Jesus: before Abraham came into existence, I AM

S: 

John 8:1-11 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the middle, they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. What then do you say about her?” They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of.

But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground with his finger.

They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”

John 8:54-59 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God. You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old! Have you seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.”

Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the middle of them, and so passed by.

O:

The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was saying when he said, “I AM.” They knew from Exodus 3:14 who the I AM was - YHWH, God. In the context of that culture then, it was a clear claim.

Jesus is God. He claimed it and he proved it by His miracles.

A:

Jesus is our example — loving the sinner while not condoning sin. God does not desire the death of sinners, but their repentance. Once we have come to Him, we need to live as children of God and follow Him. So we have to go and sin no more.

P:

Father, thank you for sending your son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I want to stay away from sin and obey you. In Jesus’ name, amen.