Sermon Illustrations

"I AM"

In the book Life of Christ, the author on page 32 states the following about "The Great I Am":

We can see that John's aim is two-fold. On one-hand, he seeks to demonstrate that Jesus is "The Messiah, the Son of God." On the other, he wants people to know the true identity of Jesus, so that "you will have true life." When God commanded Moses to lead Israel out of slavery in Egypt, Moses asked what God's name was. God replied, "Tell them that the Lord, whose name is 'I AM,' has sent you (Exodus 3:13-15). Jesus shows that he has been in God's plan from the beginning when he said: "Even before Abraham was, I was, and I am." (John 8:58).

In John's Gospel, Jesus uses the term "I am" to connect himself to aspects of God's nature and to identify himself as the one who:

* Supplies all needs

* Brings the knowledge about God to all people

* Is the way for people to find God and become God's people

* Promises that all who believe in him will have eternal life

* Invites everyone to share in the common life as the new people of God

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