Now who do you think he is? John 8:53-58

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Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Some people seem to think Jesus never said he was God, so therefore they don't believe in him. Oh, it's true that Jesus, the King of the Jews, never said anything like, "Kneel before the Lord your maker! Kneel before me, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords! I am God!"

But make no mistake: Jesus did say he was God. In fact, from today's reading, John 5-8, he said it in many ways. He said it all throughout the Gospels. The people with whom Jesus mingled, clearly recognized him as the Son of God. And later, after Jesus lifted the veil from their eyes, they would realize he had been telling them all along who he was.

Today, note especially John 8:58: "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."

Now, who do you think he is? And who do you think he is saying he is?

Hear his words, again. "Before Abraham was, I am."

Well, he wasn't referring to a young man named Abraham on First Street in Nazareth. The Jews knew exactly what he was saying. The Jews knew he was talking about Abram, the father of our faith, the father of fathers of our Lord; Abraham, the father of Isaac, Jacob ... David, from whom the Savior would be born. This is Abraham, who showed us that belief is credited as righteousness. This is Abraham, who lived 2,000 years before Jesus!

The Jews knew exactly what Jesus meant. They wanted to stone him because of his declaration. We get that clarity especially well in John 10:31-33. But they wanted to do that here too.

Listen more to Jesus' words:
  • No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven ... (John 3:13)
  • My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working ... (John 5:17-18).
  • If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. (John 5:46)
  • I am the bread of life ... (John 6:35-51)
  • I am the light of the world  ... (John 8:12-19)
  • I am (John 8:58)
My favorite connection of Jesus to God comes from John 1:1-14 and 5:24. But there is so much more.

Jesus is the Word (John 1:1). Jesus is the light (John 1:9). Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:29). Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:49). Jesus is the Christ (John 4:26). Jesus is the I Am (Exodus 3:14, John 8:58). Do I need to continue?

Jesus, in no uncertain terms, told us who he was. And more importantly, he showed us who he was.

Jesus is calling us to believe that he is who he says he is.

Believe the Word. Turn to God, and believe.

It will save your life.

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