the truth and bears witness to the truth (Jn 1:14, 17; 18:37).
         • His words are truth and life (Jn 6:63; 17:17).
   • “I am the true vine” (Jn 15:1, 5).
     • Jesus is the vine, we are the branches.
       • Just as how branches cannot sustain life or produce fruit without being connected to the vine, we also cannot do anything without Jesus (Jn 15:4).
       • Therefore, we must remain in Him by keeping His commandments (Jn 15:9-10; 1 Jn 3:24) and walking as He did (1 Jn 2:6).

   B. What the Bible says about Jesus - His role in salvation and His relationship to us

   • Jesus is the Son of God (Jn 20:31).
     • He is called “Son of God” because of His divine origin (Lk 1:34-35).
     • To fulfill salvation, Jesus came to the world as God in the flesh (Jn 1:14; 3:16).
       • Through His death, we are saved (Rom 5:10; 8:3).
   • Jesus is the only Savior (Lk 2:11; Acts 5:31; 1 Tim 4:10; 1 Jn 4:14).
     • We can set our hope in Him, for He is the Savior of all mankind.
   • Jesus is our Mediator (1 Tim 2:5) and Advocate (1 Jn 2:1).
     • Jesus stands as our Mediator, bridging the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God. Through His death, He has reconciled the two and made peace between us and God (Eph 2:13-18; Col 1:19-22).
     • He intercedes for us (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25).
   • Jesus is our High Priest (Heb 2:17).
     • Jesus is God in the flesh, to be ‘God with us’ (Mt 1:23). By living as a human being, He experienced the same weaknesses and difficulties we do, so He is able to empathize with us (Heb 2:14-18).
     • Since He has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet was without sin, He is able to help us in our times of need (Heb 4:14-16).
2. Jesus’ Mission

   Jesus’ identity is closely tied to the mission He was tasked with. He was sent to the world to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.

   • Jesus’ mission was multifaceted, but everything was ultimately done to accomplish the will of the Father who sent Him (Jn 4:34; 6:38). What was God’s will?
     • To save people from their sins (Mt 1:21; 1 Tim 1:15)
       • By calling sinners to repentance (Mk 2:17)
       • By taking away sin (Jn 1:29; Heb 9:26; 1 Jn 2:2; 3:5)
     • To give Himself as a ransom (Mt 20:28; Gal 1:4; 1 Tim 2:6)
       • By humbling Himself as a servant, laying down His life, and emptying Himself (Jn 10:18; Phil 2:7-8)
       • To secure redemption (Gal 4:5; Tit 2:14; Heb 9:12)
   • Only because Jesus fulfilled His mission do we have the gift of salvation, through which we can have life (Jn 3:16; 20:31; 2 Tim 1:10) and be called children of God (Jn 1:12).

👣 Practical Actions

• Study the life of Jesus.
  • Since God is revealed to us through Jesus, the more we learn about Jesus, the more we will understand God’s heart, will, and character.
  • Jesus reflects the divine nature of God. As we study His life, we can learn from His examples in speech, conduct, faith, etc.
    • What kind of qualities does Jesus have? Do we also reflect these qualities? If not, in what ways can we cultivate and pursue them more in our daily life?
    • The more we strive to imitate Christ, the more mature we will grow. In this way, we can become a closer reflection of His perfect image.
  • Practically, we can begin with studying the life of Jesus through the four Gospel books. Take notes on what you observe about Jesus’ actions, attitude, speech, values, etc.
• Feed on the Bread of Life.
  • What does it look like to “eat” of Jesus, the bread of life in our daily lives?
    • Come to Jesus and believe He is our Savior (Jn 3:16).
      • Be firmly convicted that our eternal life depends on Him.
      • Receive and accept Him as Savior and Lord over our lives (Col 2:6).
        • Ex: Make decisions based on godly principles and take action in accordance with what would be pleasing to God.
        • Ex: Be willing to share our faith with others and acknowledge our identity as Christians in front of others.
    • Partake of Jesus’ words as our daily bread.
      • Do we hunger after Jesus’ words? Instead of filling ourselves with the things of the world which can never satisfy, we ought to pursue the spiritual bread that will strengthen and fill us.
    • Obey His commandments and walk in His way (Jn 3:36).
      • Ex: Choose to stand firm in keeping the Sabbath by not applying to jobs that require working hours on Sabbath.
      • Ex: Pursue holiness contrary to worldly trends and the behavior of peers or friends.

💭 Food For Thought

• Pick one of Jesus’ “I am” statements. In what ways does this statement relate to your everyday life? What specific actions do you need to take in order to experience this aspect of Jesus’ identity?
• What does Jesus’ mission teach us about His character? How might you reflect similar qualities in your life?

🎯 Challenge Yourself

• Select one of Jesus’ “I am” statements to focus on for the week. For the statement you have selected, write down:
  • What it means to you or for your life
    • What does Jesus promise me through this statement?
    • Example: “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.” —> Jesus is promising that if we come to Him and believe in Him, we will not be hungry or thirsty, but find spiritual satisfaction.
  • What the call to action is for you to experience Jesus’ promise
    • What action or condition does Jesus give as a clue to how I can experience Him as the bread of life, light of this world, good shepherd, etc.?
    • e.g., Jesus is the bread of life for those who come to Him and believe in Him.
  • What the call to action looks like in your daily life
    • What steps can I take each day?
    • Example: In order to come to Jesus, I will set aside 15-20 minutes in the morning and evening to come before Him in prayer.