Howdy,
You know who can talk about “I”?
I AM.
That’s Who.
“I AM WHO I AM.”
That’s what God told Moses when He introduced Himself. That’s what God said His name was and the name Moses should use when laying down the authority of who sent him when his countrymen enslaved back in Egypt asked Moses why they should listen to him.
Not totally related, but since writing “I of the Tiger” I did some study of Jesus’ “I Am” statements. My brother, David—Pastor Dave, as some call him, but I’m not yet used to the Dave for David; I can easily go with Dave-o or many other things we brothers call the youngest, but I’m not natural with Hawesendaz being Dave Hawes—shared a look at a list for a series of “I Am” sermons, with Scripture references, and I went through it.
Here’s that list and some of what I noted from the Biblical passages:
—I am (before Abraham). [Exodus 3; John 8:25-59.]
—I am the Bread of Life. [John 6; Exodus 16.]
—I am the Light of the World. [John 8:12-20.]
—I am the Good Shepherd/Door. [John 10:1-18; Psalm 23.]
—I am the Resurrection and the Life. [John 11; Ephesians 2.]
—I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. [John 14:1-14.]
—I am the True Vine. [John 15:1-11.]
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:14).
—I am (before Abraham). [Exodus 3; John 8:25-59.]
- I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 3:6
- Who?: “I AM WHO I AM.” 3:14
- Who are you?: From the Father. 8:25-27
- … Truth will set you free. 8:31-32
- “Before Abraham was, I am.” 8:58. They picked up stones to stone Jesus—they knew what He inferred.
—I am the Bread of Life. [John 6; Exodus 16.]
- 12 baskets left over. (King, people want to make Him their kind of king.)
- Seeking Him (Jesus) for more loaves, 6:26. Food for eternal life. 6:27
- Manna (their fathers) = “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.” Bread of God. I am the bread of life. 6:35, 6:48-58
- Exodus: rain bread from heaven (Manna).
—I am the Light of the World. [John 8:12-20.]
- “Have the light of life.” 8:12
- I and the Father who sent Me. 8:16
- No one arrested Him. 8:20
—I am the Good Shepherd/Door. [John 10:1-18; Psalm 23.]
- “I am the door of the sheep.” 10:7
- “I am the door.” 10:9
- “I am the good shepherd.” 10:11 (2x)
- “I lay down my life for the sheep.” 10:15
- “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Ps. 23:1
—I am the Resurrection and the Life. [John 11; Ephesians 2.]
- The death of Lazarus (“It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be be glorified through it.” 11:4)
- Disciples afraid for Jesus because of the Jews seeking to stone Him.
- Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” 11:25-26
- “Christ, the Son of God.” 11:27
- “Jesus wept.” 11:35 (Shortest verse in the Bible: Jesus wept.)
- See the glory of God. 11:40
- Father sent Jesus. 11:42
- “Lazarus, come out.” 11:43
- Some Jews believed, some went to the Pharisees, to tell.
- 11:49-53: So, so, ironic about Jesus’ dying.
- Ephesians: dead in the trespasses and sins—God made us alive together with Christ, by grace; raised us up with Him.
—I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. [John 14:1-14.]
- “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.” 14:1
- Father’s house: many rooms
- “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” 14:6
- Know Jesus, know the Father: and have seen Him. 14:7
—I am the True Vine. [John 15:1-11.]
- Father the vinedresser, cutting and pruning for fruit bearing.
- “Abide in Me, and I in you.” 15:4. Abide. Abide. Abide.
- Abide, and bear fruit—that the Father be glorified.
- “… I loved you. Abide in my love.” 15:9
- Keep commandments = abide … “that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” 15:10-11
—Billy
Reading. Writing. Living.
Word Count: 185,591 / On Pace: 183,700 / Year’s Goal: 200,000
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