Before Abraham was I AM - Jesus' Most Outrageous Sayings - Part 1

Well, you know, it was the feast of Tabernacles or Sukkoth if you know it in Hebrew somewhere around 32 A.D. as best we can figure and in John chapter 7, the Lord Jesus had come into Jerusalem for the feast in he was preaching and teaching at the temple, the Jewish leaders decided to arrest him and so they sent some of the temple guard to cesium and this is what happened.

John chapter 7 verse 45 in the temple guards without Jesus in their custody. By the way, return to the chief priests who asked them why didn't you bring him in and they said verse 46 well will tell you never did a man speak the way this man speaks, you know friends in 1971 I was a dope smoking acid dropping drug pushing spiritually lost college student and I was in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where I met a street preacher named Bob Eckardt and Bob still challenge me to do something I've never done before.

He challenged me to read the Bible and so I begin to do that. I began to read the Gospel according to Matthew. And you'd have to tell you, my first impression of Jesus was exactly the same as the impression these temple guards had. Namely, I remember thinking, well, you know, I'm not sure whether he's the Messiah of Israel are not, but I will say that this man says. Definitely some of the most outrageous things I've ever heard anybody say in my life and that's what this new series that were starting is all about.

I'm going through the gospel accounts and picked out 12 of the most outrageous things. The most radical things Jesus ever said and were to spend a week on each one of them. I hope this is going to be a really fun series and really valuable series for you and because I'm having fun doing it now. Today were going to start John chapter 8 with Jesus is most outrageous saying number one here in John chapter 8 Jesus is in the temple in Jerusalem. Teaching and as the religious leaders listen to what Jesus is saying they become increasingly irritated and they begin to argue with him. As Johnny goes on, this argument becomes more and more heated until finally, at the end of the chapter it explodes with the rabbis making a really ugly reference to Jesus's birth to his virgin birth to the fact his parents were not married when he was born.

And that's what were going to pick up the story.

John chapter 8 verse 41 then the rabbis said to Jesus, we were not born of fornication or the NIV will say we are not illegitimate children.

The only father we have is God.

Verse 42 and Jesus said to them, if God really where your father you would love me for I came from God and he sent me verse 47, Jesus went on to say he who belongs to God hears what God says and the reason you do not hear is because you do not belong to God. Verse 48, the rabbis answered see their art. We correct in saying that your demon possessed. Verse 49 and Jesus said I am not possessed by a demon, but I will tell you this, that if anyone keeps my word he will never see death to say while logged that is an outrageous thing to say. I know, but that's not even the most outrageous thing he says yet hold on a second verse 52 at this the rabbis said okay okay now we know that your demon possessed. Abraham died so that all the prophets and yet you say if anybody keeps your word, they will never taste death hello do you make yourself out to be well that's the million-dollar question is, and so Jesus replied verse 56 your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. And the Rabbi said to him you are not yet 50 years old and you've seen Abraham here comes friends.

One of the most outrageous things Jesus ever said verse 58 Jesus said, I tell you the truth before Abraham was, I know. Let's stop for a moment and analyze what Jesus really said here what he really claimed for himself.

Here to do that we have to go back to Exodus chapter 3 the Old Testament if you remember there. Moses was living out on the backside of the desert and exile from Egypt.

He had been there for 40 years. He was walking along one day and he sees this course burning and all of a sudden the Bible says Jehovah God speaks to him out of the bush and tells him that he's going to be sent back to Egypt to lead the Jewish people to freedom. Well, as part of the conversation. Moses says to God. Verse 13.

Suppose I go back to the Israelites, more like you're telling me and suppose I say to them, the God of your fathers has sent me to you and what if they say to me will what's his name. Lord, what about Italo verse 14 then God said to Moses, I am who I am. Tell the Israelites that I am has sent me to you friends here in John chapter 8 what Jesus is claiming to be is he is claiming to be the great I am of the Old Testament.

He is claiming to be Jehovah God himself wrapped in human flesh the same Jehovah God that spoke to Moses out of the burning bush is a lot. Are you sure that you're not reading too much into this I mean maybe maybe Jesus just got the tense of his verb wrong or something you know it's that simple. No, no, I know I'm not reading too much into it because look at what happens in the next verse John chapter 8 verse 59 and at this, the rabbis picked up stones to stone him friends. The rabbis knew exactly what Jesus meant they knew exactly who Jesus was claiming to be the penalty in ancient Israel for blasphemy was stoning and that's why they all picked up rocks to throw at him because they knew what he was claiming he was claiming to be Jehovah God himself now.

In fact, all through John chapter 8 Jesus is been claiming this back in verse 24 Jesus said and lets you believe I am, you will die in your sins. In verse 28 Jesus said when you have lifted up the Son of Man, clearly a reference to the cross and the crucifixion, then you will know that I am.

And finally, in verse 58, he says, before Abraham was, I am there was no doubt whatsoever.

What Jesus was claiming to be here. He was claiming to be Jehovah God himself. I don't know about you but I think that's a pretty outrageous claim for anybody to make you know, a few years ago we were living in McLean alone will cul-de-sac and I got up on Saturday morning is my day off. We didn't have a Saturday night service but anyway and so I looked out my window. I had my cup of coffee. I looked out my window and I saw the there were two Jehovah's Witnesses working their way around the cul-de-sac coming towards our house and I thought Lord on Saturday. No. So I gotta tell you I went to the front door saying I'm not in this initial conversation. I'm not talking to these people you want to get rid of and go back to my paper back to my coffee saw open the door and there were there were two there was an older man who was clearly the trainer and then there was a young lady who was clearly the trainee and so they talk for just a minute not brushing them off bile acid on on his tinnitus and is as old as they were getting ready to leave the young lady said will, could we offer you one of our Bibles. You know the green Jehovah's Witness Bible and I thought well might be nice to have a copy of this on my show for reference size. It sure so I took it. She separates her, I have to ask you for $0.10 donation to the Jehovah's Witnesses for the Bible I gave it back to us on so I can't do that is what you mean you can't do that. She said you live in McLean, Jesus, you gotta be able to afford $0.10.

I said ma'am I can afford $0.10. I said but I'm a Christian and I'm not going to take the money that God has entrusted to me and give it to a bunch of heretics like you.

So she said to me heretics. She said what are you talking about heretics and also art art art and I was like I say, let me just ask you one question here's my question. Is Jesus Christ Jehovah God in the flesh, and she said no and he never claimed to be that I can agree Bible to me that you can't go to John 11. The change that you can go bunch other places they change it but they had not changed John chapter 8. At that point so I took her to Johnny my shoulder before Abraham was, I am. I flipped over to Exodus 3 in my shoulder. Tell them I am sent me to you and I shoulder the two and said so who do you think Jesus is claiming to be the interesting thing is in their Bible. Back in Exodus 3 there Bible says Jehovah God spoke to Moses from the bush. I salute you think Jesus was claiming to be looked at that she's never seen that in here before she learned of the trainer and she said you you never showed me that that was in here and she turned back to me and said who are you anyway friends listen to me. Jesus Christ personally claimed to be Jehovah God wrapped in human flesh and don't you ever let anybody tell you differently.

Looking John chapter 10 verse 30 Jesus said I am the father of one therefore the rabbis once again picked up stones to stone him.

So Jesus said to them, I shown you many good works from the father, for which of them are you stoning me and they said Jesus we are not stoning you for good work. We are stoning you for blasphemy because you being a man claimed to be God they know what he was claiming John chapter 5, verse 18. For this reason, therefore, the rabbis were seeking to kill Jesus because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own father, making himself equal with God is amazing to me that so-called scholars today living 2000 years after the events happen that they're willing to say they knew more about what Jesus was claiming for himself than the religious experts who were standing right there listening to him. Come on now. Those people knew exactly what Jesus was claiming and that's why every conversation they had ended with them picking up rocks to throw because they knew what he was claiming to be and you know the entire Bible testifies over and over to this back to Jesus's Jehovah God. Isaiah 9 verse six is the Messiah will be the mighty God. John chapter 1 in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and he was God.

Titus chapter 2 verse 13 calls Jesus Christ our great God and Savior.

Revelation chapter 1 verse eight calls Jesus Christ, the Almighty, which is a term reserved in the Bible exclusively for Jehovah God. Colossians chapter 1 verse 15 calls Jesus the visible image of the invisible God.

Colossians 2 verse nine says all the fullness of deity dwells in Jesus in bodily form and finally John chapter 14, Philip came to Jesus and he said Lord Charlotte's God the father show was Jehovah God and and will be happy and Jesus said to him, Philip. What's wrong with you. Have I been with you this long and you still don't know who I am. He who has seen me has seen the Jehovah God, I mean how much clearer can you say it and that is there are a lot okay okay alright so Jesus claimed to be Jehovah God I'll give you that.

But that's not the real issue is a long, the real issue is what proof is there. What what what what evidence is there to support this kind of a claim. Well, let's talk about it because friends in the Bible Jesus demonstrated all the prerogatives and all the powers that go with being Jehovah God. Let me tell you about some of them number one. Jesus had a power over disease and sickness that only God could have in John chapter 9, he healed a man who'd been born blind and the man says. John 932 since the world began. No one has ever open the eyes of a man born blind, who could do this with God.

Number two. Jesus had a power over nature that only God could have. He walked on water in Matthew 14, he cursed the fig tree and it died up in Matthew 21 in Matthew chapter 8, he stood up and told a gale force wind on the sea of Galilee, the hot shop and there was an immediate calm in the disciples in the boat.

Even St. Matthew 827.

What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the waves obey him do that. But God number three, Jesus had a power over demons that only God could have the pecans demons out of people he cares demons and the pigs. The demons cowered in fear every time he came around as a matter of fact in Luke chapter 11, the rabbis come to them and say how you do this in here was Jesus's answer verse 22 Luke 11 he says one of strongman guards his house, his possessions, or say but when a stronger person comes along.

He overpowers that man and takes all that he has how to overcome demons.

Jesus says to these rabbis it's real simple fellas, I'm stronger than they are now who could be stronger than demons but Almighty God himself.

Number four. Jesus had a power over sin that only God could have in Mark chapter 2, there was a crippled man lying on the ground in front of Jesus and Jesus says to him, son, your sins are forgiven and the rabbis who heard this strenuously objected and said he's blaspheming who can forgive sins but God alone before once they got something right.

That's true. Who can forgive sins but God alone.

And Jesus said okay fellas to show you I have that power and, therefore, that I am God. Watch what I do now and he said to the cripple man okay get up, take your bed and walk in. The guy did it on the spot. Who could do that with God. Hey it it. How could Jesus tell the woman at the well.

John chapter 4 everything she'd ever gone if he wasn't God. How could he have raised Lazarus from the dead. John chapter 11 if he wasn't God and the crowning proof of all of course is the resurrection. How in the world could Jesus rise from the dead. If he wasn't Jehovah God himself. In fact, Romans chapter 1 says verse four. Jesus was declared with power to be the son of God to be deity. How by his resurrection from the dead. One of the main purposes of the resurrection folks was to validate to you and me to prove to you and me and the rest of the world that Jesus is who we claim to be the great I am of the Old Testament Jehovah God in the flesh, folks. No other religious system nor the philosophical system claims an empty tomb for its founder, its leader not boot up.

Not Confucius, not Mohammed, not Joseph Smith not Rabbi Schneerson not call Mark's not L Ron Hubbard not George Bernard Shaw and all of this human's buddies.

And that's because none of them ever claimed to be Jehovah God. But Jesus did claim to be Jehovah God and folks, he rose from the dead and offers that to us as proof positive that he's telling us the truth is a lie can you be so sure Jesus rose from the dead will tell you how because in the in the first century when the events of the New Testament were still recent history all anybody had to do to stop the Christian faith in its tracks dead in its tracks was find the body of Jesus or come up with a reasonable explanation as to what happened to it. Other than the resurrection, and friends. There were lots of people in the first century living right there in Jerusalem who wanted to stop the Christian faith and practice.

But even though they opposed the preaching and even though they killed the preachers. The one thing they were never able to do is discredit the resurrection and the reason is because it really happen. And if that's true then Jesus Christ is Almighty God the way he claim and he is the 1 True Way to God. Just like he said he was when he stopped permitting say if you're here today and you've never trusted Jesus is your real and personal Savior that friends there is an enormous message here that applies to your life.

You know it all. What I love to say I love you say follow a dead Savior and you'll end up just like you but in all these people I just named a few moments ago. They're all dead. They didn't rise from the grave. They're still in the grave. There Savior as you follow them you can end up just like they did with the great news of the Bible is that we don't have a dead Savior. We have a living Savior, a risen Savior follow a living Savior and you'll end up just like him alive forevermore friends. This is what we want for you.

We want you to be alive forevermore. We want you to connect to a living Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and I sure hope you will think about doing that. That's as far as we want to go in the passage today because it's time for us to ask our most important question we have done this for a few weeks.

I didn't want to spring it on you when you give me a minute to get ready okay so we ready okay all right here we go now, and I somehow ready 123 it's good to be home again this way is Ceylon so what I mean.

All right, so Jesus is Jehovah God in the flesh when I walk out of my house on Monday morning to go to work to go to school to run the carpool.

What differences that make to the way I live on a Monday morning. Well let let's talk about that. Remember what started the argument here in John chapter 8, the rabbis say that Jesus, who do you make yourself out to be an insane before Abraham was, I am in claiming to be Jehovah God wrapped in human flesh. All Jesus did folks is answer the question he answered it definitively. He answered it precisely. He answered it unambiguously and he answered it with no wiggle room. He answered their question. Now I believe today in the 21st century, the Jesus is claim to be Jehovah God is just as true and just as compelling as it was in the first century, and I believe that his followers of Christ, we must take our stand on this point, the deity of Christ, the identity of Christ, and we must refuse to yield listen when you present Jesus Christ to somebody it's okay if they want to resist him. I mean, it said, but if they want resisting. They can if they want to. If a person wants to refuse Jesus. That's their affair.

If a person wants to renounce Jesus. Well, that's their business.

But the one thing you and I cannot allow people in this world to do is to redefine Jesus that is not acceptable. Listen in the early church when the Roman Empire insisted that that all of its subjects confessed that the Emperor was God that the Emperor was deity. Tens of thousands of Christians went to their death rather than do so because they understood something they understood that they had a responsibility not to let anybody read the fine Jesus Christ. They understood that they had a responsibility to defend the identity of Jesus Christ with their very own lives, if that's what it took and I submit to you that today we as followers of Christ in the modern world have that very same responsibility. There are places in our world today where to stand up and defend the identity of Jesus Christ just might cost you your life. But here in America.

That's probably not true. It's probably not can cost you your life to do that, but it may very well cost you your job it may very well cost you some your friends. It may very well cost you your popularity. It may cost you your career or your inheritance, but it doesn't matter what it cost friends. We have the duty and the responsibility to see to it that people if they want to they can reject Jesus they can resist Jesus they can renounce Jesus but the one thing we will not let them do is redefine Jesus and all. Today we got a world full of people who want to redefining they want to redefine Jesus down to a person that they can live with that they can coexist with without having to change their lifestyle. A person they can coexist with without having to come to grip with the Lordship of Jesus Christ over every part of their life. They want to reframe Jesus into a great humanitarian or philosopher or moralize her or teacher or just another nice calm religious figure, but folks, the identity of Jesus Christ is non-negotiable. He is Jehovah God wrapped in human flesh and when you come into contact with him. And when you let him into your life. He is going to change your lifestyle. He is going to be Lord of your life.

You're not going to be able to coexist with him on any other basis you know in 1992 August 1992 a. My mom died of cancer and I was out in California at the time I was speaking at Hume Lake Christian camps and so I called home to find out about the funeral arrangements and my stepfather. My dad already gone to be with the Lord a number of years before my stepfather. So Alana got some bad news in a I don't exactly how to tell you this, he said, your aunt called and she's handling all the funeral arrangements. Your mom's sister and she told me to tell you that you're not welcome at her home for the funeral. I do not understand when I first came to Christ. I went right away. One of the very first people I share the Lord Jesus with was my aunt and my uncle and I told him Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel.

I told them Jesus Christ is Jehovah God wrapped in human flesh. I told them Jesus Christ death on the cross is the only payment for sin and I told them that even though you are Jewish.

The only way you get eternal life in get to go to heaven is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Messiah that had been 20 years before and we had not had much to say to each other in the last 20 years because of well I called my aunt up directly and I said listen, I heard something. I'm not sure it's true but I heard you said that I'm not welcome to come to your home for the funeral of my mother. I said, I'm sure I got that wrong and she said you get it wrong you got it exactly right now y'all gotta understand how Jewish people do funerals because we doing different than your Gentiles do what we do is we go to the to the graveside first and we have a little ceremony at the graveside. In Hebrew, and everybody goes back to a relative's house were you all you know stand around and you console the family and whatever and she said you can come to the cemetery.

If you want, because that's public property. I can't stop you, but you're not coming back to my house don't show up on the lead you I sin I look, I know you don't agree with me on this Jesus stuff, but I said this is my mother, father, and you know there's a time in life when you put that stuff aside, you know, this is my mother were talking about here is unclear who it is. Don't come to my house not coming in friends. You know on the telephone. I knew exactly what I could say to fix this. I know exactly what I could do to rectify the whole situation. All I had to do is say on the telephone you know, I just want to tell you I change my mind about Jesus Christ. I don't believe he is the Messiah of Israel anymore. I don't believe these Jehovah God in the flesh anymore. I don't believe that heat that made the only way to get to heaven available and I don't believe the Jewish people like you and my uncle must know him or you have no chance to get to heaven I change my position on all of that and guess what I would've been welcome at the funeral, but Jesus said Matthew 10 verse 37 he who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and friends. I knew I could say that and so I never went to the funeral of my own mother. Now the good news is, my mom accepted Jesus Christ in her life a week before she died and she's in heaven today and when I see my mom when I arrive on the shores I have and I know what she's going to say to me she's going to say long. You did the right thing.

Funerals are negotiable, but the identity of Jesus Christ is not you did the right thing and friends that's for so why what I'm trying to say to you today. That's about. That's everything we've talked about points to this that is followers of Christ the Lord Jesus is asking us to stand firm on the issue of his unique identity to stand firm on the issue that he therefore offers us the unique pathway to heaven into God and to do this in our office to do it at our school to do it on our ball teams to do it with our relatives and our friends and our neighbors, and if there is a personal cost to pay.

And guess what Jesus said I want you to pay. I want to pay their will on why should I watch I pay that, cost down here on earth, and the answers real simple because of the payoff are going to get heaven. Jesus said Matthew 1032 everyone who confesses me before men, I will also confess them before my father who is in heaven now, I don't know exactly what Jesus means by that. I gotta be honest with you, but whatever he means by I wanted to understand when I get to heaven. I want him confessing you before the father. Whatever that means.

So I got a job to do down here on earth if that's what I want and so you I hope you want that to friends that summarize Jesus claim to to be Jehovah God in the flesh, and don't you ever let anybody tell you different. Moreover, Jesus demonstrated all the prerogatives of Jehovah God in the flesh, and all the power of further Jesus. Moreover, rose from the dead to prove to you that he was Jehovah God in the flesh. And now Jesus calls you is a follower of Christ and me to take our stand on this truth and never compromise it regardless of the cost. This is the mantle that tens upon tens of thousands of Christians gave their lives to hand to you and me. This is the mantle that you and I need to carry well and that we need to deliver safely to the next generation so they can. Well before Abraham was, I am Jesus said, and so may it ever be pretty Lord Jesus were reminded in the Old Testament that you said I am God and there is none other. And indeed, you are Jehovah God wrapped in human flesh and there is none other like you.

That's what makes your death on the cross, meaningful and effective in creating a way for us to get to heaven. And so, Lord Jesus, I pray that you would empower and strengthen and infuse into us a sense of courage as a result of being here today and that we would go out tomorrow morning and even the rest of today knowing what our job is that our job is to politely and courteously and kindly but boldly and without equivocation stand for the deity of Christ, the person of Christ and whatever the cost is what we just pay it or change the way we live and change the way we represent you, because we were here today and we were challenged by the Holy Spirit from the word of God. We ask these things in Jesus name God's people said Amen