Do You Believe Jesus is Who He Claimed to Be?

⁵¹Do You Believe Jesus is Who He Claimed to Be?

Morning Friends,

There are seven I am statements in the Bible. The one in today’s text is perhaps the most explicit claim of the deity of Jesus. These statements are designed to bring people to a point of belief and conviction about Jesus…that the Father and the Son were one. We look at it against the backdrop of a passage from Genesis about a covenant of faith and a passage from Matthew about the assignment we have been given as Christians. And the fusion of the three forces us as a matter of faith to either accept or reject Jesus. There is no middle ground when it comes to Jesus. He was either a mad man or God. And if we believe then have been invited to share the reality and experience of the choice we make. We must act and love…trust and obey. While still finding the logic of the choice, I for one, by the grace of God, have been given the gift of the path of joy. I choose because of the joy I experience based on faith in the grace of God. So, Do You Believe Jesus is Who He Claimed to Be?

Scripture:
³Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, ⁴‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁵No longer shall your name be Abram,^* but your name shall be Abraham;^* for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. ⁶I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. ⁷I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring^* after you. ⁸And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’9 God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

Genesis 17:3-9 (NRSV)

Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ ⁵²The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” ⁵³Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ ⁵⁴Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, ⁵⁵though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. ⁵⁶Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ⁵⁷Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’^*
58Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ ⁵⁹So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

John 8:51-59 (NRSV)

¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Matthew 28:19 (NRSV)

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Message: How is it that without money and arms, without modern science or a college education that Jesus conquered more than any person ever to walk on this planet? How is it that he shed more light on things human and divine than all the great philosophers? How is it that the words he spoke prompted more pens in motion and discussions and works of art and songs and music of praise than all the great armies that have ever existed? It is clear that Jesus’ influence on history and culture of this world is unmatched. But this success did not come easy. It came with a great price, considerable disagreement and controversy. Jesus was constantly pitted against the laws of Moses. Constantly plagued by the Romans. Friends, Jesus is who he claimed to be. So believe, but also know it is not about cold doctrine. A world with precise doctrines, a world without love and faith and trust is a world without God. Know that we are to open our hearts to the joy of Jesus. Know that God is the good foundation for our future. He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit and gives us balance in our journey, our pursuit of the life that is really life. Believe.

Pray we experience a hunger for Jesus like a loaf of fresh baked bread after a fast. Pray we believe in Him like a light that appears out of the darkness to lead us home. Pray we experience Him giving us a new opportunity like entering a door that opens to the touch of our belief into a brand new life. The bread of life. Pray we experience Jesus guiding us to still waters and green pastures. Pray that when we feel lost we experience His Way answering the deepest questions of life. Pray we are connected to the energy and source of life that brings out the beauty and joy of our hearts. Pray we believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing we gain a life everlasting. Pray we place our trust in Christ in the new covenant and joy of love. Pray we ask the Lord of grace to give us the faith to believe.

Blessings,

John Lawson