Jesus is God - Part 2

Exodus 3:14 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.’ ”

 

John 8:46-59 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.” Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 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’ arguers could convict Him of committing a single sin, yet they would not believe the truth that He told. They did not have hears that hear the truth. They insultingly accuse Him of being a half-breed and demonic. But, Jesus states that all He intends to do is honor His heavenly Father and all they intend to do is dishonor Him. He explains that He is not seeking His own glory [that wasn’t the purpose that He came], but there is One [God] who seeks righteousness and judges all sin. Hell is the default for sin, but Jesus proclaim that He has the words to eternal life. The Jews counter because Jesus states whoever keeps His word shall never die, yet their patriarch Abraham and all them prophets of God died, asking: are you than them? Who do you think that you are? Jesus avows that it is their God who honors Him, but that they do not really know Him. But, Jesus knows Him and keeps God’s Word. 

 

Then Jesus declares that father Abraham rejoiced to see Jesus’ [Messianic, earthly] day, was shown it [in advance] and was elated to see it. The Jews know and state that because of His age, that Jesus could never have seen Abraham face to face. Then Jesus drops the big news that He could and did see Abraham because He is the eternal “I AM” [God of heaven] incarnate – in the flesh. The Jews immediately recognized Jesus claim to be Creator God and declared His proclamation as blasphemy. “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” The Truth, the Word, was standing right in from of them, but they rejected the Truth. They picked up rocks to kill the man, but the God-Man simply slipped from their sight, went through the midst of them and passed by. Don’t let Jesus pass by you. Jesus is God in the flesh, God with us. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Him.

 

In Christ, Brian