" I Am.... Eternity To Eternity"

In Jesus Holy Name Easter VII 2020

Text: John 17:5 Redeemer

“I Am … Eternity to Eternity”

Two Thousand years ago Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do people say that I am? It was a good question. Answers are still coming in. Some see Jesus as a great ethical teacher. He preached with compassion. He worked miracles. Changed the lives of people he touched. Yet, powerful forces challenged His authority and claims to being the Old Testament God of Israel who was now visibly in their presence.

I love this verse (John 17:5) (read again) We all know that when we read our bible it is sometimes easy to miss the meaning of a particular verse. This verse sums up all of the “I Am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John.

For the past six Sundays these messages have been shaped by the words of Jesus. “I Am” the living water.” Spoken to the woman at the well in Samaria. “I Am” the bread of life” spoken those who attended the feeding of the 5000 along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. “I Am” the resurrection and the life.” Spoken at the tomb of Lazarus. “I AM” the Gate. “I Am” the Good Shepherd prophesized in Ezekiel 34, spoken to the Pharisees and religious leaders in Jerusalem.

Jesus declared that He was the “I Am” of the Exodus. He announced, "I am the Good Shepherd" (John 10:11), a title the Old Testament ascribed to God (Psalm 23:1; Ez. 34). He called Himself the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1), a role God played with Israel (Isaiah 62:5). He forgave sins (Mark 2:5); only God can forgive sins. Of course, the Pharisees grasped the implication that Jesus was claiming to be God, and they looked for ways to kill Him for blasphemy. They knew what His words meant. God was in their midst, but they did not believe. (Mark 14:64-65).

They did not appreciate his miracles. They did not appreciate His teaching. They did not appreciate the fact that He healed people on the Sabbath, breaking their precious rules. They were furious when Jesus said: “The Father and I are one.” They immediately picked up stones to stone Him because they knew Jesus was claiming equality with the Creator of the Universe, The God who rescued their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. (John 10)

After the Passover meal. After the washing of the disciples feet. After telling His disciples that one day soon, His Holy Spirit would be a gift to all believers. Jesus offers a prayer: It begins: “Father the time has come.” Restore the glory I had with you in the beginning.

For 38 years from 1965 to 1993 Teddy Kollek was the Mayor of Jerusalem. He was enormously popular in his day. He often met with Christian leaders to discuss issues of mutual interest from Middle East security and the possibility of Peace. But eventually questions would arise regarding Jesus and the Jews. Was Jesus the Messiah of Israel?

On one occasion when Teddy Kollek was asked if Jesus was indeed the Messiah, he crafted a simple answer. He said that when the Messiah comes, a committee of Christians and Jews should form a committee, compose a list of questions, and then seek an audience with the Messiah. At the top of their list should be this question:

“Sir, have you ever been here before?” (Source: Jerusalem, My Home).

It’s a good line, and one that you might expect a politician to use. It points out the whole difference between Jews and Christians.

“Sir, have you ever been here before?”

Christians answer one way. Jews answer another.

There really is no middle ground. Either Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, or He wasn’t. Is He deity from eternity or did His life begin in a manger? Is Jesus the image of the invisible God? Or a holy Man that God chose to empower? Is Jesus is co-eternal with the Father? Was He the One responsible for creation? These are serious questions. These are good questions.

Week after week you have been watching the worship service on your computer or television, because as a nation we are “sheltering in". We are anxious. We’d like for this to be over. All of us are like children, sitting in the back seat of our family car on a long Road trip. The Road trip is becoming longer than our patience can handle. So we ask: “Are we there yet?” “How much longer?” “We are tired of sheltering in… how much longer?

When I read the prayer of Jesus, I must remember that this prayer of Jesus is at the end of the Passover meal with His disciples. His emotions are wrung out. He knows what is to come. He has washed their feet. He has predicted his betrayal by Judas who goes directly to the Pharisees who paid him 30 pieces of silver.