I AM THAT I AM: I AM
SCRIPTURE: JOHN 15.1-8 CONCEPT: JESUS DESCRIBES WHO THE FATHER IS
INTRO: MOSES IS CALLED BY GOD AND TOLD THAT HIS NAME IS I AM THAT I AM
I. JESUS TOLD THE DISCIPLES THAT IF YOU HAVE ME THEN YOU HAVE SEEN THE FATHER.
JOHN 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my
Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8
Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it
sufficeth us.
9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with
you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? II. HE TOLD US IN THE DECALOGUE THIS MORNING, THAT I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD WHO BROUGHT YOU OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, OUT OF THE HOUSE OF BONDAGE... WE SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD S BESIDE HIM.
- IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,WE SEE THAT HE FIRST BLESSES US AND THEN TELLS US TO SHOW ME YOUR GRATITUDE AND THANKSGIVING BY BEARING FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. I SHOW YOU GRACE AND THEN YOU SHOW ME YOUR LOVE. I SHOW YOU MY POWER AND THEN YOU SHOW ME YOUR OBEDIENCE.
I WILL FREE YOU AND THEN YOU
FOLLOW ME. I LL GO TO CALVARY FOR YOU AND THEN YOU FOLLOW ME WITH YOUR CROSS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE RED
SEA, CAME BEFORE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. FIRST GOD S GRACE THEN OUR FAITHFULNESS. I AM... III. JESUS MAKES 7 I AM STATEMENTS IN THE BOOK OF JOHN. HE SAID, IF WE KNOW HIM THEN WE WILL KNOW THE FATHER. THAT IF WE HAVE SEEN HIM THEN WE HAVE SEEN THE FATHER. IV.
JESUS TELLS US THAT HE IS THE, I AM...
A. THE BREAD OF LIFE (JN 6.Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:32-35 KJV)) -SUSTENANCE/SOURCE.
HE IS OUR SUSTAINER. HE'S WHAT WE NEED TO MAKE IT. HE IS THE GREAT I AM. BUT IS HE THE ONE THAT YOU LOOK FOR DAILY TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED. OR DO YOU SEEK OTHER ENTERTAINMENT'S OTHER SUSTENANCE TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IT.
HE IS THE GREAT I AM
A. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (JN 8.1Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12 KJV) - GUIDANCE
LEADS US, GUIDES US, IN HIM WAS
LIFE AND THE LIFE IS THE LIGHT. BUT DO YOU WALK IN HIS LIGHT. IS HE YOUR LAMP. DOES HE SHINE IN YOU. OR DO YOU SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE HOROSCOPE, A SCRATCH OFF OR SOME LESSER LIGHT. HE IS THE GREAT I AM. A. THE GATE/DOOR (JN 10.) Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find
pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:7-10 KJV)- ACCESS TO SALVATION. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE US A GATE, A DOOR. DO YOU ENTER THROUGH THE DOOR OF CHRIST OR ARE YOU TRYING SOME OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED. HE IS THE GREAT I AM.
A. THE GOOD SHEPHERD (10.11,1I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-15 KJV4) LEADER/SUPPORTER HE IS THE ONE WHO WATCHES OVER US
AND KEEPS US TOGETHER. IS HE YOUR SHEPHERD, YOUR OVERSEER. OR ARE YOU BEING LED BY YOUR EMOTIONS OR OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINION. HE IS THE GREAT I AM. A. THE RESURRECTION & LIFE (JN 11.25Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:21-26 KJV) - POWER TO LIVE. HE IS THE POWER TO GET UP AND OVERCOME. THE POWER TO HAVE VICTORY, EVEN IN THE DARKEST MOST DISCOURAGING TIMES. HE IS THE LIFTER OF OUR HEAD. IS HE YOUR RESURRECTION AND LIFE OR DO YOU TRY TO HOLD YOURSELF UP. PICK YOURSELF UP.
A. THE WAY TRUTH AND LIFE (JN 14.6) - Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:1-6 KJV)ONLY ACCESS TO GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE. YOU CAN'T GET TO GOD OR TO HEAVEN ANY OTHER WAY. IS JESUS YOUR WAY TO GOD. OR ARE YOU TRYING TO GET THERE BY YOUR OWN STRENGTH, WITH YOUR OWN WAY. HE IS THE GREAT I AM. A. THE VINE (JN 15.1.5) - I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through
the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:1-5 KJV)ONLY WAY TO HAVE A REAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.