Who is Jesus? Who am I?

Our lives are so busy, it has become cliché to talk about it. Like machines, many of us walk through our daily routine without much forethought other than how long it will be before we can sit down and rest. We ask ourselves questions like, "Who am I?" and "Does anyone really know me?". These sorts of questions lead some of us to confusion and despair. In 1 Corinthians 13:12, Paul touches on our innate longing to be known.

"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

Again, in Galatians 4:9, he ties together us knowing God with us being known by God.

"But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?"

In regards to knowing God more fully, the following thoughts that have come up during one of our Saturday morning bible studies:

In John chapter 8, Jesus is involved in an intense dialogue with several leading Jews (when John refers to Jews in his gospel, most of the time he uses it to describe professed believers in God who are antagonistic to Jesus).

Jesus explains that if they keep his word they would never die (John 8:51). Confused about what Jesus is saying, they remind Jesus that Abraham and the prophets are all dead. "Who do you think you are" asked the Jews. Jesus tells them that Abraham rejoiced to see his day. They wondered how this could be since Abraham had been dead for about 2,000 years.

Jesus answered boldly, "I tell you the truth, before Abraham was born, I AM." The Jews understood that Jesus was claiming to be Yahweh, the God of the old testament. They took up stones to kill him, but he slipped away because his hour had not yet arrived.

In the book of John, Jesus tells us that the way in which we can know God is through knowing Jesus himself. And by knowing God, we ourselves can finally be fully known.

We invite you to come visit the Freeport Church where this small group bible study continues to study the Gospel of John each Saturday morning at 10 AM.