Six week series about who Jesus is and why that matters, according to the well-known “I am” statements in the gospel of John. 

Video Message	Resources
Week 1: I Am the Bread from Heaven	Monday Memo notes Scripture reading this week:  – Read the entirety of the John 6 narrative, you can break it up into smaller pieces and read a little every day: John 6 NRSVUE – Read the story about manna during the Exodus, given that it forms part of the backdrop of the discussion in John 6: Exodus 16 NRSVUE – Pray daily this week what Tertullian advised: Ask God for a daily dose of the “bread of life,” and for the awareness and openness to how it might come to you.  – Here are a few devotionals from the United Church of Christ, each on a part of John 6, that you can scatter throughout the week:  – You Are What You Eat – What’s Your Name? – Loaves and (Gold)fishes – What We Don’t Know
Week 2: I Am the Light of the World	Monday Memo notes Stay in the Light this Week Want to read about light in John’s gospel? Here are the pertinent passages, you can scatter them throughout your personal devotional time throughout the week (we’ve also included two entries from 1st John, which is closely tied to John’s gospel):  John 1.1-9 NRSVUE John 3.16-21 NRSVUE John 8.12-20 NRSVUE John 12.27-36 NRSVUE John 12.44-50 NRSVUE 1 John 1.5-7 NRSVUE 1 John 2.7-11 NRSVUE   A prayer for the week (we used this at the end of the sermon… Adapted from St. Gregory of Nanziansus (300s CE):  Lord God, Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Therefore, let me not be ashamed so that I will approach Him over and over to be filled with His light. Let me not remain what I am but instead become what I know will remain. In this life Your light shines and cannot stop shining, and no darkness can overcome it, though darkness fights ferociously against it. Let me live in that hope and confidence, I ask. O Splendor of the eternal light and Sun of justice, may I be a child of Your perfect light, amen.    A few short devotionals about “light” to sprinkle throughout your week:  Light, I Am – United Church of Christ Light Children of Light – United Church of Christ Following the Light – United Church of Christ Created to Be Light – United Church of Christ Walk in the Light – United Church of Christ
Week 3: I Am the Door and Good Shepherd	Monday Memo notes Being Sheep This Week Spend some time with the larger John 10 narrative about the good shepherd…there’s so much to mine, appreciate, and live here:  – John 10.1-21 NRSVUE – John 10.1-21 MSG Of course, the most well-known psalm in the Old Testament is about God the good shepherd. You could hang out there this week too…including a few devotionals on that text:  – Psalm 23 NRSVUE – Psalm 23 MSG – Are We There Yet? – Now I Can Lie Down – All My Needs, Already Supplied – A Commercial Break Here’s the Affirmation of Faith used at the end of yesterday’s service about needing a shepherd. It would make a great focal point for your prayer and reflection this week: Affirmation: Jesus, the Shepherd
Week 4: I Am the Resurrection and the Life	Monday Memo notes Explore More This Week – Spend time this week enjoying the larger story told in John 11…it’s an extraordinary narrative, full of human pathos and even some humor: – John 11 NRSVUE – John 11 MSG – Here are three of devotionals to scatter across your week, both speak to the present, not merely future, possibility of resurrection…the third comes with discussion questions, making it good for a small group or class: – Living the Risen Life – Victorious – Daily Devotional for Small Group Discussion: Do You Believe in Lazarus? – If you’re intrigued by this crucial New Testament idea that “resurrection” and “eternal life” are not merely future events, but also available to us and able to experienced in part now, The Bible Project does a good job of laying it out in these short animated videos:  – What is Eternal Life? – The New Humanity • The New Kind of Existence We’re Invited To (Spiritual Beings Series Episode 7) – Here’s the prayer we used to end the sermon, you can use it this week…it tries to put the key takeaways from this “I am” statement into the form of a prayer:  “Good God, I come to You now with the words of Your Son etched on my heart. Surely, He is the resurrection and the life to all who will trust Him. I thank You that this doesn’t rest on a concept, but on the living person of Jesus. I acknowledge that even though I choose death too often instead of life and live in its cold shadow, the hope of resurrection and life remains sure. Your Son asked “Do you trust Me about this?“ and today my answer is “Yes!” Quiet my fears, strengthen my resolve, keep me close to Christ, and help me to live every day a resurrected life that not even death can defeat, amen.”
Week 5: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life	Monday Memo notes Walk in the Way of Christ this Week – Check out more of what the late Eugene Peterson, in his book on this very topic, has to say about Jesus who is the way and the truth:  – Jesus: the Truth and the Way – The Jesus Way Quotes – Here’s Richard Foster talking about how the pattern or ‘way’ of Jesus is to be our ‘way’ too as His followers: The Jesus Way of Life – Here is the entire response by Rev. Matthew Syrdal to the question posed about walking in the ‘way’ of Jesus….it’s just three full paragraphs but well worth the read: What does it mean “to walk the way of Jesus”? – If you’re curious about how we as Presbyterians view those who are a part of other religions or faiths, here’s a good place to start…it’s an official document passed by our General Assembly in 2014: The Interreligious Stance
Week 6: I Am the True Vine	Monday Memo notes Abide this Week – Because it contains such a crucial image of our role and place as Christians, hang out in John 15.1-11 a few times. Let its words dwell in you. Pray the words. Journal about them. You can use several different translations, if you like:  – John 15.1-11 NRSVUE – John 15.1-11 MSG – John 15.1-11 EASY – Make it tangible: how will “abide” in Christ’s word and love this week?  – Reflect backward: When have you experienced times of “pruning” in your life?; How do you know it was “pruning?” And what was the result?  – A few of short devotionals on “abiding” and “joy” in John 15.1-11 for your use this week:  – Now, to Abide – Abide – And from this Corner . . . – For Joy