Daily Devotion for March 18, 2006

To Jerusalem with the ComPassionate Christ
Day 18

 

I Am

 

"I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."  Mark 14: 62

 

There was silence as the accused One prepared to speak. Caiaphas, the high priest, had asked Him some questions, and Caiaphas was not to be crossed. Surely the Galilean would reply? For the first time, Jesus looked as though He was going to open His lips. What would He say?

 

Jesus said, "I am." He declared, in an unequivocal fashion, that He was the Messiah, God’s Anointed One. No one could mistake the intention and meaning of His reply. He was the long-awaited One, the One whom the prophets foretold. In Him, the hopes of the ages were realized.

 

Jesus’ response would also have been seen in connection with Moses and the burning bush where he is talking with God.  Moses asks God what he should tell the Israelites if they ask for the name of who was talking to him.  God’s response:

God said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I Am has sent me to you.'"  Exodus 3:14 

Christ represented Himself as the divine ‘Son of Man,’ seated at the right hand of almighty power, by the throne of God Himself, the Sovereign of the universe. In these words, Caiaphas would have recognized a reference to Psalm 110 with its high imagery of the Ruler, exercising power through God’s authority. He would also have known that that Psalm was taken by scholars to refer to the Messiah. Jesus continued by speaking of Himself as coming in the clouds of heaven. Coming, that is, in judgment. Jesus is the One before whom all must give an account, even Caiaphas. Even us!

 

Prayer
Heavenly Jesus, you are the Great “I AM”, the holy one.  Help me to always bear witness to others that You are more than a man, but are in fact the true God.  Amen

 

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