John 8:48-59 - I Am

John 8:48-59 NIV
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (vs 58)

Jesus makes the claim that he is God. If you'd heard Jesus make this statement to explain who he was or where he was from, we may have well been in the crowd that wanted to stone or crucify Jesus.

When God was sending Moses to free the Israelites from Egypt tyranny,
 "Moses said to God, "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?”
  God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
  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 3:13-16)

Search the book of John or even easier, go an online search in John for the words "I Am." You will be amazed at how many times Jesus used them. Among the multitude of inferences to Jesus being the great I am; you will find these affirmations of Jesus.

“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger.” John 6:35

“I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12  

“I am the gate; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” John 10:9

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.” John 10:11

 “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.” John 11:25

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1   

So who do you say that Jesus is? Will you crucify or worship Him?

God's Peace - Pr. J

Ezekiel 18 - Sins of our Parents

 “Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
 “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die." (Ezekiel 18:19-21 NIV)

“You shall have no other gods before me.

 You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:3-6)

 

Whether the children are punished for their parents sins comes up every time we discuss the ten commandments in confirmation classes. Yes, sometimes, the young people, discuss their parents sins! They are not as secret as you might think or hope. Your children know and others know as well. The youth are concerned about your sins; for your sakes as well as for their own. They become especially worried when they hear that they might be punished for something they have not done. I always reassure them that they will not be punished, according to the word we've received through Ezekiel. But, what we have to be careful of is that we do not inherit, by learned behavior, that which is wrong. God has given us His Spirit of Truth, by which we can discern the difference between what is right and what is wrong. We do not have to follow in our parents' footsteps if they have chosen a path which leads us away from God's will for us.

 

Likewise, I think we often tend to blame parents for the sins of their children. Sometimes, the case may be that they have learned these sins from their parents. But, just as often, they may have learned them elsewhere. In today's society there are a lot more adults than parents that children are learning from.

 

Be careful then what we teach our children and our neighbor's children. 

 

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—  “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (Eph 6:12)

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 78 - Who Is Listening To The Things Of Old?

So, who is listening?  Are we teaching the things of old to the next generation so that they in turn will tell their children and they would put their trust in God?  (Psalm 78:1-4, 6 NIV)

How long will God restrain His anger against those who refuse to hear His Word, who refuse to teach it to their children?

Yesterday, my youngest granddaughter wanted to know what the world stubborn means.  I'm thinking her older sister probably had implied that she was being stubborn.  Stubborn, I told her, means that someone always has to have everything their way no matter who it might hurt.  Stubborn means that someone is not willing to listen to others. They are not willing to learn or grow from the experience or knowledge of others. Stubborn means being unwilling to compromise in the way that things are done, even if compromising is the best and right thing to do at the time. Yes, one little question, will get my grandchildren lessons and lectures...

But, they need to know... that there are things that cannot be compromised. The Word of God cannot be compromised.  But, there are also things that we do need to find a compromise to, so that we can live in relative peace and harmony. Things like what we're going to eat for supper, we can compromise on. Or... what to wear to school, where we're going on vacation, what movie to watch, how and when to weed the garden. So long as none of our compromises involve going against the Word of God, God's will for humankind, compromise can be a very good thing. 

And... how do we know what is God's will? We hear His Word, we read and study scripture (just like you're reading Psalm 78 today), and we listen to those who would teach us.

Are you listening? Are you teaching the things of God to the next generation so that they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands; so that they would not be like their ancestors—a stubborn and rebellious generation. (vs 7, 8)
God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 48 - Tell It To The Next Generation

Thanks be to God for our teachers, especially those who teach our youth.  I often consider that maybe the teachers within our congregation don't get enough support from us.  I am confident though that even when we fail to support them, they have God's unfailing help and support or they wouldn't be teaching.  They, above all people within the congregation, most directly tell of God's works, His beautiful Kingdom, to the next generation. 

For a couple of years now, we have not purchased Sunday School material.  Our Sunday School staff decided that they should just teach scripture (and during Lent the catechism).  The children are hearing the stories from both the Old and New Testament.  They are hearing the stories of God's mighty works among and for His people.

The main reason for the change was that it was hard to find material that focused on God's works rather than man's works.  A lot of the material sought to teach our children how to be "moral" or "good children."  They sort of focus on doing good works.  Doing good works is not a bad thing.  It is a good thing.  But, that is not our focus.  Our children (and adults) must hear the Word of God in order for their faith to grow.  Any good works that they might do will be a product of the good news of their salvation, the good news of the kingdom, the indwelling Christ, and not the other way around.  They can not earn their salvation, they cannot win their place in God's temple, through their morality or good works.  It is by faith that they (and we) are saved and faith comes by hearing the Word.  (Rom 10:17)

Open our eyes, LORD, that we might see the mightiness of Your hand.  Help us, LORD, to be witnesses to Your power, Your works, Your beautiful Kingdom, and tell of them to the next generation.

God's Peace - Pr. J