In a hot debate with a group of
hostile religious leaders Jesus said, “Your father
Abraham rejoiced to see My day; and he saw it, and
was glad” (John 8:56).
In their rush to react in
emotional excitement they weren’t paying attention
to what Jesus said so they concluded, “You are not
yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” (v.
57).
In response to their question
Jesus made one of the most profound statements about
His deity. “Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was born, I AM” (v. 58).
Who is this man? Is He God? Who
is this “I AM”? Who is Jesus Christ?
Make no mistake Jesus was
claiming to have existed before the Jewish patriarch
Abraham was born. He was claiming an eternal
preexistence—“Before Abraham was born, I am.”
When Jesus used the name “I AM”
He was actually using the divine name by which the
God of Israel had revealed Himself to Moses at the
burning bush (Exodus 3:13-14). God revealed Himself
to Moses as “I am who I am.” “I AM” is the name for
God that Jesus takes to Himself. With this name for
deity He claimed to be Yahweh which is the very word
for Jehovah or LORD.
The Jews listening to Jesus
immediately recognized His claim to be God. The
Jewish leaders knew what Jesus was saying. They
clearly understood His speech. Because they were so
inferioritied, they picked up stones to kill Him for
blasphemy.
This was not the only time
Jesus directly or indirectly claimed to be God’s
equal.
Jesus said, "Do not think that
I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I
have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them"
(Matt. 5:17). Everything Jesus taught when referring
to the Old Testament related indirectly to His claim
to deity. Luke 24:25-27, 45-47 makes this claim of
Jesus quite clear.
When Jesus forgave sins, He was
well aware that He was claiming to do what only
Jehovah can do. As God, He claimed to be able to
send the Holy Spirit of God to indwell His
followers.
But Jesus even claimed a unique
relationship with the heavenly Father. No Jew in
Jesus' day ever spoke of God directly as "my
Father.” Jesus clearly was the exception. He claimed
an exclusive relationship to the Father.
“I and the Father are one” (Jn.
10:30). Because of His unique relationship with the
Father, He taught His disciples to refer to the
Father as “our Father who art in heaven.”
Moreover, Jesus equated a
person’s attitude toward Himself as His attitude to
God. To known Him was to know God the Father (Jn.
8:19; 14:9, 16-17). To look into the face of Jesus
was to see God (Jn. 12:45; 14:9). To trust in Him
was to believe in God (Jn. 12:44; 14:1). To reject
Him is to reject God and His offer of eternal life
(Jn. 15:23; 1 Jn. 4:15). To worship Him was to honor
and worship God the Father (Jn. 5:23; 1 Jn. 4:2-3).
Ultimately your response to the
question “Who is Jesus Christ?” determines where you
will spend eternity.
If Jesus is God, He has a right
to my allegiance. If not I can well afford to pay no
attention to Him. But what if Jesus really is God?
Then you cannot afford to be indifferent. He did not
leave us with that option.
Will it be God in the flesh, or
your own god?
If it is self you may gain the
whole world, but you will lose your own soul in
hell.
Have you responded, “My Lord
and my God!”? Is He your Adonai! Elohim! Yahweh!
Jehovah! LORD?
What do you choose to do with
Jesus?
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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