As we step into a brand new year after what has been a pretty difficult year in 2020, we need to be reminded of who Jesus says He is! In John 11, we get a glimpse into one of the most incredible miracles Jesus performed, as well as one of the most audacious claims He ever made. Jesus shows up at a funeral of a friend and says I am the resurrection and life. He then raises a dead man to life to authenticate His bold claim. At the end of the day, God’s plan for your life is better than yours. He doesn’t operate on our timing. And when all seems lost, Jesus is oftentimes just getting started. If Jesus has conquered death, the great and final enemy, what then should His children fear in life? Death is dead, Jesus is alive and we are free!

The Gift - Christmas Eve 2020 - Chris Dillon, Lead Pastor 12.24.20 by New Life of Asheville

Choose Joy - Joe Dillon, Guest Preacher 12 27 20 by New Life of Asheville

The setting for this particular I AM statement is key. The Israelites were in the midst of a huge celebration called the Festival of Tabernacles/Booths. This is the time they set aside to celebrate being led by God in the wilderness. At night, they would light massive lamps or candles in the temple courtyard that would cast a warm glow over the city of Jerusalem to remind them of the God who led them as a pillar of fire by night in the desert. It’s in this setting, where Jesus says I am the light of the world! This claim was nothing short of an unmistakable claim of divinity by Jesus. This claim led to an incredible invitation: “anyone who follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Wow! In a world of darkness, there is light. In a world of chaos and pain, there is hope. His name is Jesus!

This particular I AM statement from Jesus may be the most controversial one in our age. For Jesus to claim to be the way, truth and life such that no person can come to the Father except through Him, flies in the face of our pluralistic culture that despises even the concept of absolute truth. And yet, this statement from Jesus isn’t so much a judgmental condemnation of those far from Him, as much as it’s an open invitation into life-changing relationship, freeing truth and abundant life now and in eternity. Friend, Jesus is the way, truth and life. He is the antidote to all that is broken in your heart and in our world. In fact, he’s the only hope this busted up world has. Let’s cling to Jesus as our way, our truth and our life and share this transformational message with the world around us this Christmas season!

If you’re familiar with vine imagery in the Old Testament, you probably know that the nation of Israel--God’s chosen people of the old covenant--were oftentimes referred to as a vine. And almost every time this connection is made, it’s made in the context of God’s judgment for Israel’s failure to produce fruit. And so when Jesus steps onto the scene and says: I am the true vine, He is in essence saying I’ve come to be for you, what you could never be for yourself. He’s saying I am the true source of life, and apart from abiding in me, your life will be fruitless of anything truly meaningful. Jesus also promised that those who abide in Him, would experience the pain of pruning that would lead to abundance. While painful, Jesus wanted His disciples to understand that many times growth comes through painful means that we would never choose for ourselves. Abiding in the true vine, leads to a fruitful life, which in turn allows us to experience the joy our creator desires us to live in as His chosen and dearly loved sons and daughters!

Jesus’ statement: I am the door (or gate in some translations) is likely one of the least spoken about I am statements of Jesus. It may not be as glamorous as some of the other I am statements, but it’s a practically important claim by Jesus with profound implications for your life. Jesus being the door for His sheep has all sorts of embedded truths that are truly life-changing. Jesus is saying that the world offers you and me many doors, but only one leads to life. Every other door will lead you to sorrow, disappointment and destruction. True sheep hear and follow the voice of their shepherd into an abundant life of purpose and satisfaction. Friend, choose your door like your life depends on it, because it does. And once you’ve found the door that leads to life, invite others to discover the riches of the door that is Jesus.

According to those who study such things, sheep are apparently some of the most unintelligent, stubborn, and hopelessly helpless animals on the planet. And so at 1st glance, when Jesus claims to be the good shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep, it could almost feel offensive that we are the sheep in this analogy. And yet, when we realize how perfectly loved and cared for we are by the Good Shepherd, it would be foolish not to follow Him all the days of our lives. The Good Shepherd is marked by several things that make Him distinctly good and far more worthy of our lives than any other shepherds this world has to offer us. The Good Shepherd guides, provides, corrects and protects His sheep. In doing all of that, He offers the abundant life that we all seek!

This week we kick-off a brand new series called I AM as we unpack the 7 I AM statements of Jesus in John’s gospel. You may have noticed that it’s almost impossible to know someone without first knowing their name. Contrary to popular belief in some cultural circles, God is not unknowable. In fact, He has clearly revealed Himself to us by giving us His name. The story begins to unfold in Exodus 3, and Jesus brings it full circle beginning in John 6 when He says: “I AM the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Jesus was not only claiming His own divinity in that one powerful statement, He was also telling the world that the only bread that can satisfy soul hunger is found in Him. Through the course of this narrative, we learn 3 essential truths that can reshape our lives. One, authentic disciples come to Jesus to get Jesus. Two, Jesus is the essence of real life. And finally, Jesus offers us lasting hope. If you’ve found the bread of life, be sure you’re sharing that bread with a hungry and thirsty world!

The Drama of a National Destiny - Steve Harris, Guest Preacher, 11.08.20 by New Life of Asheville