Jesus claims his divine status by using the familiar "I AM." He tells people, I Am The Bread of Life, then demonstrates what that means. He provides for the physical needs of over 5000 people, then foils their plans to make him king. He has a greater task than providing for their wants of prosperity. His task is to be the bread that is broken to bring us new life.
When Moses asks God for a name, he is given, "I AM WHO I AM." It is a name that is frustratingly mysterious. God declares all being, all power. God isn't boxed in with any human descriptions. Instead, God identifies with past actions to Israel's ancestors, current actions in the burning bush, and by describing future actions as things that have already happened. God is above and beyond time, space, and dimension. We serve a God who wants to be known and helps us to know them better.
12/15 Title: Do the Good That Is Yours to Do Text: Luke. 3:7-16 Summary: Faith isn't just about lofty ideas or perfect theology; it's about how we live, how we treat others, and how we trust God, however momentous or mundane the moment in our lives Keywords: Joh the Baptist, brood of vipers, snakes in the grass, bluntness, hopes and fears, O Little Town of Bethlehem, repentance, act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God, share, honesty, power, abuse of power, contentment, generosity, integrity, Holy Spirit, alarm clock, caffeine, hope, goodness
12/1 Title: You Are a Blessing Text: Luke. 1:26-38 Summary: To be blessed isn't a promise of comfort or ease, but an invitation to live with purpose, even in difficult times, knowing that God is with us and working through us to bless the world. Keywords: Interesting times, blessed, favored, shine, light, hope, healing, love, blessing
