Today we celebrate “Father’s Day” but there are many single fathers who play the role of dad & mom and many single mothers who play the role mom & dad…
As parents we travel through a whole new level of love and fear, nothing is the same as it once was, even the most familiar mundane things like the street lights are different when you become a parent, when we become parents our entire world becomes a totally new place, it probably seems more dangerous for most of us, we wear our seatbelts more, we sell the motorcycle, the atvs and the jet skis… we stop at yellow lights and we don’t ever take chances, at least not in the beginning…
it was no different for Mary, this was her baby boy, her first true love so to say.
Mary is just like any other mom or dad, except for the fact that her Son was the Messiah…
But what does that mean if you are not familiar with Who the Messiah is. We know that Messiah is our Lord Jesus Christ, but who exactly is our LORD Jesus Christ?
Our LORD Jesus Christ is both GOD and Man.
HE is Undiminished Deity and True humanity in one person forever.
Let’s look at Him with a little more detail and the way we are going to do this is Q&A style: ( we have allot of info for you this morning so you may want to have your pen and paper handy or you can always review these notes on our website gbible.org)
Let’s give our Heavenly Father the greatest gift we can give to Him and that is to get to know Who and What His Son, His most precious Gift, is and show our appreciation.
Here is the greatest Father’s Day gift of all time, this is the G-GOAT:
- Q: Who is omnipotent?
A: 1CH 29:11, God is.
: PHI 3:21, J.C. is all powerful and all is subject to Him.
PHI 3:21 "who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."
The Messiah our Lord Jesus Christ is omnipotent.
- Q: Who is omniscient?
A: 1JO 3:20, God knows all things.: COL 2:3, JC has all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
COL 2:3 "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
- Q: Who is the Lord of the Sabbath?
A: GEN 2:3, God is.: MAT 12:8, the Son of Man is the Lord of the Sabbath.
COL 2:3 "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
"All" the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Jesus. Paul expressed similar words in:
ROM 11:33: "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!"
- Q: Who is the only creator?
A: ISA 44:24, the Lord (Jehovah) is maker of all things.: COL 1:16, by Him (JC) all things were created.
COL 1:16 "for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him."
- Q: Who is the only Savior?
A: ISA 43:11, Jehovah says no Savior beside me.: ACT 4:12, no salvation in no one else but Jesus Christ.
ACT 4:12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.'"
- Q: Who will judge mankind?
A: ISA 3:13, Jehovah.: 2CO 5:20, we must all appear before judgment seat of Christ.
2CO 5:20 "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
- Q: Who will judge between the sheep and the goats?
A: Eze 34;17, the Lord God: MAT 25:31-34, TLJC will judge between the sheep and the goats (believers and unbelievers)
- Q: Who sent the prophets?
A: JER 7:25, the Lord: MAT 23:34, TLJC said He was sending prophets.
MAT 23:34 "'Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,"
- Q: Who resurrected Jesus?
A: ACT 4:10, God: JOH 2:20-21, TLJC to raise the temple of His body in three days.
Many times in the gospels, Jesus makes comments about spiritual issues, which are misinterpreted in a physical sense, this is one of those occasions:
John 2:20 "The Jews then said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?'"
JOH 2:21 "But He was speaking about the temple of His body."
- Q: Who is coming in glory?
A: ISA 40:5, the Lord : MAT 24:30, the Son of Man will come in the clouds with power and glory.
MAT 24:30 "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory."
- Q: Who is our Father?
A: ISA 63:16, Jehovah: ISA 9:6, a child will be born to us…and His name shall be wonderful… eternal Father.
ISA 9:6 "For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
- Q: Who is the rock of salvation?
A: 2SA 22:32, our God.: rock was Christ
2SA 22:32 "For who is God, except the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?"
- Q: Who is the stone of stumbling?
A: ISA 8:13-15, Jehovah: 1PE 2:8, Jesus Christ.
1PE 2:8 "and, 'A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE'; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this they were also appointed."
- Q: Who was the One crying in the wilderness, He came to clear a way for whom?
A: ISA 40:3, for Jehovah: MAT 3:3, Jesus Christ.
MAT 3:3 "For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, 'THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’?'"
Notice how Matthew makes the connection between the experiences of the nation of Israel and the life of Jesus.
- Q: Who is eternal?
A: GEN 21:33, the Lord, the eternal God.: Micah 5:2, Jesus Christ
MIC 5:2 "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.'"
- Q: Who is the fountain of living waters?
A: JER 17:13, Jehovah: JOH 4:14, Jesus Christ.
JOH 4:14 "but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.'"
- Q: Who resurrects the dead?
A: ACT 26:8, God: JOH 6:40, Jesus Christ
JOH 6:40, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.'"
In this verse our Lord makes a clear statement on the doctrine of eternal security.
- Q: Who gives rewards to man?
A: ISA 40:10, the Lord God.: MAT 16:27, Jesus Christ.
Matthew 16:27, NASB: "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS." The bible also refers to this as “the Day of the Lord.”
The clear implication to this verse is that those who have lived for themselves alone will be repaid with judgment. Those who have taken up the cross of self-denial to follow Jesus will receive a reward.
- Q: Who has all authority and power?
A: 1CH 29:11, the Lord : MAT 28:18, Jesus Christ.
MAT 28:18 "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me."
This verse and the two to follow at the end of Matthew's gospel are often called together "The Great Commission."
In this passage, Matthew 28, Jesus will now give them the authority—and the responsibility—to represent Him and His salvation to the world.
Luke also tells us this in Luke 9:1:
- Q: Who gives power and authority to man?
A: PSA 68:35, God of Israel (Elohim): LUK 9:1, Jesus Christ.
LUK 9:1 "Now He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons, and the power to heal diseases."
- Q: Who forgives sin?
A: 2CH 7:14, God : MAT 9:6, Jesus Christ.
MAT 9:6 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins'—then He *said to the paralyzed man, 'Get up, pick up your stretcher and go home.'"
- Q: Who sent the Holy Spirit?
A: JOH 14:6, God: JOH 16:7, Jesus Christ.
JOH 16:7 "But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you."
- Q: Who has the greatest name?
A: NEH 9:5, the Lord God: PHI 2:9, Jesus Christ.
PHI 2:9 "For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,"
- Q: Who are we to worship?
A: EXO 34:14, the Lord your God: REV 5:12-13, the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.
REV 5:12 "saying with a loud voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.'"
REV 5:13 "And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying, 'To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.'"
- Q: Who is the good shepherd?
A: GEN 48:15, God: JOH 10:14, Jesus Christ.
JOH 10:14 "I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,"
- Q: Who searches for the lost sheep of Israel?
A: EZE 34:11, Jehovah Elohim: MAT 15:24, Jesus Christ.
MAT 15:24 "But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'"
Just one thing I would like to point out about this passage to help understand is that:
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus acted with a crystal-clear sense of His purpose.
Eventually, all nations of earth would be blessed through Israel, in the person of Jesus, as the Son of God gave His life as the sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
For that to happen, however, Jesus needs to accomplish certain things within the people of Israel.
So, for now, Jesus has come to serve and heal God's chose people as the promised Messiah.
Only after our Lord Jesus Christ’ own people officially reject Him will the offer be made for all to come into the family of God through faith in Christ (JOH 1:11–12).
- Q: Who is the Lord of lords?
A: DEU 10:17, the Lord your God (Jehovah Elohim): REV 17:14, the Lamb, TLJC.
REV 17:14 "These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.'"
- Q: To whom shall every knee bow?
A: ISA 45:22-23, God: PHI 2:10, the name of Jesus.
PHI 2:10 "so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,"
- Q: Who is the righteous branch of David?
A: JER 23:5-6, the Lord our righteous God: JER 33:15, the Lord Jesus Christ
JER 33:15 "In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch of David sprout; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth."
- Q: Who alone is holy?
A: 1SA 2:2, the Lord Jehovah: ACT 3:14, Jesus Christ.
ACT 3:14 "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,"
1SA 2:2 "There is no one holy like the LORD, Indeed, there is no one besides You, Nor is there any rock like our God."
- Q: Who’s blood cleanses us?
A: ACT 20:28, God’s blood: 1JO 1:7, blood of Jesus, His Son.
1JO 1:7 "but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin."
I get a kick out of how some pastors say 1 John 1:9 is for the unbeliever, but 1 John 1:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, are for the believer… but not 1 John 1:9… we here at gbible know that 1 John 1:9 is for the believer and for the believer only! – enough about that for now
- Q: The world was created for whom?
A: PRO 16:4, Lord Jehovah: COL 1:16, “Him” TLJC
COL 1:16 "for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him."
- Q: Who is above all?
A: NEH 9:6, Lord Jehovah: ROM 9:5, Christ.
ROM 9:5 "whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen."
The fact that Christ is God is the very truth that Israel as a nation had rejected.
Paul insists that God honored the Israelites by sending His own Son to earth as a Jewish man, a descendant of Abraham and of David. However, they rejected Him.
I love what Nehemiah 9:6 says:
NEH 9:6 "You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their lights, The earth and everything that is on it, The seas and everything that is in them. You give life to all of them, And the heavenly lights bow down before You."
- Q: Who is forever the same?
A: PSA 102:24-27, God: HEB 1:8-12, Jesus Christ.
HEB 1:8 But regarding the Son He says, “Your throne, God, is forever and ever, And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of His kingdom.
HEB 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your companions.”
HEB 1:10 And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
HEB 1:11 They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will wear out like a garment,
HEB 1:12 And like a robe You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same, And Your years will not come to an end.”
- Q: Who is “the” way or “the” truth or “the” life?
A: PSA 16:11, God: JOH 14:6, Jesus Christ.
JOH 14:6 "Jesus *said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me."
Each component of this statement is given a definite article; both Greek and English refer to "the" way, "the" truth, and "the" life.
There is no possibility of translating this comment as Jesus being "one way," or "a truth," or just "life."
He doubles down on the idea, in fact, by emphasizing that nobody comes to God "except through [Christ]."
Our next one has been popular with our recent study:
- Q: Who is in charge of the angels?
A: PSA 103:20, God: 2TH 1:7, Jesus Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:7, NASB: "and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels"
- Q: Who gives us rest?
A: EXO 33:14, God: MAT 11:28, Jesus Christ.
MAT 11:28 "'Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Our Lord offers to carry our burdens, all we have to do is let Him.
- Q: Who gives eternal life?
A: PRO 19:23, God: JOH 3:36, Jesus Christ.
JOH 3:36 "The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.'"
All translations of John 3:36 imply that this rejection of Christ is a deliberate action.
The original Greek word, apeithōn, means "rejecting belief," "refusing obedience," or "refusing to be convinced."
God wants people to be saved (2 Peter 3:9), not destroyed (Ezekiel 18:23).
So, He makes Himself visible enough to encourage people to seek Him (Psalm 19:1), and hidden enough that those who want to make excuses can do so (2 Peter 3:3-5; Romans 1:28).
Ultimately, those who die separated from God are those who want to be separated from Him (Jeremiah 29:13; Acts 17:27).
- Q: We are the bride to whom?
A: ISA 54:5, God: 2CO 11:2, Jesus Christ.
2CO 11:2 "For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ."
And finally, this is where I will turn it over to DJM to answer our final Father’s Day gift question:
40 Q: Who is the great I am?
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the heart. of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man or woman of God may be mature, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Therefore, "Study to show yourselves approved unto God, workmen, or workwomen that needeth not to be ashamed, (ever), rightly dividing the word of truth."
Please open your bibles to the book of John, chapter 8.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is Undiminished Deity and True Humanity, in one person forever, -- we know this as the Hypostatic Union.
Exodus 3:14 "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM'; and He said, 'This is what you shall say to the sons of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’?'"
John 8:58 "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'"
Now, as we have been taught before, there are few different doctrinal principles that are found in John 15:1.
In Joh 15:1 we read "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”
These Principles are:
- Our Lord is called the “True Vine” because the word True refers to His character and nature and the word Vine refers to His divine essence as the God of All Truth; Deu 32:4.
- The way that we can draw spiritual life is from learning how our Lord, in His humanity, drew His energy and motivation from living the spiritual life and fulfilling the divine plan of God.
- The “True Vine” also points to His Deity which is derived from the first part of verse 1, when as He said; JOH 15:1 “I Am” the true vine.
Notice that phrase “I Am.”
This morning we are going to take a look at The Greek phrase “ego eimi” which means "I am" in the original Greek language as it is used in certain passages such as one of the most popular passage in the Gospels, which we just saw:
JOH 8:58 “Before Abraham was born, [ego eimi] I am."
Please turn to John 8, we will be reading John 8:44-59
Now, in Joh 8:44, we read that our Lord said to the scribes and the Pharisees; Joh 8:44 "You are of {your} father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own {nature;} for he is a liar, and the father of lies.
Then our Lord says in JOH 8:47 "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear {them,} because you are not of God."
JOH 8:48 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"
JOH 8:49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.
JOH 8:50 "But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
(Truly, truly - Listen up)
JOH 8:51 "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." (Truly, truly - Listen up)
JOH 8:52 The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets {also}; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.'
JOH 8:53 "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out {to be}?"
JOH 8:54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God';
JOH 8:55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word.
JOH 8:56 "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw {it} and was glad."
JOH 8:57 The Jews therefore said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"
JOH 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
JOH 8:59 Therefore, they who were listening picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
”They” (JOH 8:59) refers to those self-righteous legalistic losers who live in self-justification and operation blame game.
And so in JOH 8:59, we read the reaction of the so-called lovable religious leaders, self-righteous legalistic losers, blame game operators, in our Lord’s day; Therefore, they who were listening picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple.
Since we are in the Gospel of John please turn the pages forward to, John chapter 10, we are going to read verses 27-36 JOH 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;
JOH 10:28 and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.
JOH 10:29 "My Father, who has given {them} to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch {them} out of the Father's hand. (Salvation is never lost)
JOH 10:30 "I and the Father are one." (Greek says one and the same)
JOH 10:31 The Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
JOH 10:32 Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?"
JOH 10:33 The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out {to be} God."
(And yes that’s exactly what He did!)
JOH 10:34 Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'? (Here Jesus was giving it back to them because He knew their law)
JOH 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
JOH 10:36 do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? (this time He makes it even more clear)
In JOH 10:36, our Lord said in Hebrew; “Huios; so we have “Huios [Son] tou [the] theou [of God] eimi – [I Am].
Now, We do not say “Son of the God I Am” or “I keep on being,”, instead we put it in the correct order as it appears in the English translations which is “I Am the Son of God” or “I keep on being the Son of God.”
So, again, this third principle refers to the Great I Am.
(I am the Vine, I am the Resurrection and the Life, I am the Son of God, I am the Bread of life, I am the Light of the world, I am the Salt of the earth, and so forth and so on)
The “True Vine” points to His Deity which is derived from the first part of verse 1, when as He said; JOH 15:1 “I Am” the true vine.
Now, before we document the fourth principle let me introduce you to “The great I am.”
And there are also a few different ways that we can describe the phrase “I Am” as it refers to the -- spiritual ---significance --of the phrase “I Am.”
In fact, I am going to give you some passages and principles just from the Gospel of John concerning what the phrase “I Am” meant to the disciples.
Let me remind you that this was used as a title, “I am” was used as a title.
Being Jewish, most of them had been taught even as children, the passage on the “Great I Am;” Exo 3:1-14.
Please turn to the book of Exodus, chapter 3.
We are going to read verses 1 through 14.
That passage is found beginning in Exo 3:1 where we read, Exo 3:1 Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father‑in‑law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
EXO 3:2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed.
(As we have been well taught we call this a theophany, the burning bush.)
EXO 3:3 So Moses said, "I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up."
EXO 3:4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Notice He called Moses twice here in this verse.
EXO 3:5 Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
EXO 3:6 He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
EXO 3:7 And the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.
EXO 3:8 "So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.
EXO 3:9 "And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.
EXO 3:10 "Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt."
EXO 3:11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?"
Remember Moses didn’t have confidence, he even had a stutter, he didn’t feel worthy… sometimes we may not feel worthy, but we have to accept the fact that God chosen you… and you might say chosen me for what? He has chosen you and I to be part of His glorious plan! Taking place as we speak
Back to EXO 3:12 And He said, "Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain."
EXO 3:13 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?"
Here it is in EXO 3:14 And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you." XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
So, once again --- Let me introduce to you The Great I Am.
- As the Great I Am, our Lord is our spiritual food; JOH 6:35 Jesus said, "I AM the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger.”
The word hunger is the aorist active subjunctive of peinao (pi-nah'-o); which means to crave; to desire something; to have an overwhelming yearning or burning that is not being met.
One of the great forms of contentment and inner happiness is found when believers are totally satisfied and thankful for the fact that the Lord has provided everything we would ever need.
He is the only One that can satisfy that hunger.
So. What does this all mean to us?
This means that we know where we are going!
When we get to where we’re going, we know where we are going to be and we also know what to expect to see.
Please turn to Matthew 11
When God reveals Himself to people they don’t always know its God, it doesn’t come to them in the form they expect. Let me illustrate this in Matthew 11:8-11.
MAT 11:7 And as these were going away, Jesus began to speak to the multitudes about John, "What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind?
MAT 11:8 "But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft {clothing}? Behold, those who wear soft {clothing} are in kings' palaces.
MAT 11:9 "But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet.
MAT 11:10 "This is the one about whom it is written, 'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.'
MAT 11:11 "Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen {anyone} greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Again,
- As the Great I Am, our Lord is our spiritual food; JOH 6:35 Jesus said, "I AM the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger.”
- As the Great I Am, our Lord is also the spiritual drink we need to quench our thirst for righteousness and intimacy with our Lord; Joh 6:35.
- As the Great I Am, our Lord said, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."
The presence of “The Great I Am” gives us the guidance and directions we need to “walk in the Spirit;” or “worship in the Spirit;” or “love in the Spirit;” or “live in the Spirit” or “justified in the Spirit.
It’s all backed up in scripture.
“Walk in the Spirit” = Gal 5:16
“Worship in the Spirit” = Phi 3:3
“Love in the Spirit” = Col 1:8
“Live in the Spirit” = 1Pe 4:6
“Justified in the Spirit” = 1Co 6:11.
- As the Great I Am, our Lord is also said to be from above; JOH 8:23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.
Once you truly understand the doctrine of positional truth then you will also understand your dual citizenship.
What is your dual citizenship?
It is the fact that you are a citizen of the country or the nation that you live in as well as a citizen of Heaven.
Our earthly citizenship is taught in Rom 13:1 Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.
(Like we just saw in our prophecy study - when Christ told Pilate that all authority was given to him from above…)
Notice the word subjection……it is one of the main principles that allows a nation to become a Client Nation which is to respect the laws of Divine establishment.
It is the subjection and the respect for authority that the Apostle Paul talks about in Rom 13:1-7.
So, that is the first part of our citizenship, which is the fact that most of us are citizens of the nation we live in.
Next we have our heavenly citizenship in Phi 3:20-21
Phi 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
PHI 3:21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
- As the Great I Am, our Lord also said that we were or we use to be of this world, but the "Great I Am” said in Joh 8:23b I am not of this world.
He never was – is – or will ever be of this Cosmos.
He is not of this world just like we are not of this world and that is why we are told in passages like GAL 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
And that is why The life which we now live in the flesh we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us, and delivered Himself up for us.
And that is why we read in JOH 14:19 "After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you {will} behold Me; because I live, you shall live also.
JOH 14:20 "In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
Go forward to 2 Cor. 4:7-12
2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;
2CO 4:8 {we are} afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
2CO 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
2CO 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
2CO 4:11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
2CO 4:12 So death works in us, but life in you.
- The Great I Am, our Lord Jesus Christ also said that unless we believe that He is the “I Am” we will die in our sins and we will be undegenerated or not born again; JOH 8:24.
JOH 8:24 "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am {He}, you shall die in your sins."
Faith alone in Christ alone.
- The “I Am” also uses that title to reveal that the we must not only believe that He is the “I Am,” but, we must also recognize Him as Almighty God Himself; JOH 8:24; Rom 10:7-13.
You have faith that Jesus Christ is God.
"Unless one believes that the “I Am” is “The Great I Am, then they we will die in their sin of rejecting Him; Joh 3:18, 36; 16:7-11.
We don’t just say them (scripture) --- to say them, check them out for yourselves.
- The “I Am” title also reveals the eternity of our Lord, because in JOH 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."
And that simply means “I Am He!”
This simply means we believe that He is the Great I Am.
- As the great I Am, our Lord gives us the light and the guidance to see and perceive the will of God. JOH 9:5 "I am the light of the world." We have the light to guide us…
- As the great I Am he claimed to be the one that the Jews were waiting for in JOH 9:9 Jesus kept saying, "I am the one."
Over and over again our Lord spoke like the Son of God, lived like the Son of God because He knew He was the ONE the Jews have been waiting for.
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- The I Am also opens up some of the doors and also closes or shuts other doors, why? Because in Joh 10:11 Jesus said I am the door of the sheep.
Our Lord wants us to go through certain doors and He will close other doors so that His sheep hear His voice and respond rather than react.
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- As the I Am --- our Lord also protects us, His sheep, from the wolves; Joh 10:11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.
Remember, -- some of the warnings we were given.
We were told to stay away from Hymenaeus (HI-May-Nai-As) and Alexander, 1Ti 1:18-20.
1Ti 1:18 This command I entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may fight the good fight,
1TI 1:19 keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
1TI 1:20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan, so that they may be taught not to blaspheme.
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Look at this next great passage in 2TI 4:10, the apostle Paul warns the sheep to beware of Demas, who loved this present world, and has deserted the apostle Paul and Demas had gone to Thessalonica to spread more lies just like the Demas’ that are around today.
Betrayer! [ Also known as pauls judas]
Liars!
Phonies!
Hypocrites;
Let us look at 2TI 4:14 -18.
2TI 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
2TI 4:15 Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
2TI 4:16 At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them.
2TI 4:17 But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.
2TI 4:18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him {be} the glory forever and ever. Amen.
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Notice 13. The “I Am” claimed to be the Son of God. JOH 10:36, our Lord said to the scribes and the Pharisees and the Sadducees; “You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?”
This is one of the most direct passages found in the word of God where the Lord Jesus Christ says, “I Am” --- that alone should have been enough, but He came right out and said “I Am the Son of God.”
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- As the Great I Am, our Lord reveals and tells us that He is the resurrection and he is the life. JOH 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.
Once again here is another challenge from the Great I Am.
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- As the Great I Am, there is the teaching ministry of our Lord who said to His disciples in JOH 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for {so} I am.
This means He was the greatest teacher who ever lived because He taught as the “I Am.”
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- The great I am is also responsible for fulfilled prophecy in JOH 13:19 "From now on I am telling you things before they come to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that “I am.” – that’s it! Not He ---- but “I Am.”
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- Probably one of the most popular passages on this principle of the Great I Am is found in JOH 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
That my friends is the epitome of the life that is founded upon the phrase “I Am.”
The great I am is the only way, the only truth and the only life that we need to perceive, metabolize and apply.
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- JOH 15:1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (What more can we say – the I Am gives us the spiritual energy we need from the Spirit and the Word.
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- The great I am was also the inner power our Lord possessed when Judas also who was betraying Him, was standing with them and when they shouted out who is Jesus of Nazareth, they heard the voice of victory say “I Am.” .
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Finally, let us close this section with
- The things that our Lord says the “I Am” is or what the I Am does in the Gospel of John.
Notice that all the “I Am” references – that I am about to give you were stated as a fact by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John.
Here are many of the passages that reveal the quality of life that comes from the principle of the Great I Am.
As the great I Am, He is our spiritual food says JOH 6:35 "I am the bread of life”
In JOH 8:12, He gives us perception so that we can discern properly because as He said; "I am the light of the world.”
JOH 8:23, tells us where the great I Am is from, “I am from above”
Also - In JOH 8:23, our Lord tells us where He is not from, “I am not of this world.”
JOH 8:24, the great I Am says to those who may doubt; "I am He.”
In JOH 9:9, the I Am comes right to the point and says, "I am the one."
He teaches us what doors we should open or close; JOH 10:7 “I am the door of the sheep.”
The great I Am also gives us the confidence that as sheep He is our shepherd; JOH 10:11 "I am the good shepherd.”
Probably one of the greatest “I Am” statements is found in JOH 10:36, where the great I am says; “I am the Son of God?”
In JOH 11:25, we are given a tremendous spiritual life where the “I Am” says; "I am the resurrection and the life.”
In JOH 14:6, the I Am says, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
And then Another very controversial statement again from the great I Am we read in JOH 14:10 "I am in the Father.”
JOH 15:1 "I am the true vine.”
JOH 17:14 "I am not of the world.”
JOH 19:21 “I am King of the Jews.”
All of that info was under the first verse found in JOH 15:1, I am the True Vine and My Father is the vinedresser.
Thank you My Father.
Happy Father’s Day to the Greatest Father of all time, in all the universe.
Have an amazing Father’s Day!