Sermon Central
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I Am
Contributed by Howard Gunter on May 13, 2018 (message contributor)
Summary: It is because Jesus included HIS followers in the umbrella of that name I AM - that we can bond together as Christians today.
Weekend Message/Devotion
May 13, 2018
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
I AM
Today’s gospel reading from John comes right on the heels of our mid-week message/devotion: Either You Got It or You Don’t, expositorily taken from 1 John5:19-13. That message addresses how we sometimes try to fake our dedication and righteousness. It also goes deep enough to include a reference out and out fakers.
Today, we are looking at John’s writings dealing with Christ praying for His disciples and sharing divine teachings among the eleven.
Jesus prays, “I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them.”
Verse 8
Then Jesus continues in prayer, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.” Verse 9
How does that prayer line up with John 3:16? “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
My study and meditating on this brings me to understand that Jesus did then and does today love the world. He is praying here very specifically for the eleven disciples. Jesus already understands that they will be afraid and feel alone. His desire and prayer are for God the Father to divinely keep this bonded group of men holy and separate from the world and though they remain in the world they not be drawn back into the worldly ways of those around them. “I kept them in your name” verse 12
What name comes to mind? How about the great name of God: I AM? Now we who strive to be clothed in that name, understand more so what that means. I am always drawn back to that Praise and Worship song: “I Am A Friend of God” “He Calls Me Friend”.
If we are to truly be worthy of that name, we are striving to be more like those eleven men, who gave their all in trying to live up to that same name. They continued in ministry. They sacrificed all that they had. They went about sharing the WORD of God and performing acts of healing, exorcism, mercy and all that they could, even in the face of rejection and persecution. How many of us do that?
Jesus gave them the Word of God. What they do with it?
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16
“knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21
The more we read and study, the more we see victory and joy in overcoming. I am finding out that if I am going to be victorious and find that joy in overcoming, I must first live up to that name: IAM.
Let us pray -
