This lesson is the third in the series on "Christians and the World" (Ref. 1, Ref. 2).  This lesson explains why the world hates Jesus and his disciples.  This lesson also explains the scriptural basis for joy when Jesus' disciples (that is, we who believe in him) encounter the world's hatred.

     Consider.  Have you experienced the world's hatred because you are Christ's disciple?  Do you see the world's opposition to yourself or to Christians in general as a cause for joy? 

     Definitions.  Let's revisit the definition of "the world" from the first lesson in this series, "Biblical Definition of the World" (Ref. 1).  The Greek word for "the world" in the New Testament is kosmos.  In the New Testament, and particularly in the Gospel of John, kosmos is used in five ways:

• The world which God created - John 1:10
• All the people of the world - John 3:16
• People who do not know Christ - John 1:10, John 14:16-17
• People who are hostile to Christ and to Christ's followers - John 7:7, John 15:18-19, John 17:14
• The affairs of the world which seduce us from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ - 1 John 2:15-16
  
  

The main scriptures for today's lesson, John 7:7 and John 15:18-19, refer to the fourth definition above for "the world."  In these verses in the Gospel of John, "the world" refers to "people who are hostile to Christ and to Christ's followers."  Pulpit Commentary provides a more formal sense of "the world" in John's gospel, "unregenerate humanity, humanity without grace, apart from God" (Ref. 3). 

Next, let's look at the definition of the Greek word for hate.  The Greek word for hate used in John 7:7 and John 15:18-19 is miseó (pronounced mis-eh'-o) (Ref. 4).  Miseó means "to detest (on a comparative basis); hence, denounce; hence, to love someone or something less than someone (something) else, i.e. to renounce one choice in favor of another" (HELPS Word-studies - Ref. 4).  Note that according to this definition, hate involves making a choice.  We see the same Greek word used for hate throughout the New Testament, for example, Matthew 5:43-44, Mark 13:13, Luke 16:13, John 3:19-20, Romans 7:15, 1 John 2:11, and Revelation 2:6.  

     Yes, the world hates Jesus.  When Jesus spoke to his brothers he said, "The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify [bear witness, give evidence] of it, that its deeds [works] are evil" (John 7:3-5, John 7:7, Ref. 5, Ref. 6, brackets added).  Examples of evil deeds that Jesus pointed out to his adversaries include unbelief (John 8:23-24) and hypocrisy (Matthew 23:13-15, 23).  Jesus also told his adversaries that their father was the devil (John 8:44).  That is why his opposers hated Jesus.  American theologian Albert Barnes wrote, "This was the main cause of the opposition which was made to him.  He proclaimed that men were depraved, and the result was that they hated him" (Ref. 7, Ref. 8).

When Jesus spoke to his brothers in John 7:5 they did not believe in him.  They were of the world.  The world does not hate its own.  However, there is good news.  Redemption is possible through Christ (John 3:16).  James, one of Jesus' brothers, later became a believer in Jesus and a pillar of the early church (Galatians 2:9, Acts 15:13).  (Jesus' brothers actually were his half-brothers since Mary was their mother - refer to Matthew 13:55.) 

     Yes, the world hates Jesus' disciples.  During the evening before his death, Jesus spoke many comforting words to his disciples (John chapters 14, 15, and 16).  Jesus was preparing them for his departure and for the hatred and persecution they would face.  Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you" (John 15:18-19). 

In John 15:19, Jesus gave two reasons why the world hates his disciples: 

• The world hates Jesus' disciples because they (and we who believe in and follow Christ) are not of the world.  Jesus' disciples had listened to and learned from Jesus.  Their lives had been changed by Jesus.  They were no longer deriving their life, maxims, and pleasures from the world (Ref. 9).  Their chief source of information was from God's Son and his word, not the world.  Their father was God the Father, not the devil (John 8:42-44).
• The world hates Jesus' disciples because Jesus chose them out of the world.  Note that Jesus called each of the twelve Apostles (Luke 6:12-13).  Jesus designated them to his work and service (Ref. 10).  When we believe in Jesus and are fully committed to him, we no longer belong to the world.  Jesus also appoints us to his work and service, and sends us into the world for the purpose of serving him (John 17:18, Mark 16:15-16, Matthew 28:19-20).
  
  

     Jesus gives his disciples (including we who believe in him and follow him) joy despite the world's hatred. 

• Jesus is with us always (Matthew 28:20)
• Jesus has given us his words that our joy may be full (John 15:11, John 17:13-14)
• Jesus has sent us the Holy Spirit (the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth) to be with us and guide us (John 14:16-17, John 16:13, Ref. 11).  Note, the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit (John 14:17).
• Jesus gives us his peace, peace that the world cannot give, so we will be courageous and not be afraid in the midst of the world's hatred and tribulation (John 14:27, John 16:33, Philippians 4:6-7)
  
  

     Apply.  Pray for yourself and those Christians in the world who are facing the world's hatred, opposition, and persecution.  Pray for yourself and those Christians to remain joyful and to have God's peace in the face of the world's hatred.  "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (Jesus, John 16:33).

References
1.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/biblical-definition-of-the-world
2.  Ref. 2 begins on the next line
http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/the-most-important-offer-you-will-ever-receive
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/7.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3404.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3140.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2041.htm
7.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/7.htm
8.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Barnes_(theologian)
9.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/15.htm
10.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/john/15.htm
11.  http://www.ScriptureWay/home/the-spirit-of-truth

This lesson is the second in the series on "Christians and the World."  This lesson focuses on God's offer of salvation and eternal life to the world through Christ.  

     Consider.  Have you heard of God's offer of salvation and eternal life through his Son Jesus Christ?  Have you accepted God's offer?  

     What is God's offer?  God offers the world salvation and eternal life through his Son Jesus.  John 3:16-17 tells us, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." 

     To whom does God make the offer?  God offers salvation and eternal life to all the people of the world.   There are no exclusions.  There is no "asterisk."  There is no asterisk that says you are excluded from God's offer because you are * (fill in the asterisk).  The Apostle Paul wrote that God "desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:3-4).  God's offer is available to you.

Even though God has made salvation and eternal life available to the world, not all people will be saved.  Some people hear God's offer and reject it.  Some people have not heard the gospel message; however, they reject what God has revealed to them already through the creation.  "That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse" (Romans 1:19-20).  God has promised that all who seek him will find him (Deuteronomy 4:29).   

     Why does God make the offer of salvation and eternal life?  Because God loves the world.  God loves all the inhabitants of the world including people who do not know and love Christ and people who are hostile to Christ (John 3:16, Ref. 2). 

God sent his Son Jesus because of God's divine love for the world.  Even though mankind has sinned against God, disobeyed God, and turned away from God, God still has loved us.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).  John, Jesus' disciple, wrote, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).  The word, propitiation, means atoning sacrifice (Ref. 3).

     Why is God's offer of salvation and eternal life necessary?  Because through Adam, sin has come into the world and infects all people.  Romans 5:12 tells us, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned."  Without the treatment of Christ, the infectious disease of sin is fatal.  That is why we need a Savior.

     What is the salvation that God offers?  John 3:17 tells us, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."  The Greek word for saved in John 3:17 is sózó.  Sózó means deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin – and into His provisions (safety) (Ref. 4).  Ref. 5 defines salvation as "The deliverance, by the grace of God, from eternal punishment for sin which is granted to those who accept by faith God’s conditions of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus."  

     What is the eternal life that God offers?  Eternal life is a free gift of God to those who believe in Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).  Eternal life begins when we put our faith in Jesus.  As believers in Christ, eternal life continues with God after our physical death (John 11:25-26).  Eternal life is the quality of life that results when we know Jesus Christ by experience, on a first-hand basis (John 17:3).  For further information about eternal life, refer to "What is Eternal Life?" (Ref. 6)    

     What is the role of Jesus Christ in God's offer?  God sent His Son Jesus to give his life sacrificially to pay the penalty for our sin.  "And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22).  By paying the penalty for our sin with his life blood, Jesus has redeemed those who believe in (trust in and have faith in) him.  The Apostle Peter wrote, "You were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:18-19).

     God's offer of salvation and eternal life is conditional.   Even though God unconditionally loves the world, there is one condition that God stipulates for mankind to accept his offer of salvation and eternal life - believing in (trusting in, having faith in) his Son Jesus.  Jesus said to Nicodemus, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16, John 3:1-2).

     Is there a penalty for rejecting God's offer?  Yes.  The Bible tells us, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17-18).  Jesus also stated, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life" (John 5:24).

     Why is God's offer the most important offer you will ever receive?  Unlike what the world offers, God's offer of salvation and eternal life results in eternal life-giving benefits when you accept God's offer by believing in Jesus.

     Apply.  God offers you salvation and eternal life through his Son Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).  Have you already accepted the most important offer that you will ever receive?  If yes, then praise God.  If not, will you accept God's offer by thanking Jesus for forgiving your sins and then fully trusting in him by faith today?

References
1.  Ref.1 begins on the next line  
https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/study-christ-and-nicodemus-rooftop-23686
2.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/biblical-definition-of-the-world
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2434.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm
5.  https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-doctrine-salvation.html
6.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/what-is-eternal-life
7.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicodemus

This lesson is the first in the series on "Christians and the World."  This lesson explains the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words for "the world" in the Old and New Testaments. 

     Consider.   What does the expression, "the world," mean to you?  Do you think of just the physical earth which God created?  Or, do you think about the people of the world?  Does the world described in the Bible include people who know Christ as well as those who do not know Christ?

     "The World" - Old Testament Definition.  In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word used most often for "the world" is tebel (pronounced as tay-bale').  "The world" (tebel) is the earth as moist and therefore inhabited (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Ref. 1).  So, the word for "the world" in the Old Testament refers to the earth and by implication to the inhabitants of the earth (Ref. 1).  The first mention of "the world" (tebel) in the Old Testament occurs in 1 Samuel 2:8.  Tebel occurs 36 times in the Old Testament (Ref. 1).

The Old Testament describes "the world" in these four main ways:

• God established the world by his wisdom  (Jeremiah 10:12, Jeremiah 51:15)
  
  
• God firmly established the world, and the world will not totter, or deviate from its course (1 Chronicles 16:30, Psalm 93:1,
  Psalm 96:10).  In these verses, the writer says the world will not be moved.  The Hebrew word for moved is mot which means totter, shake, slip (Ref. 2).
  
  
• The whole world belongs to God.  He made it, and he remains its sole Owner and Master (Psalm 24:1, Psalm 50:12, Psalm 89:11, Ref. 3, Ref. 4).  David wrote, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it" (Psalm 24:1).  God's claim on the earth includes not only its animals, vegetables, and minerals, but also its people.  "All belong to God, and He has a right to claim them for His service" (Ref. 3).
  

 

• God will judge the world with righteousness (Psalm 9:8, Psalm 96:13, Psalm 98:9).  The Hebrew word for judge in these verses is shaphat.  Shaphat means not only to pronounce sentence but also to govern (Ref. 5).  For those who are in Christ, the fact that Christ will come and judge, or govern, the world is cause for joy and praise to God.  We sing about Christ's coming to rule the world when we sing Isaac Watt's hymn, "Joy to the World."  Isaac Watts had Psalm 98:4-9 in mind when he wrote, "He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love" (Ref. 6).
  
  

     "The World" - New Testament Definition.  In the New Testament, the Greek word used most often for "the world" is kosmos.  Kosmos means an "ordered system" (like the universe, creation) (Ref. 7).  Kosmos also refers to the inhabitants of the world and to worldly affairs.  Kosmos occurs 186 times in the New Testament (Ref. 7).  "The world" (kosmos) occurs more often in the Gospel of John than in any other New Testament book (more than 70 occurrences in John).

The New Testament writers use "the world" (kosmos) in three main ways:

• The world which God created through Christ
  -- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him ..." (John 1:10)
  
  
• The inhabitants of the world -- "The world" (kosmos) includes:
  -- All the people of the world -- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16) 
  -- People who do not know Christ -- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10).  Also refer to John 14:16-17.
  -- People who are hostile to Christ and to Christ's followers -- "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you" (John 15:18).  Also refer to John 17:14.  I plan to address in future lessons the world's hostility to Christ and God's role for Christians in the world. 


• The affairs of the world which seduce us from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ
  -- "Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world" (1 John 2:15-16)
  -- "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:24)
  
  

The Hebrew and Greek words for "the world" in both the Old and New Testaments include not only the physical world which God created but also the people of the world.  Even though God loves all the people of the world, some people know and love Christ, and others do not know Christ.  Some people are hostile to Christ and to those who follow Christ.  I plan to discuss God's love for the world in the next lesson in this series.

     Apply.  John, Jesus' disciple, wrote about Jesus, "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10).  If you do not know Jesus Christ, put your faith and trust in him.  Ask him to forgive your sins, and he will cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  Ask Jesus to come into your life.  You and he will begin a new relationship and you will know him better each day.  If you already do know Jesus, ask him to show you what steps you can take to help other people know him as their Savior and Lord. 

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8398.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4131.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/psalms/24.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/24.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8199.htm
6.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World
7.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2889.htm

"O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard And hushed their raging at Thy word ..." -- William Whiting (1860, Ref. 1)

     Background.  "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" is a hymn traditionally associated with seafarers, particularly in the maritime armed services (Ref. 2).  The hymn became popular with the Royal Navy and the United States Navy in the late 19th century.  The hymn also has a long tradition in civilian maritime contexts as well, being regularly sung during services on ocean crossings (Ref. 2).

In America, "Eternal Father" is often called the Navy Hymn because it is sung at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  In 1879, Lieutenant Commander Charles Jackson Train was a navigation instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and the master of the Midshipman Choir.  Train began the practice of concluding worship services with the 1861 version of the hymn every Sunday.  The hymn eventually became a service-wide tradition, becoming known as the Navy Hymn (Ref. 2).

The U.S. Navy Band played “Eternal Father” in 1963 as U.S. President John Kennedy's body was carried up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to lie in state.  Kennedy was a PT (Patrol Torpedo) boat commander in World War II (Ref. 2, Ref. 3).

“Eternal Father” was played by the Navy Band and the Coast Guard Band during the funeral of U.S. former President Ronald Reagan.  The hymn was also played at the Memorial Ceremony in Norfolk, VA for the USS Cole (DDG-67) after the bombing of the ship in October 2000.  It was performed by the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters at the State Funeral of U.S. former President Gerald R. Ford, who had served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theater (Ref. 2).

The congregation and choir at Washington National Cathedral sang "Eternal Father" during the funerals for Senator John McCain on September 1, 2018 and for former U.S. President George H. W. Bush on December 5, 2018.  Both served as U.S. Navy pilots (Ref. 2). 

     Hymn Text Author.  William Whiting (1825-1878) was an Anglican churchman and resided on the English coast near the ocean (Ref. 2, Ref. 4).  At the age of thirty-five he felt his life spared by God when a violent storm in the Mediterranean nearly claimed the ship he was traveling on.  The storm instilled his belief in God’s command over the rage and calm of the sea (Ref. 2).

When Whiting was headmaster at Winchester College Chorister’s School some years later, the memory of his voyage allowed Whiting to provide comfort to one of the boys he taught (Ref. 5).  One day, a student confided that he was about to embark on a journey to America – "a voyage fraught with danger at that time" (Ref. 5).  "A sympathetic Whiting described his own frightening experience, and he and the other boys prayed for the terrified student.  And then Whiting told him, 'Before you depart, I will give you something to anchor your faith' " (Ref. 5). 

Whiting wrote a poem describing God’s power even over the mighty oceans (Ref. 2, Ref. 5).  That poem, written in 1860, became the original text for the hymn, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save."

     Hymn Tune Composer.  John Bacchus Dykes (1823-1876) was an English clergyman and a prolific hymn tune composer (Ref. 6).  Dykes composed the tune for "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" in 1861.  Dykes fittingly named the tune "Melita" after a location associated with a Biblical shipwreck.  Melita was the island where the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked (Acts 27:41-28:1).  Today we know it as the isle of Malta (Ref. 2).

Reverend Dykes published sermons and articles on religion but is best known for over 300 hymn tunes he composed (Ref. 7).  In addition to his tune, Melita ("Eternal Father, Strong to Save"), John Dykes’ composed well-known tunes including Nicaea ("Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!") and St. Agnes ("Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee," "Happy the Home When God is There").

     Scripture References.  Ref. 2 and Ref. 8 provide the original verses of "Eternal Father, Strong to Save," 1861 version.  You also can follow the verses by downloading the sheet music (link at top of this post, or by clicking here). 

• Verse 1 - "Eternal Father, strong to save, Whose arm hath bound the restless wave ..."  Verse 1 refers to God establishing boundaries for the waters so they do not flood the earth again (Psalm 104:1-9).
• Verse 2 - "O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard And hushed their raging at Thy word ..."  Verse 2 refers to Jesus' miracles of calmly stilling the storm with his voice and walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee (Psalm 65:5-7, Mark 4:35-41, Matthew 14:22-34).
• Verse 3 - "Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood Upon the chaos dark and rude ..."  Verse 3 refers to the Spirit of God moving over the surface of the waters in Genesis 1:2.
• Verse 4 - "O Trinity of love and power!  Our brethren shield in danger's hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, Protect them wheresoe'er they go ..."  Verse 4 refers to Psalm 107:23-32.  This passage describes the stormy wind which lifts up the waves of the sea (Psalm 107:25).  Psalm 107:28 tells us that men cry to the Lord in the midst of their trouble and the Lord brings them out of their distresses.  The hymnwriter prays in verses 1, 2, and 3 "Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee, For those in peril on the sea."  Only God can cause the storm to be still (Psalm 107:29).  Consider then who Jesus is when he calms the sea (Mark 4:39-41).  Consider then how Jesus alone brings us out of our distresses.

 

     Listen - "Eternal Father, Strong to Save."  
U.S. Naval Academy Men's Glee Club - U.S.S. Arizona Memorial - 19March2007
Dramatic Storm Video - Marine Nationale de France with Praque Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus - 11June2013
Military Wives - Eternal Father, Strong to Save - 10March2013

     Apply.  Pray for those who are serving in harm's way and need God's protection.  Pray for yourself and others who are going through a storm and ask Jesus to bring calm and peace out of distress and trouble.

References
1.  https://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=172
2.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Father,_Strong_to_Save
3.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT_boat
4.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Whiting_(poet)
5.  Ref. 5 begins on the next line
https://theamericanrenewalproject.org/2015/11/the-navy-hymn-eternal-father-strong-to-save/
6.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bacchus_Dykes
7.  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/bio/d/y/k/dykes_jb.htm
8.  http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/e/t/e/eternalf.htm

This lesson is the seventh and final in the series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  Today's lesson discusses Jesus' statements, "I am the Alpha and the Omega" and "I am the first and the last." 

     Consider.  Jesus said, "Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last, and the living One" (Revelation 1:17-18).  Consider these comforting words.

     Revelation defined.  The writer begins, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John ..." (Revelation 1:1).  The Greek word for revelation is apokalupsis.  Apokalupsis means uncovering or unveiling of truth and divine things previously unknown (Ref. 1).  The One who is providing the revelation of things to come is Jesus Christ.  The Apostle John is the writer, Jesus Christ the author, of the book (Ref. 2).

     "I am the Alpha and the Omega."  Revelation 1:8 begins with the words, "I am."  The words "I am" refer to the name of God.  When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Moses asked God his name.  God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:13-14).   Then God said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you' " (Exodus 3:14).  Jesus used the same language in John 8:58, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."  Jesus, the speaker of "I am the Alpha and the Omega" in Revelation 1:8, is the same God who appeared visibly to Moses in the burning bush and said "I AM WHO I AM."  Jesus used the same "I am" language when he spoke "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12) and his other "I AM" statements we have studied in this series.  For more information about who Jesus is, click on "Who is Jesus?" - Ref. 3.  To see a list of the "I AM" statements of Christ, click on Ref. 4.

Alpha (Α) is the first letter, and Omega (Ω) is the last letter in the Greek alphabet.  The use of these letters signifies that Christ is the first and last (Ref. 5).  In Revelation 22:13, Jesus says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."  The language in these verses denotes eternity in the being to whom it is applied (Ref. 6).  That language can be used only in reference to the true God.  "It means that he is the beginning and the end of all things; that he was at the commencement, and he will be at the close" (Ref. 6).  

     "Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last."  Jesus appeared to John in a vision when John was on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:9-16).  John describes the being that he sees as one "like a son of man" (Revelation 1:13).  "His face was like the sun shining in its strength" (Revelation 1:16).  In the vision, Jesus said to John, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades" (Revelation 1:17-18).

Jesus' statement in Revelation 1:17 makes the divine claim, "I am the first and the last."  Think about who Jesus is stating he is when he says "I am the first and the last."  Read these divine claims in Isaiah:

• "I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. I am He" (Isaiah 41:4)
• "I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me" (Isaiah 44:6)
• "Listen to Me, O Jacob, even Israel whom I called; I am He, I am the first, I am also the last" (Isaiah 48:12)

When Jesus spoke to John in Revelation 1:17, he placed his right hand on John and comforted John with the words, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last." The words, "Do not be afraid," are translated as "Fear not" in the King James Version (Revelation 1:17 KJV).  "Fear not" is Jesus' comforting message to us.  We are to fear not, that is, not be afraid, because for those who believe in Jesus, there is life beyond the grave.  Jesus said, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18 KJV).

     Apply.  Jesus said, "Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last, and the living One" (Revelation 1:17-18).  Believe that Jesus is who he says he is. Put your faith and trust in him.  Receive the comfort and assurance that only Jesus provides. 

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/greek/602.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/revelation/1.htm
3.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/who-is-jesus
4.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/bible-verses-i-ams-of-christ
5.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/revelation/1.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/revelation/1.htm

This lesson is the sixth in the series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  Today's lesson discusses Jesus' statements, "I am the true vine" in John 15:1, and "I am the vine" in John 15:5.

     Consider.  Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the true vine?  Are you staying in close relationship with him?  Are you bearing much fruit for him?

     "I am the true vine."  Jesus had just concluded celebrating Passover with his disciples (John 13:1, 4).  The same evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser" (John 15:1).  Jesus' disciples likely already knew the vine as the image of Israel from the Old Testament scriptures.  Jesus added new meaning to a familiar figure when he said, "I am the true vine" (Ref. 1).

In the Old Testament, the scriptures describe Israel as a vine and as a vineyard which God had planted.  The psalmist describes God's people, Israel, as a vine that God removed from Egypt (Psalm 80:1-13).  Further, the psalmist asks God to "Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine, even the shoot which Your right hand has planted" (Psalm 80:14-15).

The prophet Isaiah describes a song in which my "well-beloved" plants a vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-2).  The "well-beloved" is the Lord of hosts (Isaiah 5:7).  The transliteration of the Hebrew word for Lord is YHVH, the proper name of the God of Israel (Ref. 2).  The vineyard is the house of Israel (Isaiah 5:7).  Isaiah states that God planted the vineyard with "the choicest vine," and that God expected it to produce "good grapes," but "It only produced worthless ones" (Isaiah 5:2).  God "looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed."  God looked "for righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress" (Isaiah 5:7).

The prophet Jeremiah spoke of the house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel (Jeremiah 2:4).  "For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds; but you said, 'I will not serve!'  For on every high hill and under every green tree you have lain down as a harlot.  Yet I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed.  How then have you turned yourself before Me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? (Jeremiah 2:20-21). 

When Jesus says, "I am the true vine," in John 15:1, he contrasts himself with the degenerate vine which had not fulfilled the purpose God desired.  Jesus is the full revelation of God's faithfulness (Ref. 3).  "Jesus is the fullest realization of the hope of Israel, of her expectations, of what God had intended her to be" (Ref. 4). 

          "I am the vine, you are the branches."   Note that Jesus repeats his statement, "I am the vine" (John 15:1, John 15:5).  Good teachers repeat important principles for their students.  The second time, in John 15:5, Jesus adds the application.  Jesus said, "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). 

The Greek word for abide is menó, which means to stay in a given place, state, relation or expectancy (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance - Ref. 5).  A branch of a natural grapevine must remain part of the vine in order to live, grow, and bring forth fruit.  Likewise, we, as Jesus' disciples, must abide continually in him so that we live, grow, and bring forth fruit.  Jesus said that we abide in him by having his word in us (John 15:7), by keeping his commandments (John 15:10), and by abiding in his love (John 15:10).  Jesus also said that God prunes us so we will bear more fruit (John 15:2). 

Fruitfulness is the product of a godly life living in union with Christ.  Jesus said, "You will know them by their fruits.  Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit" (Matthew 7:16-17).  The Apostle Paul described the fruit of godly character that the Spirit develops in us when we abide in Christ. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).

The key to bearing fruit in our Christian life is to abide in close relationship with Jesus Christ, who is the true vine.

     Apply.  Are you abiding in Christ?  Are you bearing fruit for him?

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/15.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3068.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/228.htm
4.  http://www.abideinchrist.com/messages/jn15v1.html
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3306.htm

This is the fifth lesson in this series in 2019 on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  Recent lessons include:  "Jesus is The Light of the World" (Ref. 1), "Jesus is The Bread of Life" (Ref. 2), "Jesus is the Door" (Ref. 3), and "Jesus is the Good Shepherd (Ref. 4).  In 2018, this ScriptureWay.com site published two related lessons based on John 14:6, "Jesus is the Way to Heaven" (Ref. 5) and "Jesus is the Truth" (Ref. 6).  Today's lesson discusses Jesus' statement to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).

     Consider Job's question.  "If a man dies, will he live again?" (Job 14:14).  Do you, like Job, hope to live after death?  Do you, like Martha, believe in a resurrection?  Are you seeking assurance and calmness about life after death?   

     Resurrection - Old Testament Perspective.  Jesus' Jewish listeners likely knew the concept of a resurrection after death.  In the Old Testament scriptures, Job said that he hoped for physical resurrection (being made alive again) after his death.  "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.  Even after my skin is destroyed, yet from my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19:25-26).  David likewise hoped that God would redeem him from the grave (Psalm 49:15).  Daniel expressed hope in life after death, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2).

     "I am the resurrection and the life."  Martha's beloved brother, Lazarus, had died (John 11:1-15).  When Jesus comes to Bethany and meets Martha, Martha says, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died" (John 11:21).  Jesus assures her, "Your brother will rise again" (John 11:23).  Martha replies to Jesus, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day" (John 11:24).  Martha believed in a resurrection - as a future event.

Jesus then turns Martha's thoughts to himself and to the present.  Jesus tells Martha these words of calm assurance, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die" (John 11:25-26, Ref. 7). 

The key to understanding the resurrection is to understand who Jesus is (Ref. 8).  Jesus is the same God who appeared to Moses and said, "I AM WHO I AM" (John 8:58, Exodus 3:14).  Jesus himself also is the fulfillment of mankind's hope for life beyond death.  The key to having life eternal is to know him, trust him, and to believe in him (John 3:16, Ref. 7). 

Jesus asks Martha, "Do you believe this?" (John 11:26)  Martha replies to Jesus, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world" (John 11:27). 

Jesus then provides evidence that he is who he says he is when he raises Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44).  As the result, many of the Jews who were eyewitnesses to what Jesus had done believed in (put their faith and trust in) him (John 11:45).

     Apply.  Do you believe that Jesus is who he said he is?  Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? (John 11:25)  Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and you will have eternal life (John 3:16).  In Jesus you will find assurance and calmness about life after death.

References
1.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-light-of-the world
2.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-bread-of-life
3.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-door
4.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-good-shepherd       
5.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-way-to-heaven
6.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-truth
7.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/john/11.htm
8.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/who-is-jesus
9.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/bible-verses-about-eternal-life

"Our Lord not only declares that He is the reality of which the earthly shepherd is the shadow, and that He as the flawless, perfect One, but that He alone is the reality.  'I am the Good Shepherd; in Me and in Me alone is that which men need.' " -- Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) (Ref. 1, Ref. 2)

This lesson is the fourth in a series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  This lesson discusses Jesus' statements, "I am the good shepherd," in John 10:11 and John 10:14.

     Consider.  Are you like a lost sheep?  Have you gone astray (Isaiah 53:6)?  Are you living outside of the sheepfold?  Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd, the one who loves us, seeks us, saves us, and protects us.  He is the one who laid down his life for his sheep.  He is the one who knows us.

     God is our shepherd (Old Testament perspective).  The Old Testament describes God as the shepherd for his people.  God is the one who cares for the total well-being of his sheep.  David wrote, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake" (Psalm 23:1-3). 

In a perhaps less widely-known passage, Ezekiel also described the characteristics of the Lord God as the shepherd of Israel (Ezekiel 34:11-16):

• "I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out" (v. 11)
• "I will care for My sheep" (v. 12)
• "I will bring them out ... to their own land" (v. 13)
• "I will feed them in a good pasture" (v. 14)
• "I will lead them to rest" (v. 15)
• "I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick" (v. 16)

Hundreds of years before Jesus came, Isaiah spoke of Jesus. "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" (Isaiah 40:11).

     "I am the good shepherd."  The Greek word for good means beautiful, as an outward sign of inward good, noble, honorable character (Ref. 3).  Think of the greatness and the immensity of the claim that Jesus makes upon our faith in John 10:11 and John 10:14.  Jesus claims to be the divine shepherd witnessed to and described by the psalmist and the prophets.  

Jesus states that in him alone is everything that we need - sustenance, protection, care, restoration, direction, and eternal life (Luke 15:4, Luke 19:10, Psalm 23:1-3, John 10:3-4, John 10:9, John 10:27-28, Ref. 1).  The Greek text in John 10:11 and John 10:14 uses the definite article "the" before "good shepherd" (Ref. 4, Ref. 5).  "The definite article claims this ['I am the good shepherd'] as a description applicable to Himself alone" (Expositor's Greek Testament - Ref. 6, brackets added).

     "The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."  Jesus states two features by which he as the good shepherd would be known.  The first feature is his giving his life for the sheep (John 10:11, Ref. 6).  Recall the personal risk of life that David faced because he was a shepherd.  David himself rescued the lamb of his father's flock from the mouth of the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36, Ref. 7).  "That self-sacrifice that would lead the shepherd to risk his own life for that of the flock has its ideal fulfillment in Him who is the Good Shepherd, and will give His life for mankind" (Ref. 7). 

"The death of the Shepherd is the security of the sheep; and I say to you, the flock, that for every soul the entrance into the flock of God is through the door of the dying Christ, who laid down His life for the sheep, and makes them His sheep who trust in Him" (Ref. 1, Ref. 8).

     "I know My own and My own know Me."  Jesus stated a second feature by which he would be known as the good shepherd.  That feature is the reciprocal knowledge of the sheep and the shepherd (John 10:14, Ref. 6).  The Greek word for know in John 10:14 is ginóskó, which means to know, especially through personal experience (Ref. 9).  However, the language for know in John 10:14 describes more than a dictionary lookup alone conveys.  Jesus describes closest communion between himself as the good shepherd and his sheep (Ref. 7).  Jesus describes the relationship as loving regard, affection, and recognition between the shepherd and his sheep (Ref. 1).  He knows us because he loves us.  As his sheep, we know him as our shepherd, and we love him and trust him.  We know his voice and we follow him (John 10:4, John 10:27-28). 

     Apply.  Jesus loves you and already knows you.  Jesus wants to have a close reciprocal relationship with you.  Are you loving him, trusting him, and following him today?

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/john/10.htm
2.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Maclaren
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2570.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/interlinear/john/10-11.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3588.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/egt/john/10.htm
7.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/10.htm
8.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/jesus-is-the-door
9.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1097.htm

"Christ is the Door.  And what greater security has the church of God than that the Lord Jesus is between it and all its enemies? ... Here are plain directions how to come into the fold; we must come in by Jesus Christ as the Door." -- Matthew Henry (Ref. 2)

This lesson is the third in a series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  This lesson discusses Jesus' statements, "I am the door" in John 10:7 and John 10:9.    

     Consider.  Have you entered into the church of God by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ?  Are you experiencing spiritual nourishment in Christ?

     "If anyone enters through Me." (John 10:9)  We enter the sheepfold, the church of God, through Jesus Christ (and only through Jesus Christ).  Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7).  We enter that door when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  "As the only proper way of entering the fold was by the door, so the only way of entering the church of God is by believing on him and obeying his commandments" (Ref. 3). 

Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

     "He will be saved."  Once we have entered the door by faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we are saved.  Jesus delivers us from perils such as ravenous wolves and false shepherds (Ref. 4, John 10:1-2).  Jesus frees us from the power, guilt, and penalty of sin (Romans 8:1-2, Ephesians 2:1-9).  Jesus gives us eternal security.  Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:27-28).

HELPS Word-Studies defines saved as rescued from destruction and brought into divine safety (Ref. 5).

     "And will go in and out and find pasture."  To go "in and out" is the common Old Testament expression to denote free activity of daily life (Ref. 6).  When Moses charged the Israelites at Mount Gerizim to obey the Lord, he said, "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out" (Deuteronomy 28:6, Deuteronomy 27:11-12, Deuteronomy 28:1-2).  David wrote about the Lord, the Keeper of Israel (Psalm 121:5).  David said, "The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever" (Psalm 121:8).

Through Jesus (because he is the door), we have security for our daily needs and nourishment for our souls.  Under the care of Jesus, we find pasture - food for our souls (Ref. 7).  David wrote, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters" (Psalm 23:1-2 KJV).

    Apply.  Have you entered the sheepfold of Christ by believing in him?  If not, then put your faith and trust in him today.  Are you spending time with Jesus daily to receive spiritual nourishment?  How can you improve in this area?

References
1.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/home/when-jesus-said-truly-truly-what-did-he-mean
2.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/john/10.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/john/10.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/10.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/egt/john/10.htm
7.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/john/10.htm

"Christ shows that he is the true Bread; he is to the soul what bread is to the body." -- Matthew Henry (Ref. 1)

This lesson is the second in a series on the "I AM" statements of Christ.  This lesson discusses Jesus' statement, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35).

     Consider.  Have you come to Jesus, the Source of sustenance and strength for your spiritual life?

     God-provided bread from heaven.  Jesus' Jewish listeners knew that God had provided bread from heaven (also called "manna") to the Israelites.  "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction' " (Exodus 16:4).  The manna that God provided was essential for the Israelite's survival (Exodus 16:35).  Note, however, at that time God did not provide the manna universally to all people.  Exodus tells us that God provided the manna only for the Israelites, and the manna was temporary (Exodus 16:35).  The people who ate the manna eventually died (John 6:49).

     "I am the bread of life."  In contrast with the manna that God provided temporarily to the Israelites, Jesus states emphatically, "I am the bread of life."

• Like the manna, Jesus Christ, God's Son, is God's provision sent from heaven.  Jesus said, "For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world" (John 6:33, Luke 1:34-35, John 1:14).
  
• Like the manna, Jesus provides us essential nourishment.  In the same way natural bread is essential for our physical life, Jesus is essential for our spiritual life.  Natural bread is for the body.  Jesus himself is for the craving of our soul (Ref. 2). 
  
• Unlike the manna which only sustained earthly life temporarily, Jesus, the bread of life, sustains permanent, eternal life (John 6:40, Ref. 3). 
  
• Unlike the manna which God offered only to specific people at a specific time, Jesus Christ, the bread of life, offers spiritual nourishment and eternal life to the world.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16). 
  
  

     Apply.  What is your response to Jesus?  Will you come to him and believe in him?  Come to him, believe in him, and you will receive the bread of life that your soul craves.

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/mhc/john/6.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/john/6.htm
3.  http://www.ScriptureWay.com/bible-verses-about-eternal-life