I am Nobody

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Discussion of 'I AM' Statements in the Gospel of John starting with the first I AM statement to the woman at the well. "i" the preacher "am" nobody when compared to Christ Jesus, but somebody through Him.

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I am nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody too? Then there's a pair of us! Don't tell! They'd advertise, you know. Please be seated. My words of course are from Emily Dickinson. Perhaps I am on a kick of taking other's words for sermons of late. Of course, that is actually what I meant to do. To take His words and not mine. To proclaim The Great I Am, while minimizing who I happen to be. To proclaim the word of Christ Jesus sowing seed and perhaps on occasion reaping some of its benefits. I have not said much about last week's gospel. For some reason the story of Abram. So overwhelmed my thinking especially after seeing a commentary which is so brilliantly demonstrated who Abraham was to God and who Abraham was to be for all that came in contact with him. Perhaps blessed to be a blessing rang a brief cord yet as sometimes happens while I am listening or reading in the church just before my sermon in reacquainting myself with last week's gospel. Suddenly. I wondered why did I ignore? So rich a story? The question quickly left my mind as I regarded the words. I have been called to proclaim the outstanding reference to the love of God, which from the vantage point of Golgotha good only finally cost God life itself. I only bring you back to those words bragging on the magnificence of their meaning because those words and that sermon we're not my own it was the sermon of one smarter and greater than I a great Theologian least a PhD and professor of theology at a fine University whose lectures I would suspect we're expected to inspire many future pastors of the Lutheran persuasion. I on the other hand and nobody though in Christ Jesus as we see it this story at the well, I become somebody somebody with a story to tell even though my life might be marred and unlawful behavior in misaligned Theology and even in ignorance whether we nobody's come to meet Jesus in secret at 12 midnight, so we might not be identified as affiliated with Christ Jesus because we have a fine reputation to uphold or whether we nobody is our match by Jesus as we try to gather substance in the full heat of the 12 Noonday Sun trying to avoid the crowds of the well because we have a disreputable reputation to avoid when we are face to face with Jesus our lives will be Revealed whether we are a highly regarded yet Perhaps ignorant teacher of great theological statements or hardly regarded an ignorant woman yet Perhaps accidentally a great proclaimer of grand theological statements. Now, please hear do not take my words as an indictment against the professor who is word. I so joyously proclaimed last week. I really do not know the man at all and please hear do not take my words as an indictment against women even women of the time of Christ Jesus who it does appear where marginalized and perhaps in some instances regarded as less than their male counterparts know where I am trying to go here is to the juxtaposition of the three main characters of The Gospel lessons from last and this week. The person of Nicodemus the person of the unnamed Samaritan woman at the well and I am the one who is who and whoever will be. In comparison to i m i d no one because I was not I became I exist then I exist no more until he makes me again and raises me in case you have not noticed my play on the word. I am I will tell you that I love ego. Am I statements in the New Testament as I love the tetragramaton? Yhwh, or the very similar I am or to be the h u o t h highest statements of the Old Testament when I read of God Yahweh in the Old Testament referring to himself as I am or when I read of Jesus our Messiah referring to himself as I am my eat. My little ears perked up just a bit and I wait for the punchline. John chapter 4 verse 26 is the very first absolute I am statement in the Gospel of John. It is not until this moment that Jesus definitively Reveals His most glorious Name by referring to himself as The Great. I Am you might remember from a few weeks ago when Moses was face-to-face with God at The Burning Bush Moses asked how he is to identify the god of Israel to those who God wanted to save their God says I am that which I am thus you will say to the sons of Israel. I am has sent me to you and here at John chapter 4 verse 26 for the first time God reveals himself not to Moses or to a great descendant or grin teacher of Moses. Which one nobody a Backwater woman of Samaria in honor nobody with all her might to never be noticed as the someone the sinful someone who she perhaps rightly perceives. She really is good reviews, not the definitive statement. I am the Messiah. I am the Son of God, but rather to the nobody the uneducated the marginalized that the one speaking to you. I am the Messiah I be trying to avoid my own ego a my statement. I be of the opinion that one cannot overestimate the significance of an eagle a my statement in the New Testament coming from the lips of Christ Jesus in John. There are only 23 such statements. Each time Jesus is beyond a shadow of a doubt. The first Eagle. Am I is right here before a nobody at a Samaritan. Well, it is used as Jesus walks on water in chapter 6 verse 22 the disciples. I am he do not be afraid. We will find used in various statements about who Jesus is. I am the bread of life chapter 6 verse 35 verse 41 verse 48 and verse 51. I am the light of the world chapter 8 verse I am the door of the sheep chapter 10 verses 7 and 9 the Good Shepherd chapter 10 verses 11 and 14. I am the resurrection and life chapter 11 verse 25. I am the way and the truth and the life Chapter 14 verse 6. I am the True Vine John chapter, 15:1 and 15 15. I am covered 15 of the 23 thus far. John chapter 8 verse 18. I am the one who Bears witness about myself 824. I told you that you would die in your sins for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins 858 truly truly. I say to you before Abraham and they picked up stones to throw at him. We are now at 18 of the 23. I am statements are next. I am statement immediately follows our Messiah washing the disciples feet. Do you know what I have done to you? You call me teacher and Lord and you are right for so I am if then your lord and teacher has washed your feet. So also you ought to wash one another's feet. Moving forward Jesus reveals that the one who ate his bread Has Lifted his heel against him and I am telling you this now before it takes place that when it does take place, you may believe that I am. The final three statements of who Christ is our found during the Betrayal and arrest of Jesus beginning with chapter 18 verse for Jesus knowing all that would happen to him came forward and said to them do you seek? They answered him Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them and when Jesus said I am he they drew back and fell to the ground. So we asked them again whom do you seek? And they said Jesus of Nazareth Jesus answered. I told you that I am he so if you seek me let these men go this last Eagle my statement is perhaps my personal favorite all the forces that evil could somehow muster are before the supposedly defenseless Lord, Jesus Christ. Great. I am and he merely mentioned his name. I am and all forces literally fall back in fall down. This ego. Amy is the one I remember when with every ounce of humility that my flawed and Eagle field self can raise I consider as I live by myself Val before the cross begging that not for the first time my descendant or grin teacher of Moses but to a nobody to is Backwater child in the Backwater town of Ticonderoga to an utter. Nobody who likely try guys with all his might to never be noticed as the symbol someone who he perhaps rightly perceived. He really is. I am nobody who are you are you nobody too? Then? There's a pair of us do tell let us advertise. You know how glorious it is to be somebody in the one body who is Jesus Christ? Let us Proclaim in public to tell his name being. Nobody's are really somebody's through his gracious name and are admired by the one who came to make us some buddies before the only buddy. Who is anybody and who tells us I am do not be afraid. in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit a man

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