Sermon Central
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No Ordinary Man
Contributed by Mark Aarssen on Oct 19, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus went to great lengths to validate his identity by using his name which is synonymous with God’s name. Jesus told his listeners plainly who he was by name but they did not make the connection. Have you mistaken His identity?
No Ordinary Man
What is in a name? Well a name says a lot about a person and it is necessary to correctly identify one person from another. Just try getting over the border by using a name or abbreviated name and see what happens to you.
Just the other day I needed the name of a long lost pet cat that my son used to have. Neither my wife nor I could remember it like I say it was my sons cat. I finally had to call my son to confirm the name and when I did I was surprised to find that I was spelling it different than he was. But it sounded the same. That’s what they call a synonym.
Not cinnamon like you put on apple sauce or cappuccino.
The cats name was Stewart and I was spelling it S-t-u-a-r-t but in fact the correct spelling was S-t-e-w-a-r-t. It really did make a difference since it was information that was vital for my old password on the computer. I had been trying several variations for about an hour when I finally broke down and called my son to get the correct information.
The point of all this has to do with the name that Jesus applied to himself. In the scripture passage of John Chapter 4 we find that Jesus does in fact claim to be the Messiah of Israel.
There are a lot of people that I have run into over the years who often claim that Jesus never claimed to be God or the Messiah. But today you and I will discover that is just not the case as Jesus went to great lengths to validate his identity by using his name which is synonymous with Gods name.
The people who were listening only heard what they wanted to hear just like I did when I heard the name Stuart.
First lets see just why they had that problem.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this peoples heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.
9 He said, Go and tell this people: Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.
Another example of how the bible is self validating.
Now back to Gods name and Jesus name being the same. We have to look at:
14 God said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.
This is one of seven names that the Bible gives to God and that God gives to himself. They are the same seven used in the Jewish Torah. It is the first person reference to God.
This same name was used by Jesus in the book of John seven different times and it was the use of this name that the Jewish religious leaders objected to.
Seven I AM Statements of Jesus
I AM the bread of life. John 6:35: Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:48: I am the bread of life.
I AM the light of the world John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
John 9:5: While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
I AM the door. John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
I AM the good shepherd John 10:11-14
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me....
I AM the resurrection and the life John 11:25
Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.
