I AM WHO I AM
Notes
Transcript
Doxology:
This is my Bible. It is God’s Holy Word. It is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and I will hide its words within my heart, that I might not sin against God. Amen!
We are going to be starting a new series today that I am super excited about. I have been thinking about where we needed to be at the end of the year, that would also spring us forward into the new year.
I can’t think of a better place to go than to focus on Jesus Christ Himself for the remainder of the year.
In this new series, we are going to focus on certain statements that Jesus Himself made about Himself.
Introduction
Introduction
Throughout the Gospel of John, there are seven statements beginning with the words, “I am”. Each of these “I am” statements, furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world. They also link Jesus to the Old Testament revelation of God, further proving that Jesus Himself was indeed God incarnate.
The seven “I am” statements are as follows:
I am the bread of life: John 6:35, 41, 48, 51
I am the light of the world: John 8:12, 9:5
I am the door: John 10:7, 9
I am the good shepherd: John 10:11, 14
I am the resurrection and the life: John 11:25
I am the way, the truth, and the life: John 14:6
I am the true vine: John 15:1, 5
Though these seven statements are popular and have become known as the seven “I AM” statements, there are a few more “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. But these other instances are not metaphors; rather they are declarations of God’s name, as applied by Jesus to Himself.
It is one of these statements that we are actually going to be looking at today to help lay the foundation for this series.
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Context
Context
Jesus is having a conversation with some Pharisees. As always, the Pharisees are questioning everything He says.
During this conversation, their relationship to Abraham comes up. Jesus tells them that just because they are descendants of Abraham does not mean that they are of Abraham.
They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
You do the deeds of your father.” Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.
Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?
He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
These men simply could not grasp that Jesus was more than just a man. All they could see was what they had been taught to see. They could not even see what was right in front of them. Jesus performed many miracles, unbelievable miracles, and yet they still could not come to grips with the fact that Jesus was more than a man.
Later on in the conversation, we read John 8.56-58
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Jesus finally comes right out and gives them the truth they were seeking for, but they did not like it.
When Jesus answers the question that they had all been thinking in their hearts, “Who does this man think He is?”
He answers that in verse 58, but we read that when He does, they attempted to stone Him to death.
What was it about that statement that moved them to such anger. That is what I want to explore today.
What did Jesus mean when He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
In order to fully grasp this question, I want us to go back to the first time we see these words “I AM” in Scripture, in terms of God’s identity.
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
God chose Moses to be His man. He tells Moses to gather the leaders of Israel together and say, “God sent me here to lead you out of Egypt. Freedom has finally come!”
Now we have to ask the question, “Why did Moses feel that he needed the name of God before talking to the children of Israel?”
They are God’s people right? So why the explanation?
We must remember two things about Israel during this time:
Many Israelites were like innumerable people in every nation: they turned away from God to the false religions of the world. Many were worshipping the false gods of Egypt, and were to continue worshipping them even after God delivered and saved them.
“Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
The people of Israel had been enslaved and tortured for almost 400 years and, in their minds, no god had ever shown any interest in them, not enough to hear their cry for help, not enough to save and deliver them.
Moses obviously knew these two facts. He just felt there was no chance the people were going to accept him, not a man who suddenly appeared upon the scene declaring the God had sent him to deliver and save them. The people would skeptical, questioning, and asking…
“God huh? What is the name of this God you speak of? Furthermore, what god has the power to save and deliver us? Even if such a God exists, why now and why you?”
These people had never seen God move the way the stories spoke of from years ago. After 400 years, you can only imagine the doubt and despair that filled their hearts. They were beaten, broken, mistreated, not cared for, and carried no value in the Egyptian culture. This is all that they have ever known.
Many of them had turned to false gods in hopes that one of them would save them from their suffering, but none had come through yet. These were the gods of the Egyptians after all, so why would they side with Jews anyway?
I can imagine Moses as he steps on the scene and says, “Listen, I know you are afraid. Shoot, I am afraid. You all know my story. Pharoah has sworn to kill me the instant he sees me. I could die instantly. But....God, not just any god; The God of our ancestors, the God of our forefathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; The Great I AM has sent me to you. He has told me what I am to do and I must obey. If you want to be free, you must also obey. He has plans for you and this is not it. The time has come for you to be restored as a nation. The time has come that you be restored as the people of God.”
Let’s take a look at the significance of that name. The “I AM”.
Content
Content
His Signature
His Signature
And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
Moses
Whenever you write your signature, you are writing your name. The first thing meant by this phrase, is that it was the name of God.
These people in captivity had never known a personal relationship with God, but they did know His name from true accounts passed down from one generation to the next.
By using this covenant name of God, it would remind them of all the miracles He had performed for His people in history. It would remind them of how God had delivered others before with His mighty hand. It would bring to remembrance the true God of creation. The true God who reigned supreme in the lives of their ancestors.
“I AM” was the name of God.
The name of God was a treasured thing. It was something that was reverenced. It was something that was remembered. It was something that was revered.
No one, and I mean no one, amongst believing Jews would dare defile the name of Almighty God. It was His covenant name that He gave of Himself.
God has been called many things throughout history, but this particular name was given by God Himself. It was above every other name. It was the name of God!!!
Jesus
Now we can understand why these Pharisaic leaders were so angry when Jesus called Himself the “I AM”.
He clearly takes on the name of God, stating that He Himself is God. This one phrase, in and of itself, would have been considered sacrilegious and worthy of death.
This is why the verses immediately following said that they all picked up stones and tried to kill Him. This man has just called Himself by the name that is above every name, the name that is Holiest of all.
At this point, Jesus was either the most irreverent Jew they had ever seen, or the Son of God in the flesh. Since they refused to believe He was God in the flesh, he must be an imposter.
His Sovereignty
His Sovereignty
Moses
Whenever we hear a name of an individual, we always relate it to more than just a face, if we have more to relate it to.
If I were to name a person in your life right now. You would instantly go deeper than just the face of that individual. You might even have certain emotions instantly wash over you based upon your experiences with that individual.
When God said, “Tell them I AM sent you,” He was giving His name, but it was more than that. It was a window into His identity. It told of His sovereignty.
Notice the phrase “I AM” is in a constant present tense. It speaks of God’s eternal nature. It is no surprise that we find this attribute so early on in Scripture, all throughout Scripture, even up to the last chapter of the last book: Revelation 22:13.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
The eternal nature of God is what separates Him from everyone and everything else. Nothing else can make that claim. Nothing else has ever existed eternally. Nothing else has existed outside of time, from eternal past to eternal future, but Him. He alone makes this claim.
This also means that He alone can make the claim to be the creator of all things. If He is truly the uncaused first cause, He must also be what caused everything else in existence to exist.
If He is truly the sole proprietor of all things, then He alone must also be the sole progenitor of all things.
God alone is in control of this thing called life. He alone knows the end from the beginning. He alone is truly eternal in nature.
When God gives Moses His name, He backs up that name with the following verses. Starting in verse 16, He not only tells Moses what to do, He tells Moses what is going to happen. He tells Moses how Israel is going to react. He tells Moses how Pharoah is going to act.
He lays out the future for him, backing up the claim of being completely sovereign.
Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;
and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’
Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’
But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.
So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.
But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”
Jesus
When Jesus says that He is the “I AM”, He too is making a claim of eternal nature. He also backs up this claim by giving information regarding Abraham that could not be known otherwise.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
How could Jesus know what Abraham’s response was if He were not there? Jesus was clearly present during the time of Abraham. Actually, He was present before the time of Abraham.
Jesus knew full well the life of Abraham. He also knew full well the life of all of these men standing before Him. He knew what had happened; He knew what was going to happen; He knew it because He was outside of time. He knew it because He was God in the flesh.
Jesus was making the claim that He was perfectly sovereign. There disputing with Him would not change that. Their lies and antagonizing theories would not change that. They could either accept that He was God in the flesh or they could attempt to overthrow “The Great I AM”. I don’t know about you, but I have discovered that fighting against God does not bring glory. It only brings destruction.
His Salvation
His Salvation
Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;
and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’
Moses
This revelation of God also shows His salvation. I says, “I have seen what is done to you in Egypt;”
God cares for His people. He does not like to see them suffer. He does not enjoy seeing His people struggle through life, being oppressed by others and feeling as if they have no value. He considers His people very valuable. His people are so valuable to Him that He has moved heaven and earth to save them, deliver them, and bring prosperity unto them. His people are so valuable that He sent Jesus, His only begotten Son, the perfect representation of Himself in the flesh who knew no sin, to become sin for us and die a sinner’s death so those who are guilty might go free. Do not ever let anyone tell you that you do not matter. God says you do!!!
In the beginning of vs. 17, God makes an unforgettable statement: “I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt...”
Then He said to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.
And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.
All the way back in Abraham’s day, God decreed what would take place. He told Abraham that his descendants would live in a foreign land for 400 years. At the end of that time, He promised Abraham that they would be delivered.
God had planned all along to save them. As Moses stated this, it brought to remembrance the promise of God. It brought hope unto a people who were hopeless. For the first time in their lives, it gave them a reason to press forward.
Jesus
When Jesus makes the claim of being God, He is also making a claim of salvation for all of those who would believe.
It is no mistake that Israel was in the land of Egypt for just over 400 years. When Christ steps onto the scene in the Gospels, it ended what is commonly referred to as the 400 years of silence. There are just over 400 years worth of a gap between the closing of the OT and the opening of the NT.
The synonymous nature between Moses and Christ are astonishingly similar.
Both groups were under the control of another authority.
Both groups knew the name of God, but had not seen Him move in mighty ways for over 400 years.
Both groups had given themselves over to other gods since they could not seem to establish a relationship with the One True God.
Both groups were suffering persecution because of who they were.
Both groups were presented with a message of deliverance.
One group listened and was delivered. The other group refused and are still in bondage unto this day.
Commitment
Commitment
Do you truly believe in “The Great I AM?”
Have you ever really trusted God for who He is?
Do you truly believe in the power of His name?
Have you truly relinquished all control of your life to the sovereign God of heaven?
Have you truly believed in Him unto the point of salvation?