Tuesday, January 11, 2011
"BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS, I AM."
It happened once when Jesus was teaching in the temple courtyard in Jerusalem. He was explaining to those gathered about Him that all who remained in His word were His disciples -- and the truth was theirs -- the truth that sets men free.
Some there challenged Him and His authority. Jesus said that He spoke with the authority of His Father in heaven. At that they complained all the more saying that Abraham was their Father. They asked Him if He could possibly be greater than their ancestor Abraham. Jesus replied: "Before Abraham was, I AM."
A powerful statement with breath-taking implications. There He was, telling those religious leaders that He was even before Abraham.
Could this really be? It sounds silly at first. We think of a person's existence beginning at the moment of their birth, or more accurately, of their conception, but we don't think of people existing before that.
But Jesus was in the beginning, present, existing, active. Before anything else was created. Before there was a universe, Jesus was. And He always was. Before there was ever a beginning, Jesus was already there. Existing from the limitless stretches of eternity ... before time itself. There has never been a moment without Jesus.
He had not yet taken on human flesh, of course. But even BEFORE the manger, see the eternal nature of Jesus. When Jesus was born, He had already been. He was. He was there.
Even as we think of God the Father being "in the beginning," so also Jesus was in the beginning, He was with God in the beginning. As far back as God goes, so Jesus goes.
It is a miracle. It is a mystery. It is our JOY, for think of what this means. The One who comes as your Savior;
the One who stands by your side and says,
"Come to me you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest;"
The One who reaches out and takes you by the hand and says,
"Be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven."
"I will never leave you or forsake you."
That One -- Jesus -- has been there, has seen all your trials and troubles. He knows the origin of sin, its ravages and its pain. He knows its effect; He knows what needs to be done about it ...
and He has done it.
