JOHN 8:58

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

The seven “I am” statements of Jesus, recorded in the Gospel of John, are: “I am the bread of life”, “I am the light of the world”, “I am the door of the sheep”, “I am the good shepherd”, “I am the resurrection and the life”, “I am the way, the truth, and the life”, and “I am the true vine”. These statements, unique to John’s Gospel, emphasize Jesus’s divine identity and purpose.

Here’s a more detailed explanation of the seventh I AM:

John 15:1

¹ “I am the true vine,

The phrase “I am the true vine” is from John 15:1 in the Bible, where Jesus is speaking to his disciples. He is using a metaphor, comparing Himself to a vine and believers to the branches. The saying emphasizes the importance of staying connected to Jesus for life and fruitfulness. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown: 

Importance of Abiding: The passage emphasizes the importance of abiding in Jesus, meaning living a life of close relationship and obedience to Him. 

The Metaphor: Jesus is comparing Himself to a vine, and believers are the branches attached to that vine. 

Staying Connected: The saying highlights that believers must remain connected to Jesus (the vine) to bear fruit. 

Fruitfulness: The metaphor implies that without Jesus, believers cannot produce good works or spiritual fruit. 

Being connected to the true vine will produce fruit in your life, and pruning will help you produce more fruit. But as Jesus stated, none of this can happen if you don’t remain connected to him. That’s why Jesus says He is the true vine.

“I am the True Vine” (John 15:1) is the last of seven “I am” declarations of Jesus recorded only in John’s Gospel. These “I am” proclamations point to His unique divine identity and purpose. It was only a short time before Judas would betray Him; in fact, Judas had already left to do his infamous deed (John 13:30). Jesus was preparing the eleven men left for His pending crucifixion, His resurrection, and His subsequent departure for heaven. He had just told them that He would be leaving them (John 14:2). Knowing how disturbed they would feel, He gave them this lovely metaphor of the True Vine as one of His encouragements.

Lord Jesus, you are the true vine, and we are the branches. We thank You for Your life in us and for the opportunity to bear fruit that glorifies Your name. Help us to remain in You, to draw strength from Your Spirit, and to grow in love, joy, peace, and patience. Forgive us for any times we have wandered away from You and for any fruit that has been unhelpful or harmful. May we be pruned and nurtured by Your grace, so that we may bear more and better fruit for Your kingdom. We ask this in Your holy name. Amen and Amen.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus!