Jesus is a person of curiosity for many people. I regularly hear people speculate about who He is and what He has done. It's interesting to compare what people say about Jesus with what He said about Himself.

In the gospel of John, Jesus made a series of "I am" statements. They're all powerful statements that reveal aspects of His nature and mission. In making these statements, Jesus was showing us important details about what He offers those who trust in Him. He also made it abundantly clear that He is divine. Jesus is God who took on flesh and walked among us.

Consider some of the statements He made about Himself in John's gospel. Jesus said...

• "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35-51)

• "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12, 9:5)

• "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)

• "I am the door" (John 10:7-9)

• "I am the good shepherd" (John 10:11-14)

• "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25)

• "I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6)

• "I am the true vine" (John 15:1-5)

• "I am he" (John 18:4-5)

These "I am" statements that Jesus was making hearkened back to a conversation Moses had with God in Exodus 3. In that chapter, God told Moses that His name was, "I AM WHO I AM." When Jesus made the "I am" statements found in John's gospel, He was doing so, in part, to reveal His true nature to those who would hear or read these words.

As we begin our look at this subject, let's start with Exodus 3, and learn a little more about what it means for us to be people who know God by name.

I. What shall I say?

How do you feel about the fact that the Lord has chosen you to be His ambassador to the world? He makes His appeal to the hearts of those who do not know Him through your lips. Do you feel like a capable messenger, or do you sometimes wish the Lord had chosen someone else, other than you, for this task?

Even though I accept this responsibility as one who has come to faith in Jesus Christ, I don't always feel adept at it. I find it much easier to live out my faith, and talk about my walk with Christ in a teaching context or in written form than I do in a one-on-one, face-to-face conversation. But still, I press on and have those discussions. Maybe you can identify with that struggle as well. I get the impression that this was also something Moses was wrestling with.

As the Lord made it clear to him that he was going to lead the people of Israel out of their bondage to the Egyptians and toward the Promised Land, Moses gave God a few responses that don't strike me as particularly spiritual. He questioned why God would select him for this task. Later on, he also expressed hesitation to speak to the people when they were assembled.

In this conversation that was taking place, when the Lord appeared to him at Horeb in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, Moses expressed timidity about the thought of having to speak to the people of Israel. He asked the Lord what he should say if the people asked him what God's name truly was. And in the subsequent verse, we see the answer God gave him.

I find this passage very relatable, and I suspect you might as well. We want the Lord to tell us what to say when we're speaking about Him to those who may not know Him.

Last year, a woman who attended our church, asked me for some help when it came to sharing the gospel with her family. She wanted to know where to start and what to say. She was nervous to speak with them for fear that they might reject her, but she felt compelled to tell them the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ.

So we spent some time walking through the Scriptures and discussing how to share the gospel when the Lord gives us those opportunities. Since that time, she has shared the gospel with many members of her family and, to my knowledge, both her mother and her aunt have come to faith in Christ. The Lord answered her prayers and gave her the words to say. I'm confident He will do so for you and me as well.

II. Go as one who has been sent

Life is different when you approach it with a sense of purpose. Life is different when you begin to understand your mission. Life isn't about going through the motions, clocking in, clocking out, earning some money, taking nice trips, upgrading your car, and splurging on a few nice things for your kids. If you know Christ, you've been given a much deeper mission than that.

God's word speaks of us as those who have been commissioned and sent into this world with a divinely ordained task to accomplish. All who know Christ are included in His redemptive mission. In Exodus 3:14, Moses was learning more about this mission and his role in this plan.

Moses was told to go to the people of Israel and tell them that, "I am has sent me to you." This is how God referred to Himself in this passage. He had told Moses that His name was, "I am who I am," and now He was sending Moses as His messenger to millions of people who were bound in the chains of slavery.

What do you suppose the Lord means when He refers to Himself as, "I am who I am"? When you think about it, it's clear that a name like that can have multiple shades of meaning. On one hand, the Lord is illustrating the fact that He has always existed and didn't just come into being. He's also showing us that His nature is unchanging. He is who He is. He is the perfection of love, justice, mercy, grace, and all His other attributes. I think He's also making it clear that the created order finds it's source in Him. He is the uncaused cause. He is the one who just "is", and everything that was created finds its origin in Him.

Moses was being told to go as one who had been sent by the greatest authority and greatest power in existence. Moses' authority to speak and lead was commissioned by the One who spoke creation into existence. By the way, Yahweh, the Lord, the I AM, is the one who grants you His authority to represent Him to this world as well. The same Lord who sent Moses is sending you.

III. Help the generations that come after you to know Him like you do

As a dad, I frequently think about the responsibility that has been given to me to lead and influence my children. I carve out time to spend with them. I try to notice their unique preferences and what interests them. I'm always looking for opportunities to teach them more about the Lord, His word, and what it looks like to live for Christ.

This is a desire that the Lord plants in our hearts when we come to know Him. This is also something He was making clear to Moses as an ongoing priority. The Lord wanted the details of His name and His nature to be shared with each subsequent generation.

If you're a parent or a grandparent who wants to educate your children about the Lord, let me encourage you to do four specific things.

• 1. Block off time to spend with your children or grandchildren.

• 2. Take an interest in the healthy things that interest them.

• 3. Read the Bible to them out loud.

• 4. Use what interests them to help point them to Jesus. Keep your eyes peeled for those teachable moments, and don't hesitate to share the wisdom the Lord has given you through His word and your experiences.

Help the generations that come after you to know His name and His nature. As the Lord has said, "This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."

IV. See beyond your present affliction

During the days in which Moses lived, and for hundreds of years prior, it wasn't easy to be part of the people of Israel. They were treated harshly by the Egyptians, and lived in some respects like they were cattle or beasts of burden instead of being valued as people.

The Lord told Moses that He saw their affliction and was going to do something about it. He promised that He would bring them out of it and would bless them with a beautiful land in which to live. Their present affliction would not be their permanent reality.

As men and women who know God's name and are blessed to have a relationship with Him, we can also value the mindset the Lord was encouraging His people to possess in this passage. He's showing us that when we truly know Him, we can also see beyond our present affliction.

At present, I'm well aware that some of you are experiencing health needs, emotional needs, family needs, and financial needs. These are not uncommon concerns. These are the common struggles that we all face in the midst of our sojourn on this earth. But for those who walk with Christ, and know Him by name, these are momentary afflictions, not permanent conditions. Just as the people of Israel were emancipated, through Christ we have been freed from our slavery to sin, and assured of our permanent place in God's eternal kingdom. We too have a home in a Promised Land.

God knows your name. Be known as one who knows His name, and rest in the fact that He who spoke creation into existence also holds your life in the palm of His hand.

© John Stange, 2019