Painting the Portrait of Jesus Bible Study
The “I Am” Word Pictures Revealing the Jesus We Follow
8 Lessons—Short and easy for anyone new to the Bible

Would you like a portrait of Jesus?
He doesn’t have any Facebook or Instagram pics. But in the gospel of John, you get a portrait of Jesus in His own words—His “I am” statements. In this short and easy book, Painting the Portrait of Jesus, we assign a paint color to each one of those “I am” statements. Together, they reveal a portrait of who Jesus is, how He meets your needs, and why you can trust Him enough to follow Him. With this study, you can paint the portrait of Jesus for yourself. Painting the Portrait of Jesus is the ideal way to learn who Jesus is, how He meets your needs, and why you can trust Him enough to follow Him. Don’t wait! Get to know Him now. See our FAQs.
We now have coordinating lessons for elementary-age children! See “Painting a Picture of Jesus—Lessons for Children” information below.
Scroll down to read what others are saying about this study in the comments below.
Get “Painting the Portrait of Jesus” here.
Related Articles
Click on the links below to read articles and listen to some podcasts related to this study.
New Testament Women: Trust Jesus to satisfy your heart needs
John 4: Samaritan Woman-Jesus satisfies your heart with TRUTH
John 8: Adulterous Woman-Jesus satisfies your heart with VICTORY
John 11-12: Mary and Martha-Jesus satisfies your heart with LOVE
Short and Easy Studies
A Fresh Start • for new Christians

Painting the Portrait of Jesus • the “I Am’s” of Jesus in John
The God You Can Know • Attributes of God
Grace Overflowing • Paul’s 13 Letters
The Walk from Fear to Faith • 6 Old Testament women
Satisfied by His Love • 8 women who knew Jesus
Seek the Treasure • Ephesians
Pathways to a Joyful Walk • a rewarding spiritual life
Songs of the Heart That Light My Way • selected psalms
Get “Painting a Picture of Jesus”—Lessons for Elementary Children
8 colors That Illustrate the “I Am” Word Pictures of Jesus for Children — coordinating with the Painting the Portrait of Jesus Bible Study for adults.
FAQ: The “I Am’s” in John
The gospel of John was written by one of Jesus’ disciples named John. This was not the same one as John the Baptist. The John who wrote the gospel was with Jesus throughout Jesus’ life and ministry so he wrote as an eyewitness to what he saw and heard.
That’s one of the most asked questions of all time. Jesus doesn’t have a Facebook page or pics posted on Instagram. But, in the gospel of John, you get something better than even social media posts. You get a look at the self-portrait of Jesus in His own words-His seven “I am” statements. Think of it as an autobiography of Jesus that you can “like,” “friend,” & “follow” as you discover amazing things that He proclaims about Himself. And, what Jesus tells about Himself and the relationship you can enjoy through faith in Him will satisfy the spiritual hunger in your soul.
The “I Am’s” are statements that Jesus made in the gospel of John. They are called the “I Am’s” because each one of them starts with the same 2 words, “I am.” Then, Jesus follows the words “I am” with a phrase to describe Himself to those who are listening. There are 7 specific “I Am” statements in the gospel of John.
If you are new to Bible Study, start with something designed especially for anyone who is new to the Bible. Look for basic lessons with simple questions with easy-to-understand terms and applications. My “Graceful Beginning Series” of short and easy Bible study books are designed especially for anyone who is new to the Bible.
Image credit: photo by John Newton, sourced at flickr.com (8162212488_ca1d0be388_o.jpg)
Our women’s ministry partners with a local female chaplain with a prison ministry. She is using the “Painting the Portrait of Jesus” study with a group of her ladies now.
I did “Painting a Portrait of Jesus” by Myself for a personal Bible Study. I was seeking something different. The study taught me something new. I’ve been a Saved Christian for 56 years. I learned about the “ I Ams of Jesus “ and will share it with my church group. This study made it easier to tell others about the I Ams.
After I studied Painting the Portrait of Jesus, I was picking my daughter up who was in distress. So, I decided to wear orange to declare her safety. Driving to the station, there were a lot of orange cones along the road as well as orange cars and orange pictures that reminded me of her safety in Christ. The Bible coming alive in day-to-day.
I am the leader of our monthly Bible Study group whose members range from 60-91. Although this study is easy for some of our group, it is always worthwhile and rewarding to go back to the basics.
I’ve been leading this study for two groups. It’s been so good to get this view into Jesus’ own words and what it means for our lives today.