Jesus as ‘I Am’ (John 8:58)
Phil Gons · April 7, 2019 · Spring Creek Bible Church · 47m
Loading transcript…
For families
Ages Teens
This is a careful, scholarly exploration of one of Scripture’s most profound claims: that Jesus identified himself with the divine name of God. The preacher walks through the Old Testament background (Exodus and Isaiah) before examining each of Jesus’ ‘I am’ statements in John’s gospel, helping listeners understand both what Jesus claimed and why his hearers found it shocking. It’s intellectually rigorous but warmly pastoral.
Worth knowing: The sermon includes discussion of blasphemy charges and Jesus’ arrest, but handles these maturely without sensationalism.
Character of GodApologetics & hard questionsJesus’ life & words
Talk about it together (4 questions)
- What did God tell Moses his name was in Exodus 3:14, and why do you think Jesus used similar language when speaking about himself?
- The preacher mentions that some of Jesus’ ‘I am’ statements could have an ordinary meaning (like ‘it’s me’) but also a deeper meaning pointing to God. Can you think of why Jesus might communicate on two levels like this?
- In John 8:58, Jesus says ‘before Abraham was born, I am.’ Why couldn’t this just mean ‘it’s me’ the way it might in other passages?
- The preacher lists seven applications at the end—things that change if Jesus really is the great ‘I Am’ of the Old Testament. Which of these applications feels most important or challenging to you personally?
Used by permission of Phil Gons — philgons.com