THINK TOGETHER
If somebody asked you, “Who is Jesus,” what would you say?
READ TOGETHER
Imagine if someone you knew started going up to people and saying that they were equal to God, or even that they were God. You probably wouldn’t believe them would you?
When Jesus was on earth he did many amazing things. He did the works of God. He healed sick people. He fed thousands of people with only a little bit of bread and fish. He walked on water. He even raised the dead back to life. But do you know what really got Jesus in trouble? What really made him different from everyone else? He said he was God.
And he did it by simply saying two little words over and over – I am.
You see in the Old Testament when Moses met God in the burning bush Moses asked God what his name was. And God said my name is “I Am.” That seems like a strange name for God doesn’t it? But “I Am” is God’s way of saying that he is the only one in the whole universe that doesn’t need anyone else. Every other living thing in the universe needs God. But God doesn’t need anyone except himself – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – they only need each other because God only needs God.
OK back to our two little words – so in Jesus’ day nobody would even say the two little words “I” and “am” together because that was God’s name and nobody would ever say the name of God out loud out of respect for God. They wouldn’t say “I am hungry.” They would just say I hungry.” Or “I tired” instead of “I am tired.” That way they never said “I” and “am” together.
But listen to how Jesus went around talking to people in John’s gospel chapter 8:
John 8:12. I am the light of the world.
John 8:18. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.
John 8:23-24. He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
John 8:28. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he.”
John 8:58-59. Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Did you notice how the people responded to Jesus? “They picked up stones to throw at him.” They wanted to kill Jesus because they thought he was disrespecting God.
But he wasn’t. In fact, Jesus was honoring God and his love and his kindness. Because God loves us and cares for us he sent his Son, Jesus to save us from our sins. Jesus is God. And God came to rescue us. Jesus became a human like you and me so that he could take our place on the cross and die for our sins.
But the greatest thing about Jesus being God is not only that our sins can be forgiven, but now we can live with God forever because of Jesus. And right now we can know God. Jesus shows us what God is really like. How kind he is. How forgiving he is. How loving he is.
If you know Jesus, you know God. If you want to know God, get to know Jesus.
Because of Jesus we can be with God forever and ever.
With Jesus we can know God better and better now.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Because Jesus is the “I Am,” he is the LORD God. Try making some acrostics together using the word L-O-R-D and see if you can come up with some words that describe both God and Jesus.
Here’s a sample:
L – Love
O – Omnipotent
R – Righteous
D – Divine
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus,
I believe that you are God, the I Am. Help me to know you more and more and to know God more and more through you.
Amen.
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