I AM…NOT

The Exalted Christ is the God who was and is to come–He is eternally permanent. We especially find that in the seven “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. In our culture, opinions and idea change, shift, and are altered. But Jesus stands in stark contrasts to our ever-changing world. His truth as the self-sustaining great I Am is the only claim that is tried, true, and tested.

However, as we see in John 6:22-33, before Jesus presents His first “I Am” statement He tells His disciples what He is not. By doing so, He gives them clear directions on how to follow Him, and how not to follow Him.

Questions for Meditation

1. In verses 26-27, the crowd asks Jesus for bread. What kind of bread were they talking about, and what kind of bread was Jesus talking about?  
2. What are some temporal things that we hunger for? 
3. What is Jesus saying about these temporary fixes? 
4. 1 Peter 1:4 & 17 says, “We have a priceless inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay…so you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time here as ‘temporary residents.’”. What does this mean, and how does it relate to Jesus being eternal, and not temporal? 
5. In verses 30-33, the crowd compares Jesus to Moses, and asks Jesus how He will perform for them. How does this question strike you, and how does Jesus respond? 
6. The crowd was viewing Jesus as an instrument, or a celebrity, and not the source. As a result, their expectation was in how they viewed His performance, as opposed to His Lordship. Do we fall into this trap as well, by expecting things from God, but not seeing Him as our Lord and a loving, caring Father?
7. The key verse to this passage is verse 29. How does Jesus want to make more than just a momentary impact in your life?