He Is the Great I Am
First B Jackson
2014-11-09

Automatically transcribed. Where this and the recording disagree, the recording is the record.

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Alright. Oh, I've got I'm getting the signal. It's time to start. Good morning. Good morning.

Glad to

see you all. We serve a great and mighty God. Shall we stand up, exercise those vocal chords a little bit, and sing to him?

Oh, Lord, my God, When I know some wonder consider all the worlds I had made. And I see the stars, and I hear the rolling thunder thy power throughout the universe display. Then sings our soul, sings my soul, my savior God's thee. How great thou art. How great thou art.

Then sings my soul, my savior got to be. How great thou art. How great thou art. And when I think that God is some not sparing, send him to die. I scarce can take it in.

That on that cross, My burden gladly bear being even nigh to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, my savior God to be. How great thou art, how great thou art. Then sings my soul, my savior got to be. How great thou art, how great thou art.

And when Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation and take me home, But joy shall fill my heart. But then I shall bow in humble adoration and they proclaim my God how great you are. Let's proclaim it. Then sings my soul, my savior, God's deed. How great thou art.

How great thou art. Then sings my soul, my savior God to be. How great thou art. How great thou How great thou art. How great thou art

Amen. Y'all can be seated.

Alright. Good morning, friends. We're glad you're here. Good to see you right here upfront. Keep me on track here.

Alright, we've got some announcements this morning and I'm just gonna go through them. All the announcements in that yellow sheet are your weekly announcements and then at the bottom are things that say, check your or put in your calendar so you have them. So, I'm just gonna do the things that aren't our normal week to week things. Again, an announcement. We're trying to get everybody's picture.

Doug Wakup is heading that up right here. He's got a camera and he wants to get a picture of you and your family so that he and his crew can put your name on it and post it on this board in the hallway so that we can get a face with the names around here. So for second service, first service, for everybody kinda get to know one another who aren't seeing each other all the time. So, that is what that's for.

He will hunt you down.

He will hunt you down. Yeah. It's hunting season. It's hunting season's over, I think. Oh, it's not.

Sorry.

Oh, no. No. No.

No. Operation Christmas Child. Please join us for a box packing party November 17. So we're taking donations right now. Actually, Carl knows a lot about this.

Would you just mention this one real quick? Yeah. Your wife's doing the right?

There's a box right back there and there are a bunch of items. And there's a little handout right there by the booth, the sound booth. If you could grab one of those, grab some items, put them in that box, and we'll have items to send to kids. And then we're

all going to pack together on the seventeenth. We're going to pack in here, pack in boxes. Alright. See what I did there, Carl? No.

Pack in and pack in boxes. Alright, ladies Christmas luncheon, December 12, that's also here. December 12, put that on your calendar. Ladies luncheon, Christmas luncheon coming up. Anything to add to that?

No? Don't miss it and more will come about times and things like that but this is just to get on your calendar. We've got double take a Christmas pageant, December 14 during both the nine and 11AM. The kids of the church are going to be putting on a Christmas pageant and it's going to be that Sunday. Both services and I imagine it's going to be entertaining and funny and exciting.

So, you don't want to miss that Sunday and then, that evening actually, the fourth annual Buzzard Breath Chili Cook Off and Caroling, December 14. How many of you guys have put a chili in past Buzzard Breath competitions? Look at all these chili people. This is coming up again. This is all always a good time of of us getting together and enjoying one another.

We are looking for flatbed trailers though. Last year, we held the big Bar J wagon, but it was very frightening to pull that through town. So, we're not doing that this year. This year, we are looking for flat bed. Wheels almost well, they felt they probably weren't, but we thought they might.

So we need two or three flatbed trailers. If anybody has a flatbed that they would like to let us use for that evening, we probably have enough trucks to pull those. So all we need is just the trailer to be dropped off. We decorate it and give it right back to you after the caroling. So, come chat with me if you have one of those trailers and I would even go pick it up.

So, that's happening. Moving on, So, I don't know if are they here this morning? No, that oh, they are in the back.

Yeah, they're in the back. You got a little jet with

you? Ray's

at home. All right.

So, give that fellow there in the back with a beard a clap on the back and a handshake and say congratulations. Carl, do you have something?

I do. Yep. Yep. Ray and Suzanne, they are no longer able to serve refreshments there between services. They're having some health issues and so they need to pass that on to somebody else.

So if that's you and you go, oh, I love to serve in the kitchen and I'd love to serve refreshments here between services. Can you please put your name down here on this, sign up? Renzi's gonna put it right there on that back table Cause we need some people or else we won't be able to have it. Goodies in the back. Alright?

So if that's you, think about it, pray on it, sign your name. Alright.

So those are your announcements. Remember, check your yellow and black form that's in your in your bulletin. That's what it is. It's not in your hymnal. That's gonna give you your the week schedule, and we are glad you're here.

Let's stand up. Let's greet one another, and Carl and Band will bring you back in song.

On the Lord. That's your name. The morning breaks in glory. Bow. The earth will rejoice.

Your people cry out. Lord of all the earth, we shout your name, filling up the sky's wind. And this praise and this praise, yeah, we are waiting. We love to shout your name, oh, Lord. And there's no one like our God.

Let's sing it. If there is no one like our God. We will praise you. Praise you. There's no one like our God.

We will sing. We will sing. There is no one like our God. We will praise you. Praise you.

Jesus is our God. We will say. Lord of all the earth, we shout your name, shout your name, filling up the skies with endless praise, endless praise. Yahweh, we love to shout your name, oh, Lord. Let's sing that chorus again, shall we?

Lord of all the earth, we shout your name, shout your name, feeling up the sky with endless praise, endless praise. Yahweh Yahweh. We love to shout your name, oh, Lord. Yahweh Yahweh. Yahweh Yahweh.

We love to shout your name on the Lord. In ground, burned through the fiercest drought and storm. And one hides alone, one depths of peace. Winds tears off steel, him. When striving sees, I confer my all and all.

Here in the love of Christ, I stand. In Christ alone, who took on flesh, fullness of God in hell respite. This gift of love

and

righteousness, scorned by the wounds he came to say. Down on that cross has Jesus died. The rock of God was sat in spite for every sin on him was laid here in the death of Christ's dying. There in the gown his body lay, light of the womb by darkness slain, then bursting forth on glorious day. Till he returns or calls me home.

Keeping the power of Christ,

God, that is what we do. We stand in your power and the power of Christ. Thank you, God, for the power that raised Christ from the dead. That's the power we boast in, God, not our own, but yours and yours alone. Amen.

You hear me wake my call. You are my morning song. Though darkness fills the night, it cannot hide them light. Shall I fear? You crushed the end of me underneath my feet.

You are my sword and shield. Though troubles linger still, whom shall I fear? And I know who goes before me. I know who stands behind. The God of angels I miss is always by my side.

The one who reigns forever, he's a friend of mine. The God of angel nominees is always by my side. My strength is his name. And my strength is in your name for you will only consider you. The God of angel is always by my side.

The one who reigns forever, he is a friend of mine. The God of angel alarmies is always by my side. And nothing formed against, and nothing formed against me shall stand. You opened the whole world in your hand. Beyond.

The God of angels I miss is always by my side. The one who reigns forever. He's a friend of mine. The God of angel armies is always by my side.

God, we give you thanks for that, that you are always by our side that you're watching. Whether we know it or not, you are here. You are here with us, God. And thank you that you are mighty to save. You're mighty to help.

To that, we give you thanks. And also, God, we give you thanks for every good and perfect gift. Everything that sustains us and keeps us going, that's a gift from you. And this is a time to to give a little portion of that back and I pray God that everything that we put in the plate, it's not just money that it'd be a little piece of our our hearts or it'd be us kind of that we're putting in there God. Pray in Christ's name.

Amen. You can be seated.

Many men will drink the rain and turn to thank the clouds. Many men will hear you speak, but they will never turn around. But I will not forget you. You are my God, my king. With a thankful heart high, I bring my offering and my sacrifices.

Not what you can give, but what I I'm great day. A day. Many men will pour their gold and serve a thing that shines. Many men will read your words, but they will never change their minds. Bit give you a I pray, a wild dance I dance before you, a loud song I sing, a huge bell I ring, a life of praise I live before you.

But I will not forget you. You are my God, my king. With a thankful heart, I bring my offering.

Amen. Can we pray together? God, with a thankful heart, we bring not just their offering but ourselves. Would you, God, lay aside the distractions and things that are kinda clouding up our our headspace and and taking up room that just they don't need to. And, let us focus on you and your word.

I pray that as, pastor Rich speaks here and that your word would speak through his personality and his unique gifts and abilities that we would be listening to you. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.

Particular honor for me to be back here in this pulpit. I do remember it being a little bit bigger than this, but this is alright. One reason for being here and happy to be here is to be able to say in public how much I appreciate the pastoral team that God has given to this church, and Carl and Renzi and Ray and all of their beautiful wives. I don't think I could have asked the Lord for a finer senior shepherd and his partner to be here in this church. It's a pleasure to thank the Lord for them and I trust you do as well.

Praise a man of God. He loves saints and sinners alike. And it's a good thing that he loves the word like he does. He pays attention to it. And it's a it's a privilege to recognize him as one who Paul would write about in first Timothy five.

An elder who is worthy of double honor because he especially labors in the word and the doctrine. I trust that you pray for them regularly and encourage them every chance you get. One of the themes that I remember hearing pastor Ray talk about a lot is the theme of God's faithfulness to his word. He is absolutely reliable. He's committed to carrying out his promises.

He's absolutely unswerving and reliable with bringing to pass with precision every one of his utterances. It's a good thing. Certainly gives us stability when we look out into the world and we see it in turmoil. It's a good thing when our personal life tends to be in disarray. It is wonderful to know that when God promises that he will never abandon us, you can count on that.

When he promises that he will never allow us to be tempted above our ability to bear, you can count on that. And he promises that he will always make a way for us to endure without sin. You absolutely know. You can count on that. There are lots of passages in the scripture that remind us of God's faithfulness.

There's one that's particularly delightful to me in the Gospel of Matthew fourteenth chapter. I encourage you to turn there with me. It's a story that lets us see something about the Lord in in I think stark, wonderful relief. When I was young, my parents would often take trips into Seattle. And it reminded me of something about our culture, our world that we seem to be enamored with speed, with velocity.

In football, it's how fast can the can the linebacker get to the quarterback, or how fast can the tight end get down the field for the pass. In the recent world series, the speed of the outfielders for the Kansas City Royals was repeatedly praised. In television infomercials, if the latest gadget can chop the veggies in half the time, you gotta have one. Guys drool over the Porsche nine eleven because it can go zero to 60 in two point eight seconds or less. But they never drooled over my old Pinto.

It took 15 at least. When my folks went to Seattle, we would often travel by Lake Washington, and I remember looking out the car window seeing boats, speedboats out on that lake practicing for races and their rooster tails soaring into the air. In 1950, a little red boat on that lake hit a 160 miles an hour. In the year 2000, a propeller driven hydroplane traveled a one mile course on Lake Washington doing 205 miles an hour. I don't know about you, but that sounds awful scary to me.

But you know, fast, as thrilling as that boat ride must have been, it doesn't hold a candle to another speed record set on a very different lake on a different day. Two thousand years ago, the lake was called the Lake Of Gennesaret, also known as the Lake Of Tiberius. Also known as the Sea Of Galilee. Matthew 14 verse 21 starts out with a summary of the miracle that Christ has just done. Feeding of the multitudes with five loaves and two fish and it says this, those who ate were about 5,000 men besides women and children.

Immediately, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray when evening was come, he was there alone. But the boat, by this time, was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, and the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the sea but when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and they said, it is a ghost and they cried out in fear. Immediately, Jesus spoke to them saying, take heart.

It is I. Stop being afraid. Peter answered, Lord, if it's you, command me to come out to you on the water. And he said, come. So, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, he cried out, lord, save me.

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him saying to him, oh, you of little faith, why did you doubt? When they got into the boat, the wind ceased and those in the boat worshiped him saying, truly, you are the son of God. When we think about the miracles that Jesus did, it's good to remember their primary, main reason, purpose and that was to validate, to lend credibility to the claims of Jesus that he really was the Messiah. Now, I'm sure the Lord enjoyed doing miracles. I'm sure he enjoyed doing good deeds.

I'm sure he enjoyed helping the the sick and feeding the poor. I'm I'm sure that was part of it but but that was not the main reason for the Lord doing miracles. Three chapters earlier in Matthew, for example, we have John the Baptist sitting in jail And he's wondering if if he was right when he proclaimed Jesus to be the Messiah. He sent a couple of men to Jesus and he asked them to find out, are you the one that should come or do we look for another? And you gotta love the Lord's answer.

He says, go tell John again. Matthew 11 verse three. Go show John again the things which you hear and see. The blind receive their sight and the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear.

The dead are raised and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Not many years later, Peter would add his verification to this purpose for miracles when he in Acts two on the day of Pentecost would say, God approved. He put his stamp of approval upon Jesus. How'd he do that? He did it with miracles and wonders and with signs.

Here at the Sea Of Galilee, Christ is going to engage in what some have called a concatenation of miracles. That's quite a word, isn't it? Concatenation. It's it's a word that means things are are linked together. Things are tied together so that together, they make a bigger, more impressive whole thing.

Christ in the space of less than a day is going to do five, at least five miracles and he's going to leave an indelible, unforgettable impression upon his disciples about who he really is. The setting is that Christ has fed the 5,000 plus women and children. He has compelled, is the word. He has driven. He has hurriedly dispatched his disciples to get into the boat to go to the other side.

He himself has told the crowds go away, and he has disappeared up into the mountains so that he could be alone. And it makes you wonder, doesn't it? Why the urgency? To get the disciples out of there and to go himself away from the crowds and leave them behind. Matthew simply doesn't tell us why.

The story picks up actually in Matthew several hours later. It's in the fourth watch of the night in the Roman timekeeping system. That's 03:00 to 06:00 in the morning and so we we see Jesus in the middle of a storm, in the dark of night, Abel, Mark says, to see the disciples out there in the boat rowing against the wind and he comes walking by them on the water. Mark tells us that interestingly enough that Jesus never intended to stop at the boat. He intended to go on by them to the other side.

Makes you wonder why, doesn't it? Well, these guys are are toiling in the rowing. Mark tells us that the wind is against them. The sudden storm that can arise from the east on the Sea Of Galilee would had had beaten these guys for hours. And now, all of a sudden, they see this this thing walking to them on the water and they say, it's a phantasm.

It's a ghost. And of course, Jesus is no ghost, is he? And so he stops and he says three things. Be of good cheer. It is I Stop being afraid That second statement is rich in meaning.

It's actually it's actually a name. It is I. It it translates two words in the original language that simply say, I am. This is a name. For example, that is repeated in the gospel of John 12 times in phrases like, I am the good shepherd.

I am the bread of life. I am the way, the truth, and the life. This is the name that originated in the Old Testament. Exodus chapter three, when Moses was being commissioned by the Lord to go to Egypt and deliver the children of Israel from bondage. And in that setting, Moses asks, Lord, how are they gonna know you sent me?

And so the Lord says, here's how they're to know. I'm going to give you a new name that belongs to me. I am that I am. The Lord tells Moses, tell them I am sent you. Here on the very Sea Of Galilee walking across the water standing now near the boat is the I am.

God of heaven. This is the I am. You remember who turned all the waters of Egypt into blood and plunged Egypt into darkness for three days. This is the I am who rained hail so grievous upon Egypt that it broke down all the trees of the land. This is the I am God of heaven who would part the Red Seas and be able to deliver a nation out of bondage.

This is the I am who is standing on the water beside the disciples boat. I find it interesting that Peter at least seems to seems to greet this this statement with with skepticism, with with doubt, may maybe even a little bit of presumptiveness. Peter's the one who now in the boat after Christ has said these three things, shouts out to the Lord, if it's you, then you command me to come to you on the water. Wow. I think if I had been in the Lord's shoes, I would have been a little bit indignant but not the Lord.

He simply says, come. It's easy to forget, isn't it? The disciples were struggling with a pretty steep learning curve. They they didn't have the benefit that you and I have. They they didn't understand Paul's revelation about the two natures of Christ, the the hypostatic union.

They they didn't have that information. They didn't have it all together yet about Jesus. And I I would encourage you to remember that that's how it is when you and I talk with folks about the Lord and try to share the gospel with them and encourage them to seek the Lord in their life. They they don't start where you are. They don't know what you know.

But I can assure you this, what that wherever you are or wherever they are in coming to understand the grace of God That's exactly where the Lord will meet them. It's exactly where he will meet you. Peter perhaps it's in his his typical rush. Maybe maybe because of his intransigence. Maybe it's because of his doubt.

He I I don't I I expect maybe Peter expected his foot to sink into the water as he was stepping out of the boat and he could say, see, I told you. But he discovers the water suddenly hard and he goes to Jesus. But then it tells us he sees the wind. Don't you wonder what he'd been rowing against the waves for hours, nine, ten hours at least. I don't think it's that he saw the wind stirring up the waves.

I don't I don't think he saw the molecules of oxygen and nitrogen and carbon dioxide rushing by. I think what Peter sees is what the wind is doing to the garments of the Lord. That this is no ghost. This really is the Lord. This really is the I am and and somewhere in there, Peter for fear of having disbelieved the Lord.

Peter for having remorse over the the temerity, the absolute impertinence to have commanded the Lord starts to sink. And don't you love the way the Lord responds? He simply reaches out a hand and he says, Peter, why did you doubt? Peter, you don't ever have to doubt me. Peter, you can always trust me.

Peter, you don't ever have to question me and my reliability. As Paul would write years later, even when we doubt, even when we don't believe, he still remains faithful. He cannot deny himself. Well, Christ has fed the 5,000. He has walked in the water.

He has caused Peter to walk on the water but there are still two more miracles that are about to take center stage. Turn with me if you went to John's gospel. John chapter six. As as you think about the miracles that you remember about Jesus, probably the one that we're talking about this morning is the most popular. Of of the 35 miracles or so recorded in the New Testament that Jesus did, four of them involved boats.

But but this one seems to always be the most popular because, well, because it involves Jesus walking on the water and and because this particular miracle, feeding of the 5,000 and the associated events are recorded in all four of the gospels. This this episode of five plus miracles are going to be so concentrated in the disciples memory that they will never forget what this day brought. John, since he's writing his gospel decades after the other guys wrote their gospels, John often adds some details that they didn't record, and a lot of times, he will leave out some information that was already transmitted. John will tell us, for example, in verses fourteen and fifteen, John six, why he was in such a hurry to send the disciples away and why he himself was in such a hurry to get away from the crowds. Verse 15 of John six tells us, perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him a king, Jesus withdrew to the mountain alone.

You see, some of these folks in the audience whom he had fed understood correctly that Jesus was the prophet that Moses had predicted in Deuteronomy 18. They they understood that. But but their hearts were far from faith. They, their solution was, let's rebel against Rome and let's install him as our new king because he can feed us. In fact, in verse 26 of John six the Lord tells us exactly what they were thinking He says, you you guys never understood the miracle of the loaves and the fish, did you?

The only reason that you wanted me is because I filled your bellies. Well, Now, we have four miracles about to be unloaded. Peter has stepped out on the boat. Peter has walked toward Jesus. He has started to sing.

Jesus has rescued him and they come back to the boat and immediately, John chapter six tells us, oh, it doesn't tell us this, does it? The wind stopped. John never mentions that. Matthew does. Mark does.

John skips over but the wind has instantaneously stopped. And if this miracle was anything like the miracle in Mark chapter four, probably the waves stopped as well at the same instant. We are not told that but I kind of think that probably happened. So, now, we've got four miracles. Christ has walked in the wall, excuse me, Christ has fed the 5,000.

He has walked in the water. He has made Peter walk in the water and the wind is suddenly gone. But there's one more Verse 21. Look carefully at the text. There's one word you must not skip over.

It says, immediately Immediately, the ship was at the shore. In fact, John is even more precise than this. He tells us that Jesus hasn't gotten into the boat yet. He tells us as they were wanting to take him into the boat, the boat was immediately at the shore. This is better than 205 miles an hour on Lake Washington.

This is better than the Star Trek transporter. This is instantaneous transportation from where they were out in the midst of the sea to the land to where they were going. Literally, John alone tells us how far it was, 25, 30 furlongs, three, three and a half miles, something like that. He tells us that the the disciples had struggled all night. They had been rowing from the evening until the fourth watch of the night, 3AM or later.

They had traveled less than halfway across the ocean of the Sea Of Galilee. And yet as Christ is ready to step foot into the boat, my guess is he helped Peter in first. I don't know that. As Christ is about to step into the boat, they are at the shore. Had he not promised them that he would meet them on the other side?

Had had he not intended to go by them in the first place? Is he not perfectly fulfilling exactly what he said to them? And is it any wonder that we we see what Mark writes at the end of the story? He says, literally, they were greatly out of measure, amazing in themselves and wondering. The disciples had walked with Jesus for a long time but they had still not really understood who he is.

I wouldn't be too hard on them You and I have the benefit of hindsight, don't we? You and I have the benefit of a completed text of scripture. And yet when our day grows dark and when our way becomes unclear how good are we at remembering? His faithfulness, his dependability, his absolute commitment to keeping his word for us. Well, this is the Jesus who fed 5,000, walked in the water, caused Peter to walk on the water, who instantly stopped the storm, who immediately transported the boat to the other side of the Sea Of Galilee, who would before very long be led by a group of enemies before Pilate seeking only his crucifixion.

This is the Jesus whom we see on the cross praying for the forgiveness of his executioners. This is the Jesus we see forsaken by God the father and God the Holy Spirit as he is bearing the sins of the world, your sins, my sins. This is the Jesus. Whom we see rising from the grave three days later and ascending to the right hand of the father forty days after that. This is the one who asks you to trust him.

I think he's proven himself worthy. If this morning you've never trusted in Jesus for yourself as a savior. This would be a great day to start. Great day. This is the one whom you put simple faith in because he died in your place for your sins on your behalf and then he came out of the grave in order to give you life.

Everlasting. And if you have already taken him as your savior, then, I hope that you will let this this concatenation of miracles so impress you that you will never doubt his faithfulness again. That you will remember. He's absolutely trustworthy to every declaration, every promise. In every situation that you face.

Let's pray. Dearest father, thank you for the miracles that Christ did. Thank you that they tell us, give us assurance, validated him as the Messiah. But thank you that more than that, they also encourage us to remember that that he is the great I am. He is all powerful.

He is entirely, utterly trustworthy. He will always fulfill his promises to take care of us. Your word is perfectly reliable. Father, if there are some here this morning who have never trusted in the savior to become part of the family of God, please help them. Help them to see their needs.

Sin has touched all of us. Sin has separated all of us from God and only faith in Christ. Can solve that desperate issue. And so father, thank you that your son's provision for our forgiveness is perfect. In Jesus name, amen.

We stand and sing the last song here. Oh, no. You never let go of me.

And even though walk through the valley of the shadow of death, your fervent love is casting out fear. You never let go of every high and every low. Oh, no. You never let go of my lord. You never let go of me.

And I can see the lion that is coming for the heart that I don't sow. Glorious lie beyond all compare. And there will be an end to these troubles, but until that day comes, we'll love to know you're here longer here. And I won't fear no me, though, for my God is with Whom then shall I fear? Oh, no.

You never let go through the calm and through the storm. Oh, no. You never let go in every high and every low. Oh, no. You never let go, oh, Lord.

You never let go of me. Let's sing that again. Oh, no. You never let go through the corn, through the storm. Oh, no.

You never let go. And every I am very low. Oh, no. You never let go of

I've got a benediction for you. To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault, with great joy. To the only God, our savior, be glory, majesty, power, and authority through Jesus Christ our lord before all ages now and forevermore. Amen. Go in peace.