Valley Life Church - Yakima
Who is Jesus?
48 The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” 49 “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” — John 8:48–51 (NIV)
52 At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” — John 8:52–53 (NIV)
54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” — John 8:54–56 (NIV)
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” — John 8:57 (NIV)
The people took Jesus literally.
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. — John 8:58–59 (NIV)
The Israelites get so mad that Jesus used “I AM”
…“Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. — Exodus 3:4–6 (NIV)
13 …“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?” — Exodus 3:13- (NIV)
14 …“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. — Exodus 3:14–15 (NIV)
“the better we know Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we love Him, the more we will obey Him, and the more we obey Him, the more we will abide in Him. The more we abide in Him, the more fruit we will bear; and the more fruit we bear, the more we will experience life overflowing.” — Warren Wiersbe. I will add —“the more we overflow with the life of Jesus, the more we will want to share that life with others and have them experience Jesus for themselves.”