Sermon Tone Analysis

I AM means God is the self-existent, all-sufficient and eternal one

I AM WHO I AM - Only God Can call Himself the I Am in the Absolute sense.

I AM WHO I AM - Only God Can call Himself the I Am in the Absolute sense.

The Great I Am.

This is significant because

Who is the I Am to you?

The stages of man’s existence

What is the end state of man?

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

What “The Great I AM” means?

The I Am, God sees us outside of time - illustration here of God’s view from eternity

What “The Great I AM” means?

I believe that through Jesus

What “The Great I AM” means?

1.

He has no beginning

2. He has no end.

3.

He never changes.

What are the implications of these meanings of “The Great I Am” to you?

Last week we studied God’s personal name, Yahweh - In giving us His personal Name, God introduced Himself in relation to Israel.

Yahweh came from “The I Am”.

In this Name, God is not only declaring His absolute existence, but He is declaring His relationship to His people.

“I Am” is the Covenant Name of God.

It was His covenant Name to Israel.

God has also entered into a covenant with us through Jesus Christ.

God has also entered into a relationship with us through Jesus Christ

Let’s explore how The “I Am” is significant to us.

It is significant because since..

This is significant because

He has no beginning.

Therefore...

We all came from Him.

The Cosmological Argument for God

The principle of cause and effect.

Everything in the universe is an effect of some cause.

Therefore, the universe must have a cause.

Aristotle called the first cause of the universe "the unmoved mover."

The Teleological Argument for God

Everything that requires design and is designed intelligently has an intelligent designer.

The universe has an intelligent design, therefore it has an intelligent designer.

He is the uncaused one so he caused all of creation to exist.

Not only that, He designed life so that we can enjoy it.

But how can God or any being for that matter not have a beginning?

Well, if God is God, will we totally understand Him?

The question itself: “How can God not have a beginning is flawed?”

Because in asking that, we are imposing a limitation upon God that He does not have.

God is not limited by time and space.

Think of this, God created time and space.

So He could not have created time and space if He is limited by it.

I cannot bake a cake from inside an oven, I will be baked too.

I will have to be outside the oven to bake a cake.

In the same way, God has to be outside time and space in order to create the whole universe.

Makes sense?

It does seem to make sense but it is still a poor way of explaining the eternal God.

He is beyond our comprehension, with our limited minds trying to understand eternity is like a man born blind trying to understand the concept of color.

Try..

That is why God is the Only One to say “I AM WHO I Am”.

If someone asks me what’s my name?

I’m Ramon.

But who is this Ramon?

Well, I’m a minister, a pastor, I’m the father of two and the husband of one.

I work for Bank of America..

I have to really explain who I am.

I cannot respond, I am who I am unless I am annoyed with the person.

God is the Only One Who can say “I Am Who I Am”, let’s leave it at that!

What does that mean?

If God is the ultimate cause of the universe, whether we like it or not, all creatures, all of humanity - including everyone - Atheist, Agnostics, Seekers, Believers, those who are growing with Him - everyone is ultimately dependent on Him.

“Borrowed Capital of unbelievers”

God makes the sun to shine on both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.

In America and other western societies - Laws of Western Civilization

You are and have been dependent all your life on the Great I Am.

What does this truth do to our prayers?

We need God and we need to call on Him.

When you open your eyes everyday.

Do you seek the Face of God and read His Book, or Do you seek the God of Facebook?

Secondly, the “Great I Am” is significant because since...

2.

He has no End.

Therefore..

Therefore God is our ultimate destiny, and our life here on earth is just a preparation to meet that destiny.

Here’s the truth, your soul has a beginning but it has no end.

Therefore God is our ultimate destiny, and our life here on earth is just a preparation to meet that destiny.

It is foolish to live life like there is no other.

Life is not all there is.

It is about “the life” or “living the good life”.

A good career, a good business, a hefty bank account these are all temporal goals.

Well it’s not all too bad, I am building a legacy for the next generation.

Listen: Even the next generations have an end.

Are we building a legacy only for our children, or their children and the next generations after them, or are we building a legacy outside of time for all of eternity.

I like how St. Peter puts it.

I like how St. Peter puts it.

1 Peter

Don’t build something that can perish, be defiled and can fade.

Build on the living hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How do we do that?

Build your life on that hope.

It is not wrong to have a successful career, to have money if you use all of that to eternity.

Now some of you may think, here it comes, he’s gonna say give it to the church..

Let me tell you this.

Let us set our hearts right before God first.

Then ask Him to enable you to give to what has eternal value because our souls are eternal and our money is not!

That is why Jesus came on a mission to seek and save that which is lost.