Many times in life it can seem like we are uprooted, that we are disconnected and just adrift like a tumbleweed in an old western. Jesus knows His disciples and His followers are going to feel this way. To all of those who feel disconnected, Jesus says that He is the vine, and He has sent the advocate to connect us all.

The Lord’s disciple Thomas asks Jesus, ‘‘Lord where are you going? Can you show us the way?’’ Thomas wants to know the way. What can he do, what can he be so that he can be with the Father? Jesus looks at him and says that he, Jesus, is the way.

Jesus’ good friend Lazarus gets sick and dies. When Jesus finally gets to his town, Martha comes running out to Jesus with tears in her eyes and says, ‘’IF ONLY you had been here, he would not have died.’’ We often live with the cloud of ‘If Only’ over us, which causes us to slow and not see the light breaking forth.

When God’s people hear ‘shepherd,’ they automatically think of the messiah, a king from God. Jesus uses this understanding to say that he is the Good Shepherd, that he is not in this for himself but for everyone else.

When I was young, it seems like I was told that Jesus the gate in the sense that I had to choose the correct gate and that Gate was Jesus. However, Jesus wants us to know that he is the gate. He is the one who keeps the robbers out and keeps the sheep in. Jesus is our gate, keeping us safe.

Just imagine people from all over Israel have come to Jerusalem to stay in tents and remember how God led them through the wilderness.  People are everywhere, lighting lights to remember what God has done. Yeah, that is where Jesus is standing.  

I AM The Bread of Life - God’s people grumbled for bread in the wilderness. Jesus performs a miracle and feeds 5000 with some bread and fish. They are following Jesus around wanting another sign or miracle showing that He is God.  To this crowd He said “I AM the Bread of Life.”