Key Text: "Jesus saith unto him, I Am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me." John 14:6
The sermon this month is entitled, "The Great I AM" and is part one of a four part series on John 14:6. The four messages will be based on and have as their foundation these four Biblical truths: Jesus is the great I AM, Jesus is the Way, Jesus is the Truth, and Jesus is Life (life in Himself and the Giver of life to all who receive Him as Lord and Savior).
Alexander, King of Macedon, was called Alexander the Great. Educated under the famous philosopher, Aristotle, Alexander’s name is found in Daniel’s prophecy. He was a mighty warrior, a great leader in battle. Alexander destroyed the Persian Empire and placed the Greeks in power. He conquered Asia, Egypt, Syria, and founded the city of Alexandria in B.C. 332. Four of Alexander’s leading generals died as drunkards. Alexander the Great, who was an alcoholic, came in from a heavy battle in the field, drank a lot, and came down sick. He died at the age of 32. This Alexander is written up in world history books as Alexander the Great. Through all the centuries, Alexander the Great has been studied, discussed, and taught to classroom students as the great one, the great one of battle, and the great one at the front of the army.
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God is never called Jesus the Great. Our Lord is called the Great I AM. Why? Because Jesus has always been, is now, and always will be the Great I AM. I AM is not I was, and I AM is not I shall be. No, I AM has always been and will always be I AM. (Present tense) Just as, "...He is risen,..." Matthew 28:6 Now friends, please note that the Great I AM will always be present tense.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. (Philippians 2:9-10) So, the Great I AM is preferred for His name is above every name, even the names of Alexander the Great and other warriors and famous people.
In this sermon, I want us to see three truths about The Great I AM. First, His name is above the sons of men. Secondly, His name, the Great I AM, is the saving name of all men. And thirdly, His name carries with it supreme honor among all men.
I. Jesus, the Great I Am Above the Sons of Men
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name..." (Philippians 2:9) There never has existed a man like Jesus, the Lord. There never was another who lived a perfect life without sin, died on a cross, was buried, and yet lived. Although men argue His birth, debate His life, discuss His death on the cross, and outright deny and doubt His resurrection, Jesus is still the Christ, the Son of God and Savior from sin and destruction.
The Great I AM:
1. "I AM the Bread of Life." John 6:48
2. "I AM the Living Bread which came down from heaven..." John 6:51
3. "...I AM the Light of the World..." John 8:12
4. "Then said Jesus unto them again, verily, verily, I say unto you, I AM the door of the sheep." John 10:7
5. "Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM." John 8:58
6. "As long as I AM in the world, I AM the light of the world." John 9:5
7. "I AM the good shepherd..." John 10:11
8. "I AM the resurrection..." John 11:25
9. "I AM the true vine..." John 15:1
10. "...I AM the Son of God." John 10:36
A huge library contains many different books on the same subject. A vast garden has many different flowers giving forth perfume. A great orchestra has many different instruments with various tones. A towering cathedral has many windows for illuminations and doors for entrance. A famous orchard is full of delectable fruits. And the name of Jesus is inclusive of many elements.
All the hallelujahs in the book of the Revelation are found in one five letter word, "Jesus!" The name Jesus is truly a miracle name of diversity in unity. Jesus is the effluence of God’s glory and the express image of His person, the Creator and upholder of all things, possessing a divinity not denied nor bestowed nor transmitted. He has a name, which has and holds forever a beauty inimitable in variety, proportion, profession, profusion, perfection, and power. John wrote about His incarnation in John 1:1,14.
Yes, Jesus is the Eternal Word, the heart of our faith, and He deserves our heartfelt praise. All glory to Jesus, begotten of God, the Great I AM is He: Creator, Sustainer - wonder of all, the Lamb of Calvary.
Jesus, the Great I AM is our all in all. He is the Stone, Shepherd, Son of God, Son of man, Shield, Servant, Seed of the woman, Surety Sufferer, Savior, Sinless, Sacrifice, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Jesus is Witness, the Word, the Way, the Wisdom of God, and the Wonderful Counselor!
Alexander conquered the world, but so did Caesar. Napoleon was a great general, but he was defeated at Waterloo by Wellington. There is no name of mortal man so great in the history of the world that another may not equal it. But when we mention the name, Jesus, there is no one to stand beside Him. He stands alone in all things with His name above every name.
II. His Name is the Saving Name of all Men!
"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8. The Great I AM, Jesus, the Son of God, is Savior. Those, who are saved will forever rejoice in eternity that through the name of Jesus, the Great I AM they have been made whole whether by resurrection or translation and are given a body fashioned like unto His glorious body. Saved for eternity by the Great I AM!
"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Philippians 3:20-21
The Great I AM performs perfectly the threefold need of lost man. Man’s condition out of Christ in darkness is one of total helplessness and hopelessness, but Christ performs that which man cannot do for himself.
1. The Work of RECONCILIATION
"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation." II Corinthians 5:19. What does it mean? The explanation is that Jesus, the Great I AM has settled the sin problem, and He reconciles sinners to God and reunites them to God and His family. The Great I AM reestablishes sinners to God. Lost in the first Adam’s family, we are found and reestablished in the second Adam, the Great I AM.
2. The Work of ILLUMINATION
Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is revealed to the sinner as Savior, Substitute, Sacrifice, and Surety. He is Lord. Paul on the road to Damascus, the woman at the well, Lydia, a seller of purple, the Philippian jailer, and the thief on the cross all saw the Light, the Great I AM. They all received the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
3. The Work of REGENERATION
Benjamin Franklin was a great statesman and inventor. He was a person known by many as a great correspondent. He received many letters from famous and not so famous people. Once Mr. Franklin received a letter from the very famous, well-known British preacher, George Whitefield. Whitefield wrote: "I find that you grow more and more in the learned world. As you have made such progress in investigating the mysteries of electricity, I now humbly urge you to give diligent heed to the mystery of the new birth. It is a most important study, interesting, and when mastered, will richly repay you for your pains." Regeneration is the work of God and in our study of the subject, we find that only the Great I AM can through His Spirit impart it.
III. His Name Carries With it Supreme Honor Among Men
Even though He was never crowned an earthly king, never wore a king’s robe, nor sat on a king’s throne; He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords." Revelation 19:16
Napoleon was a great man, but he could not change the lives of men and rescue them from destruction. France boasted of her Louis the Great, but to his greatness were added great vices and sickness unto death. Bishop Masill of Clermont, selected to preach his funeral sermon, looking down from the pulpit on the remains of a sovereign before whose name Europe once trembled said, "God alone is great."
God alone is great and His Son, Jesus of Nazareth is the Great I AM. Some trust in men. Some trust in money. Some trust in mystical mystic, but we trust in the name of the Lord. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." Psalms 20:7
1. The Great I AM was a Conquering Name. His name was a shield, strength, and courage to the apostles. His name was blessed to the people of God and woe to His enemies. The conquering name must be our battle cry today. We must go forward under the blood stained banner of the cross and in the mighty name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The Great I AM carried with it a credential name. The early Christians went forth with the right credential. They preached and taught in His name everywhere they went. They had no social standing, no prestige. They were hated. They had no political influence, no state or government pull and no money. They had only His name, the Great I AM, but that was enough. The preaching of the gospel in His name turned the then known world upside down.
3. The Great I AM name established Christianity. Barnabas and Paul in Antioch taught the believers for a full year and that is where the early believers were first called Christians.
"...and it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples (believers) were called Christians first in Antioch." Acts 11:26
And from that small beginning the name of Jesus, the Great I AM has been carried with supreme honor among men throughout the world.
"And there were in Jerusalem many who had secretly believed on Jesus, and many who had been deceived by the priests and rulers. To these also the gospel was to be presented. They were to be called to repentance. The wonderful truth that through Christ alone could remission of sins be obtained was to be made plain. While all Jerusalem was stirred by the thrilling events of the past few weeks, the preaching of the gospel would make the deepest impression.
"But the work was not to stop here. It was to be extended to the earth’s remotest bounds. To His disciples Christ said, ‘You have been witnesses of My life of self-sacrifice in behalf of the world. You have witnessed My labors for Israel. Although they would not come unto Me that they might have life, although priests and rulers have done to Me as they listed, although they have rejected Me as the Scriptures foretold, they shall have still another opportunity of accepting the Son of God. You have seen that all who come to Me, confessing their sins, I freely receive. Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out. All who will, may be reconciled to God, and receive everlasting life. To you, My disciples, I commit this message of mercy. It is to be given to Israel first, and then to all nations, tongues, and peoples. It is to be given to Jews and Gentiles. All who believe are to be gathered into one church.’" Desire of Ages, p. 820,821, E. G. White