Jesus had a way of drawing the bottom line in life. This was not only with His definitive and declarative statements but also within the hearts of His hearers. His words were delivered like heat-seeking missiles to the very core of man’s separation from God. Yes, the very thing that separated the hearer from God was what He surgically addressed in his heart. When it came to dealing with the Pharisees and the Sadducees, He continually hit them by saying, “I AM EVERYTHING!” They called it blasphemy!
Blasphemy – Blasphemy – Blasphemy
Jesus spoke to these legalistic souls by hitting everything they so proudly stood for. He stripped them to the core by proclaiming, “I AM your blood sacrifice, eat My flesh and drink My blood”— blasphemy (John 6:55-58). He told them He was the Temple, “tear it down and I will build it back up again (rise) in three days”— blasphemy (John 2:19-22). He said, I AM the Master of the Sabbath— blasphemy (Matthew 12:8). He declared, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life”— blasphemy (John 14:6-7). He said, “I do nothing but what I see my FATHER doing”— blasphemy (John 5:19-20). Basically He told them, “I AM everything that you say you hold so dear, I AM God” (John 10:30-32)!
These legalists begged for a sign. “Give us a miracle, show us Your power” (Matthew 12:38)! But how Christ slew them was to offend the very core of their religious stance. “I AM your highest value, which you say you uphold. I AM the whole and entirety of your path and pursuit. I AM He who you followed in the wilderness. I AM He who led you in the wilderness. I AM He for whom you sacrifice. I AM He who made you a people. Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:48-59)! I AM everywhere, my children! I AM your past and history and I AM your present and future. I AM the reason you exist.”
And for us, dear readers, He too is I AM. He is our story, from beginning to end. He is the very breath in our lungs, the food in our mouths, each step that we make and the path on which we walk. He is our I AM—and everywhere we look!
“He is our story, from beginning to end. . . He is our I AM . . .” What a great finale, John, to all the words He spoke that I ‘knew’ from the scriptures. Oh, but in comparison, how little I know HIM.
Yes, the religious self righteous could not see Him because they were so busy looking at their man made rules and programs. They couldn’t see the PERSON. It is that way still today.
“He stripped them to the core . . . ” I’m struck by the fact that, though stripped, they couldn’t see their nakedness even with the Lord of All right in front of them in His Light. The human heart can be amazingly, tragically hard, rejecting ALL to serve itself, which is a true blasphemy.
…yes.
HE IS!
and this is why HE IS so hated…If HE IS then we cannot be…we ARE NOT when HE IS truly our I AM.
We are idolaters, and reap all the consequences of one who is, if we live from any other place than HE IS.
Outstanding post……this brings me to Praise Him because HE IS MY I AM…….and i am not .