This morning I have been reading John 8, which is quite the contentious chapter. It starts with the confrontation of Jesus with the woman caught in adultery, and the rest of the chapter is verbal sparring between Jesus and the Jews, and leaders, regarding where He was from, whose authority He was operating under, and ultimately who He was and is! A couple of verses caught my attention so I will spend some time reflecting on them. Here they are- John 8:28-32,58-59 NIV:
[28] “So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. [29] The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” [30] Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
[31] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. [32] Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
[58] “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” [59] At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.”
I think the three phrases I have underlined above are so important! Each contains a truth that is essential in our understanding of Jesus, and His ministry. If we take them in reverse order It seems helpful.
Jesus’ clear statement “before Abraham was born, I am” is as clear of a statement about His true identity as He can make, for He takes the name of God, “I am” as His own! This phrase was known to the Jews since God spoke them to Moses in Exodus 3:13-15 NIV:
[13] Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
[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.’ ”
[15] God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”
There are those that say Jesus never said He was God, but they would have to change this verse to make that claim. God names Himself, I Am, and Jesus does as well, and to add to that claim, says He existed before Abraham. The Jews understood this claim and to them it was the worst blasphemy, which is why they picked up stones to kill Him, for He was claiming that He was God.
We all come to this point in our life, do we really believe that He is God?
For many of us, we say we do believe, but we don’t act that way in our lives. I know that in my life this is a point I must come back to over and over. If I truly believe He is God, then I must listen to His words, and live my life accordingly. His words should affect every part of my life and being, and I find that I consistently turn my attention to other voices, my own most prevalent. Lord, help me to truly believe that You are God, both in my thoughts and in my deeds.
Secondly, if we hold to His teachings, we will ‘know the truth and the truth will set us free!’ I certainly need to listen and hear, and let His words change me! I can’t just listen and consider that I have followed His commands, for they require action.
In believing and following, and doing we “know the truth” and are set free. The truth is the Gospel of Grace, and the Lord’s choosing of us, and paying for us, opening the way for us to have relationship with Him, and experience Eternal life! When we recognize all that he has done, in setting us free from the penalty of death and the requirements of the Law we are truly set free! When we realize that we are invited to walk in relationship with Him, we recognize that we have access to all that He has access to, and we are free!
Additionally, this freedom denotes a deeper truth, that we are truly free to do what we will do, for we have free-will. Jesus has done everything to make a way for us to have real relationship with the Father, to walk in constant unity with Him, but it is up to us to choose this! We must respond,and must embrace our role, taking responsibility for our own actions to follow Him. We are free to choose. In choosing to do what He commands (see John 13:34) we step into His truth! Oh Lord, help me to walk fully in Your truth, following Your command to love as you have loved me!
Lastly, (or firstly if you look at the original order of the verses) we understand that Jesus only did and said what the Father told Him to speak, and was speaking out of that place of intimate relationship with the Father. Jesus says a bit later (John 12:49) that He only speaks what the Father tells Him to speak, and earlier (John 5:19) that only does what the Father tells him to do. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews says it clearly, Jesus is the perfect representation of the Father! (Heb 1:3). He is constantly representing the Father to us! He is “re” presenting, as in showing us over and over again what the Father is like, what He says and what He is doing!
If we want to know what the Father is like, we must look to Jesus, as He is our best representation of the Father. His words and actions are all directed and guided by the Father. He is God with us, “Immanuel”, which brings us back to “I am”.
He is God!
He is the one who sets us free!
He is the one that shows us the way!
He is the one we can believe in and follow unto eternal life!
Oh Lord, help us to embrace these truths, that we might know You, and embrace the life You invite us into, Your very life and continued ministry of representing the Father to the World!
Amen and Amen!
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