Jesus the Great I Am

The sun doesn't have to look for fire to stay hot, and water doesn't have to look for moisture to be wet. It's built into the nature of the thing. Dr. Tony Evans says these things simply are what they are, just like the Lord. It's built into the nature of God to be who He is because He changes not. Celebrating 40 years of faithfulness, this is The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans, author, speaker, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Urban Alternative. When Moses asked God what name he should use to describe who sent him, the answer was simply, I AM.

But that simple answer really isn't so simple at all. Let's join Dr. Evans as he talks about the incredible significance packed into it. God is invisible in His essence. You can't see Him. But God wanted to be seen and known and experienced on a human level. And so the Word became flesh, according to John 1.14 and 12th among us, and the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father hath revealed Him, John 1.18, that Jesus Christ is the revelation of God in human terms. Today I want to talk to you about another name of Jesus, probably my favorite. The context is Jesus declaring that those who believe in Him would never die.

And they can't believe Jesus is talking like this, the religious leaders, and say, whose authority can you say that? I mean, they say, look at Abraham. He lived 2,000 years ago. He died.

All the prophets died. Who do you think you are? You're a demon. You're right from the devil, talking crazy like that. Jesus tells them, no, I ain't the crazy one.

No, it's not me. I know the Father. And if I said that He's not going to die, who believes in me, He's not going to die.

They say, but wait a minute. Abraham, our father died. You're not even 50 years old. He died 2,000 years ago. On what basis can you make such a crazy statement, such a demonic statement about death, and you're not even 50 years old? And that's when Jesus gives us our name for today, and it is a doozy.

Jesus looks at them and says, He says to them in verse 58, truly, truly, show enough, show enough. I say to you, before Abraham was born, so we can skip the death part. I'm going to start off at the birth. Before Abraham was born, I am.

The name we're going to talk about today is the name I am. Before Abraham was born, I am. It says, when they heard him say that in verse 59, they picked up stones to kill him.

Why would you kill him for such a statement? Because they knew what he was saying. If he just wanted to talk about predating Abraham, then he would have said, before Abraham was, I was. But he doesn't say before Abraham was, I was. He says, before Abraham was, I am.

That sent them into the ionosphere of anger, so that they sought to kill him, because they knew what he was saying. You see, Jesus, in identifying his name, bypasses Abraham and jumps to Moses. To understand the phrase, I am, you have to go back to Exodus chapter 3, verses 13 and 14, because they knew that that is what Jesus was referring to.

So when you go back and let the Bible interpret the Bible, in Exodus chapter 3, verse 13, we read these words. Then Moses said to God, Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you. Now they may say to me, What is his name?

What shall I say to them? God said to Moses, I am who I am. And he said, Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, I am have sent you. So the reason they were throwing rocks at Jesus when he declared his name to be I am, was because they knew that he was using the term God used to define himself to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus chapter 3.

So they knew Jesus was declaring himself to be the God who actually talked to Moses. Well, he doesn't just say I am. He says, I am that I am. Why is he saying I am that I am? Number one, it means that he is who he declares himself to be.

That's very important. I am that I am. In other words, I define me by me. I am that I am.

So why do you need to know that? Because what that means is I am not what you want me to be. What he is saying is I am self-defining. Now having established that, there are seven I ams in the book of John. Seven times Jesus says, I am about something.

John chapter 6 verse 35 is the first of the seven I ams. Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not hunger and he who believes in me will never thirst. He's talking about the Old Testament in the wilderness when the bread of life came down from heaven called manna. So what Jesus is saying is, what God fed you physically in the wilderness, my job is to feed you spiritually in your day-to-day life. I am your satisfaction for eternal life and I am your substance for living this life.

So he says, I am the bread. Secondly, then Jesus spoke to them again saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

Ooh, I love this. Jesus says, I'm the bread, I feed you, but I'm also the light, I'll illuminate you. I will be your light, but you got to be following me, because if you go on your way and I'm going another way, you're going to get lost and you will be in darkness. And one of the worst things in the world is to be blind and not know it.

Because when you blind and not know it, that means you're trying to make it on your own and you're tripping all over the place, running into everything and bumping into everybody. He says, but if you let me be the illumination of your life, then you will find the way to go. So if you're here today and you don't have direction or clarity, but you definitely want it, and you want it from God, he said, you got to follow me. You got to find out what I say, what I think, and you got to do that regardless of what your peeps say, regardless of what your posse says. And here's the big one.

Regardless of what you think. Chapter 10, verse 7. Truly, truly, show enough, show enough, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

Shepherds had a gate, the door where the sheep could enter. And he says, if you come through me, verse 9, if anyone, somebody say anyone, because that means it includes you. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. Okay, he'll go to heaven, but that's not all. He will go in and out. He'll find freedom and he'll find pasture. I'll satisfy him. He says, if you come through me, if you stop going around me, if you stop going over me, under me, stop skipping me, if you will make your way via me, because I am the door, I am not only the door to save you for eternity, but I am the joy to give you in and outness, freedom in history, and I am the door to bring you satisfaction for your life.

Now tell me, who else can give you that for free? All three, because my name is I Am. The next I Am, he says in chapter 10, verses 11 and 14, I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

That's the cross. 14, I am the Good Shepherd and I know my own and my own know me. Chapter 11, verse 25, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even if he dies. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.

Do you believe this? Lazarus has just died. Jesus let him die. And Martha goes to, watch this now, theology. Because in the previous verse she says, I know he'll rise again on resurrection day.

I've been to church, I've read my theology books, I know he'll rise again, because that's what I learned in theology class, Bible class. Jesus says, oh, you don't have all the theology, sister girl, I am the resurrection. In other words, theology will give you information. That's called the milk of the word. The milk of the word is information that God has revealed. So when you study the Bible, the milk of the word gets you started, but it doesn't take you to growth. He says you got to move from the milk to the meat of the word. And the meat of the word is taking the milk of the word and using it in life. When the milk is utilized, it then gets to become meat, or what he calls solid food. That's why people can go to church every week, 52 Sundays a year, 52 Wednesdays a year, and see no change take place in their life, because they're banking on information.

And the milk will not give you, it gets you started, but you got to graduate to meat, and milk only goes to meat when utilized. You quoted me, the theology, Martha. Let me tell you what the theology is designed to show you. It's designed to show you who I am. Or as Jesus says in John chapter 5, the scriptures are speaking to drive you to me. So if your information doesn't grow to a relationship, then it is data that will keep you in a crib. More about the personal relational side of the great I am when Dr. Evans continues his message in just a moment.

Stay with us. Add some adventure to your family time, and impart spiritual truths to your kids with a library of books from Dr. Tony Evans, specifically geared toward children. Written for children of all ages, these books will help you teach your kids the Bible, lead them to depend on the Lord, and spark joy in their hearts for Him, all the while enjoying time together as a family. You'll find scripture to memorize, journal prompts, and practical applications for the whole family to put into practice. But most importantly, you'll have a way to spend intentional time with your kids, having fun and enjoying each other, while learning biblical truth together. Explore Dr. Evans' line of kids' books today, and start them on the path to discovering what it really means to live faithfully for Jesus. You can find out more about the complete line of kids' books at toneyevans.org. And that's also where you can go to receive a full-length copy of today's message. This sermon is a part of the four-volume collection of messages spanning 40 years of ministry here at The Urban Alternative. We're calling it The Tony Evans Top 40, and right now we'll send you Volumes 3 and 4 of this powerful set as our way of saying thanks for your investment in us, which enables us to continue investing in you.

That's 20 full-length messages, including several we won't be able to present on the air this time around. To get your copy, just visit toneyevans.org, where you can make all the arrangements for either the CD set or the digital downloads. That's toneyevans.org. Or call us at 1-800-800-3222. Our resource center is open 24-7.

Once again, that's 1-800-800-3222. I'll repeat that information for you after Part 2 of today's message, and this. I'm in the portion of the church where they believed Paul Gotha was originally located, where the greatest event by the greatest person ever took place. Dr. Tony Evans travels to Israel to experience firsthand the places Jesus walked, preached, and ministered while on earth.

You're invited to relive his inspirational journey in an upcoming big-screen Fathom event. We're at the Church of Immotivity here in Bethlehem. I'm seated here in Nazareth. I'm here in Bethany, coming into the Garden of Gethsemane. I'm sitting on the southern steps that we meet up to the temple. More than just a captivating travelogue, Dr. Evans discusses the biblical and historical significance of each stop along the way and what it means for us today. As I sit on these steps, I'm reminded of another name of our Savior. He is the sacrificial lamb that satisfies the wrath of God against you and me. November 15th, 16th, and 17th. Join Dr. Evans for a captivating journey with Jesus.

Visit tonyevans.org for theaters, showtimes, and to learn more. Now in chapter 14 verse 6, Jesus says to them, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me. I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the light.

Number one, I am the way. I know where I'm going. Most of us hope we know where we're going. We desire to go somewhere with our life, with our career, with our plan. Jesus says, I know the way.

You don't have to guess. I'm GPS all over, all up in here, all up in here. I know where I am going. I know the way, the way to eternity first, and then the way for living your life. That's what he concludes with. I am the truth.

Don't misread this. I'm not a truth. I'm not one among many truths.

Okay, that goes back to I think stuff. I'm not a truth. I am the truth. You got people walking around here, I know my truth. I know my truth. Unless your truth agrees with the truth, you believe in a lie and the lie is you.

Many people are believing a lie because it's real to them. No, you need objective truth. Jesus says, I am the truth. I am the absolute standard by which reality is measured. So save yourself some time, find out what I say, and adjust your thinking to it.

Because if you're a Christian, you have the mind of Christ. I am the truth. And then he says, and I am the life. You want to live? Go my way. Go my way. You'll have life.

That is my life. He says in John 15, verse 1 and verse 5, these words, I am the true vine. My Father is the vine dresser. Verse 5, I am the vine and you are the branches.

He who abides in me and I in him, he bears much fruit. For apart from me, you can do nothing. Oh, okay, watch this stuff. I'm the one. Since I am the one, you need to hang out with me. Abide. Abide in me.

Stay with me. Fruit exists for the benefit of somebody else. So when's the last time somebody wanted to take a bite out of your life? Because they see Jesus doing so much in you that they want to hide. They want to get a piece of that.

They want to get a piece of that. Rotten fruit is the only fruit that eats itself. So if you're all about you, only about you, it's about me, myself, and I, that's because you're a rotten Christian. He wants you to be fruity saints. Okay, you say, okay, I got it. I got it. He's the I Am. What do I do with this?

What do I do with this I Am-ness? When God told Moses, my name is I Am, it was in the midst of a contradiction. It was a burning bush. A burning bush is a contradiction.

If a bush is on fire and the leaves are staying green, that don't make sense. When he saw the contradiction, he went over to the bush. When he got close to the bush, he heard God call his name. Moses, Moses, take off your shoes.

The ground on which you stand is holy ground. The best time to experience the I Am-ness of Jesus is when things aren't making sense in your life. When you throw up the question, why, and you're trying to live for God, you're trying to please God, I'm not talking about somebody rebelling, I'm talking about somebody who's trying to please God, and it's all contradictory, and you can't make sense of it, you're in the perfect position to hear him call your name. That is, to reveal himself to you. And what did he reveal? He revealed to him his purpose.

He says, I want you to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let my people go. He gave him a reason for living. He gave him his purpose. And let me tell you something about his purpose.

His purpose was bigger than anything he could do on his own, because this was a big deal to tell Pharaoh, let my people go and leave the children of Israel. So what you get to hear when you go into God's presence, especially when life is not making sense, things are crisscrossing on you, even though you're trying to do the right thing, Psalm chapter 9 verse 10 says that when you know God's name, you trust Him. In John 18, they were getting ready to arrest Jesus, all the Roman soldiers. They come in to arrest Jesus, they come in to arrest Jesus, going to lock Him up. And they said, are you this Jesus that we're looking for? And Jesus stood there and said, I am.

And the Bible says, and when Jesus said, I am, all the soldiers fell back and collapsed on the ground, because the I am-ness was overwhelming. I don't know what's after you. I don't know what situation is threatening you.

I don't know what difficulty is facing you. But when they run into the great I am, oh, they got to back up. They got to back up, because I am only gets taken when He's ready to be taken. I close with the story of the girl whose father came to him and said, Darling, it's time for you to open up a bank account with the money we've given you for an allowance, and here's how you write a check, and I want you to start saving. She says, okay, Dad. So she writes out a check to deposit it in the bank. She deposits the check in the bank.

She comes back a week later, crying. Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, it's not working. What's wrong? The bank, the bank. What's wrong with the bank? I deposit, I did what you said. I took my savings. I wrote out a check. I sent it to the bank, but the bank is run out of money. The bank is in trouble.

The father said, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. That's the second largest bank in the nation, so it can't be going broke. What makes you think the bank is going broke? She reached in her pocket and pulled out the check. She said, Daddy, look, the check says insufficient funds.

Okay, for y'all who didn't get that, let me help you. The check said insufficient funds. It wasn't the bank that didn't have the money.

Oh, okay, it takes a while when you... It wasn't the bank that didn't have the money. The girl hadn't deposited enough to cover the check she wrote. So if on the check of your life it reads insufficient joy, insufficient peace, insufficient power, insufficient happiness, insufficient order, insufficient... If the check of your life is reading insufficient funds, it's not because the bank in heaven is empty.

It's because you're not depositing to God the commitment that he required for you to see him pay the debt in full. Because last time I checked, his name is I Am, and that means I Am whatever you need. I Am whatever is lacking. I Am wherever you need me to be if you will simply walk with me. You can start your walk with Jesus today by receiving his forgiveness and committing your life to him. And it doesn't matter what you've done or how good a person you might be, it's all about what Jesus did on the cross.

And despite what people sometimes say, the Bible makes it clear there's no other way to heaven. Tony would love to tell you how that relationship can be yours. Visit tonyevans.org today and follow the link that says Jesus. You'll find answers to your questions, a simple prayer that can change your life, and free follow-up resources. Well, if you'd like to have a copy of today's message to review on your own or pass along to a friend, it comes as a part of our current featured resource, Tony Evans Top 40. As I mentioned earlier, all 20 messages in Volumes 3 and 4 of this collection are our gift to you when you make a contribution to help us keep Tony's teaching on this station. Just drop by tonyevans.org where you can get all the details and make your donation online. Again, that's tonyevans.org.

Or you can call our 24-hour resource center at 1-800-800-3222 and let one of our team members help with your request. We've all learned recently how easily our idea of normal life can be turned upside down. But on Monday, Dr. Evans will explain that even though the world can't offer us any real lasting hope for the future, our eternity is secure with God. Right now, though, he's back with his final word for today. So what I'm challenging us today in this name, the I am-ness of God. That he is the God who speaks in the Old Testament, but he is the personal God for you right now. If you've received him as your Savior and you are following him as your Lord, then you have access to the I am-ness of Jesus Christ. The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans is brought to you by the Urban Alternative and is celebrating 40 years of faithfulness thanks to the generous contributions of listeners like you.