Sunday, January 30, 2011
LIFE OF Jesus (13)
The Claims of JESUS
We have been studying the teachings and work of Jesus upon this
earth. We have begun
noticing His teachings, having examined His preaching and His parables.
Today, I want to take a few moments to notice some of the claims
He made. One of the things
we read about the teaching of Jesus is how the crowds were astonished
because He taught them as one having authority.
This was not only because of the way he taught (which was
important), but also many of the claims He made.
To understand Jesus it is important that we examine these claims.
In our lesson today I want to notice SOME of the claims He made
to others. As a theme, we
will examine some of the claims recorded in the book of John: Namely,
some the “I am” statements that Jesus made.
Bear in mind that John wrote this book to PROVE that Jesus was
who He claimed to be. It is
filled with evidences of His teaching and works.
1.
The saying
in the English language is simple and describes something that applies
to the one speaking in one way or another.
You might call it an expression of ownership.
Generally, this was true with Jesus as well.
In this expression we find many of the claims that Jesus made
about Himself that He needed to prove.
However, there was one occasion when He used that expression
which provoked more reaction than at any other time.
2.
In John
8:58, Jesus is engaged in a heated discussion with Jewish leaders about
their failure to follow Abraham.
Jesus calls the children and servants of the devil.
They accused Jesus of being a Samaritan and having a demon
(8:48). Jesus then speaks of
those who keep His word never seeing death.
The Jews said that such speech meant that He did have a demon
because Abraham was dead.
This prompted Jesus to say, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I AM.”
It was such an emphatic statement that immediately they took up stones
to cast at Jesus because they knew that statement had reference to God.
3.
In essence
Jesus was claiming that He was God.
The statement “I AM” as used here traces its origins back to
Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3.
When God called Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, Moses
asked, “Who shall I say sent me?” and “What name shall I declare to them
that you are?” God’s
response was, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14).
The Jews understood that such a statement indicated eternal
existence (i.e. “I exist!”) and equality with God.
4.
We need to
keep this claim in mind as we consider the claims Jesus made concerning
Himself.
1.
John 6:35,
“I am the bread of life”
i.
Jesus has
miraculously fed 5000 with only 5 loaves and two fish. (John 6:1-14).
The next day, the crowds find Him which prompts Jesus to
challenge them to follow Him for the right reasons.
Jesus notes that some were following Him because of being fed and
not because He was the promised Messiah (John 6:22-26).
When they ask for further signs (vs. 30), noting that Moses gave Israel
bread in the wilderness, Jesus notes that it was not Moses but God that
provided for them. This
leads to Jesus saying “My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives
life to the world.” (Jn. 6:32-33).
ii.
When asked
for this bread Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”
It was a statement that led to a call to believe in Him.
He would repeat the statement in Jn. 6:48 noting that those who
eat Him as the bread of life would not die.
The discussion would become more intense as He challenges them to eat
His body and drink His blood.
While some were offended thinking He was being literal, we know
He was speaking figuratively.
iii.
Application: Jesus was challenging them to absorb Him into their lives.
Just as bread, a reference to
food, is necessary to sustain life, so Jesus is necessary to sustain
spiritual life. There is
also something to be said about craving Him (Matt. 5:6).
Jesus was declaring the need for all to ACCEPT Him as their hope of
salvation and make Him the sustenance of their spiritual lives.
2.
John 8:12, “I am the light of the world”
i.
In an effort to trap Jesus, there
was an occasion where the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman
caught in adultery. Their
test was to see if He would approve of stoning her to death, as taught
in the Law of Moses. The
answer of Jesus was, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a
stone at her first.” (John 8:7).
This caused her accusers to leave. Jesus then forgave the
adulterous woman and told her to “go and sin no more.”
ii.
We then
read, “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world.
He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of
life."” (John 8:12)
iii.
The claim
of Jesus here was that He was the source of TRUE understanding or
enlightenment. It is
through the teachings of Jesus that we understand what pleases God and
what can make the world a better place.
To seek Jesus and understand His teachings overcomes spiritual
ignorance.
iv.
NOTE: In
John 9 we read of another miracle of Jesus where He gives sight to a man
who was born blind. As He is
about to perform this miracle Jesus says, “As
long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
(John 9:5)
His miracle would demonstrate His claim that HE CAN give us the
light we need spiritually.
v.
Application: Jesus is our hope out of darkness. We need to let His light
shine within us (Matt. 5:14-16), even in a corrupt world (Phil.
2:14-15).
3.
John 10:9, “I am the door”
i.
Teaching
His disciples, Jesus makes analogy to a shepherd and His sheep.
John 10:1-6 describes the sheepfold, a place where sheep would be
corralled at night for safety.
As I understand shepherding in the time of Jesus, the shepherd
would lie at the door of the sheep so that anything that got to the
sheep would have to go through him.
ii.
In vs. 7
Jesus says, “Most assuredly, I say
to you, I am the door of the
sheep. All who ever came
before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
I am the door.
If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out
and find pasture.” (John 10:7-9)
iii.
The claim
of Jesus on this occasion was that HE is the ONLY way to God the Father.
He is the way to salvation.
NOTE how in this text Jesus also mentions others as thieves and
robbers. There had been many
before and there have been many since who claimed to be the Messiah.
Jesus said they were all fakes and thieves.
John 10:10, “The thief does not
come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it
more abundantly.”
iv.
Application: Our way to heaven is through Jesus and none other.
Galatians 3:27 says that in baptism we put on Christ.
Rom. 6:3-4 likens our baptism to His death, burial and
resurrection.
4.
John 10:11, 14, “I am the good shepherd”
i.
Continuing
with the same illustration of sheep and their shepherd, Jesus now makes
another claim. He said, “I am the good shepherd.”
He then proceeds to distinguish between a true shepherd and a
hireling. The hireling was
there “for the money” and would not put himself in danger on behalf of
the sheep.
ii.
Jesus on
the other hand, WOULD do all within His power to protect and provide for
those who belonged to Him (His sheep).
The point is that Jesus CARES about His followers.
See the context in vs. 11-16.
Throughout scripture we read of what has been done by Him because
He cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7
notes of God that He cares for us.
Heb. 13:5-6 find the consolation in Christ.
iii.
Application: As we understand how much He cares for us, we must trust
Him. A part of this is
letting Him LEAD us wherever we need to go.
Therefore, implied in this claim is our need to examine His
teachings and to do whatever He says of us.
Do you truly trust Him?
5.
John 11:25, “I am the resurrection”
i.
In our
context we find that word has been sent to Jesus that Lazarus is
seriously sick. Rather than
responding immediately, Jesus waits 2 days before He begins to go to
Bethany where Lazarus and his sisters were.
The reason had to do with a claim He would make.
From the text we learn that Lazarus had died and when Jesus
arrived he had been dead for 4 days (Jn. 11:17).
When He sees Martha and Mary He grieves.
But He also makes a promise to Martha, “Your brother will rise
again.” (11:23). Martha
understands this to speak of the final day when all will be raised.
But Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you
believe this?" (Jn. 11:25-26)
As the day unfolds, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. (John 11:38-43)
ii.
The claim
of Jesus was to demonstrate a promise.
Even though men die physically, they will be raised in the Day of
Judgment (John 5:28-29).
Jesus wanted them to understand that their hope of a resurrection was
based upon Him. He would
demonstrate this by raising Lazarus from the dead and a short time
later, after His crucifixion He Himself would be raised.
iii.
Application: Because Jesus
arose from the dead we have hope beyond this life.
For those who put their trust in Jesus and obey Him, this
resurrection will be a joyful occasion.
1 Peter 1:3-5 describes our living hope through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Paul in Philippians 3:7-11 finds Paul’s confidence as he walked
away from the things of this world to gain Christ.
His hope in this was “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any
means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil 3:10-11
Do you live in confidence of the resurrection?
6.
John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”
i.
On the
night Jesus was betrayed, we have recorded a lengthy conversation that
Jesus had with His apostles.
This is recorded in John 13-16. Jesus
tried to encourage His disciples to not lose heart, even though HE was
about to die. His promise to
them was that He would rise again and that after He left, a Helper would
come who would guide them into all truth.
In the midst of this conversation Jesus states that He is leaving to go
and prepare a place for them.
He notes that where He is going, they would be able to join Him
and then He says, “And where I go you know, and the way you know.” (John
14:1-4). This prompts them
to ask Jesus, “How can we know where you are going.
Jesus answer, “I
am the way, the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
ii.
The claim
of Jesus in this text is to His disciples.
It is a promise that if they put their trust in Him, He will LEAD
THEM where they need to go.
In this text Jesus actually makes 3 claims:
a.
HE is
the way – the path that leads
to God. Much like the door
of the sheep. Furthermore,
salvation is NOT found apart from Him (Acts 4:12).
Eph. 2:18 states that “through Him we both have access by one
Spirit to the Father.”
b.
He is
the truth – His message was
truth. It is the necessary
message that brings salvation – John 8:32.
Recall how this book begins (John 1:1- “In the beginning was the
Word…”
c.
He is
the life – as He demonstrated
in raising Lazarus (and others).
Furthermore, He is the source of ETERNAL life – 1 John 5:11-12
iii.
Application: Like His disciples on that occasion, we need to see Jesus
as the way, the truth and the life.
As He said, “NO ONE comes to the Father” except through Him.
7.
John 15:1, “I am the true vine.” (John 15:5)
i.
Spoken on
the same occasion as His previous claim, Jesus now makes analogy to His
disciples and their need to produce IN HIM.
ii.
His claim
to His disciples: Even though He was about to leave them (from this
earth) He was NOT leaving them.
Their spiritual success depended upon their dwelling in Him.
Jesus reminds them that He is STILL the source thought which they
would find all spiritual blessings.
iii.
Application: In all that we do for Christ, we too need to understand
that it hinges upon a relationship with Him.
Matt. 7:21-23 indicates it is NOT enough to merely believe in
Jesus, we must respond in obedience to His instructions.
We must DWELL in Him – Galatians 2:20 speaks of our lives being
influenced by Him.
It is in Him that we find true fruit (results).
NOTE: Let us give careful consideration to abiding in Him if we
want to succeed. We need to
include Him in our plans (i.e. prayers, etc.)
1 John 2:6 tells us that abiding in Him means that we walk as He walked.
Also, let us not forget Galatians 3:27 which describes how we put Him
on!
1.
There are
other claims made by Jesus, even in the book of John.
i.
John
10:30-39, “I and My Father are one.”
ii.
John
4:25-26, concerning the expression that the Messiah was coming, Jesus
said, “I who speak to you am He.”
iii.
John 14:11
– I am in the Father and the Father in Me.
iv.
John
12:47-48 - the words I have
spoken will judge Him in the last day”
2.
AND there
are other claims in the other gospels as well.
i.
Luke
19:10, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost”
ii.
Matthew
11:28-30 – Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden…”
iii.
Matthew
28:18-20, “All authority is given to Me in heaven and on earth…”
These are some of the claims Jesus made.
These claims and many other things that Jesus taught had a great
impact upon those He was around, both friend and foe.
Because of the claims Jesus made, it is understandable that one
would question Him. The
challenge was not in His critics questioning Him (for example when
asked, “By what authority are you doing these things?”Luke 20:1-8) but
their unwillingness to accept the truth. When one makes claims like
Jesus did, it ought to get our attention.
Jesus PROVED that He was who He claimed to be.
That is why in Him we have hope.
In our next lesson we will
examine some of the proofs Jesus presented as to who He was.