The Sixth Day of Advent

The Sixth Day of Advent

Friday, December 8, 2017

Jesus said unto them,

“Verily, verily I say unto you.

Before Abraham was. I am.”

John 8:58

Sometimes the uninformed want to argue that Jesus never claimed to be God. They credit him with being a good teacher and a kind man, but they are unprepared to admit that he is God or that he believed himself to be God. Obviously they have not heard – really heard – the above verse.

Do you remember when Moses was up on a mountain and God told him to go down to the people because he was going to use him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? Moses quaked in his sandals and timidly responded that the people would never believe such a message. And he asked who he should say had given him such a message. God’s response was very brief and to the point: “I AM who I AM.”

Today’s Scripture from John follows a long conversation with the scribes and Pharisees about Abraham. Finally, they confront Jesus about how he could know and say the things that he was saying. After all, Abraham had lived centuries before. How could he know and say the things he did about Abraham? They were totally unprepared for his answer!

“Before Abraham was, I AM.” This was no unfamiliar verse to them. They knew it well! Every male child of Israel could quote that verse and the ones leading up to it from Exodus 3. The name became such a holy one to them that they did not speak it or write it. “I AM that I AM” was the name of God.

They had asked Jesus how he knew that Abraham looked forward to the day they were now in, and he did not answer, “I was,” or “I was there.” No, he answered in the same way that God had answered Moses! “Before Abraham was, I am.” His declaration was so clear to them that they took up rocks to stone him for blasphemy! They were so intent on killing him for his words that he had to bodily remove himself – maybe even supernaturally – from their presence so that they could not take his life in the manner in which God had not intended. Oh, they would take it. But not by stoning and in God’s time and manner: “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32)

Imagine! That the tiny, innocent baby depicted on many Christmas cards was/is the great I AM.

Father, the one who was and is and is to be, the great I AM, we thank you that you would come here to us as a tiny child, making yourself vulnerable, subjecting yourself to the cruelty of creatures who should have bowed to you in awe and worship. Thank you for coming. Thank you for making it so clear to us exactly who you are. Thank you for forgiving us when we don’t recognize you. Amen.

The Light of the World
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, 2008,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator.