“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’” – John 8:58
With this simple statement, Jesus spoke volumes! Though He was still a young man in the eyes of His audience, He explained that He was, in fact ancient with a capital ‘A’. Their great ancestor Abraham had lived more than twenty centuries earlier, but Jesus said that He was perpetually present long before Abraham was born. Before Abraham was ever conceived, Jesus already was.
More than merely ancient though, Jesus says here that He is “I AM”. “I AM”, the eternal present, is the name of God (see Exodus 3:14). When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He called Himself I AM because He is eternally present. With these simple words, Jesus didn’t just say He was surprisingly old. He called Himself God. Jesus declare that He was God Himself come to earth in the flesh.
His audience wasn’t prepared to receive this truth. They immediately grabbed rocks to try and kill Him for blasphemy though they didn’t succeed. Fortunately, we stand on the other side of the cross and resurrection. We know that Jesus died and rose from the dead which makes it somewhat easier to understand and embrace the truth that Jesus is God. However, it’s still very difficult for most people.
Embrace this glorious truth! Don’t let the stereotypical pictures of Jesus as a kind looking young man fool you. He is God the Son. Your Savior has existed eternally. He is the second person of the Godhead. Present at creation, Jesus is the sustainer of the universe. He is worthy of all praise and worship. He rightly deserves to be Lord over every aspect of your Life. He is the Great I AM!