Who Am I?

This morning, I want us together to ask ourselves a question, it is the title of my

sermon, “who am I?” I feel as a person, as a Christian, this is an essential question

for us to ask. I feel that in all things we question we should look at the Word of God

and prayer for answers. My main text is Exodus 3:11-15, “But Moses protested to

God, ‘Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out

of Egypt?’ God answered, ‘I will be with you. And this is your sign that I Am the

One who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will

worship God at this very mountain.’

But Moses protested, ‘If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your

ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is His Name?’ Then what

should I tell them?’ God replied to Moses, ‘I Am who I Am. Say this to the people

of Israel: I Am has sent Me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people

of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors; the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My eternal Name, My Name to

remember for all generations.” I want us to look deeper.

II. Who Is God?

In our quest for self-discovery, it is important that we first understand who we are not.

I’m not God, I feel we can all feel safer with that knowledge. But in honesty I try to

tell Him what to do and what not to do. I tell Him I got this and then wonder why my

life is a mess. I ask for advice and then don’t listen. I seek His way and then close

my eyes. I know, I am the only one who ever does such things. So, I ask you, who is

God? He is ELOHIM, meaning “God”, a reference to His power and might. He is

ADONAI, meaning “Lord”, a reference to the Lordship of God. He is JEHOVAH-

ROHI, meaning “The Lord my shepherd.” He is JEHOVAH-RAPHA, meaning “The

Lord our healer.” He is JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU, meaning “The Lord our

righteousness.” He is JEHOVAH-JIREH, meaning “The Lord will provide.” He is

JEHOVAH-SHALOM, meaning “The Lord is peace.” He is EL-SHADDAI, meaning

“God Almighty.”

This leads me back to my question, who is God? God responds by saying, “I Am

That I Am!” This is God’s personal Name, Yahweh, a phrase meaning action. In

essence God was saying, “I wish to be known as the God who is present and active.”

Inherent in the name Yahweh is the promise of the living presence of God Himself

day by day with His people. It expresses His love and care and His desire to redeem

His people and live with them in fellowship. God says, “I Am, I Was, I Will Be.” We

respond by saying, “He Is, He Was, He Will Be” And when God says, “I Am” He is

saying, “I don’t change.” Malachi 3:6, “I Am the Lord, and I do not change. That is

why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.” There was an older couple

sitting at a red light one, the wife looked over at the next car and saw a young couple

who were sitting very close, the girl was slid way over next to her boyfriend. The

lady looked at her husband and said, “I remember the days when we used to sit that

close to each other.” Her husband just kind of grunted and said, “Well, I didn’t

move.” God doesn’t move from us. Who is God to you?

III. Who Is Jesus?

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, sweetest name I know; Fills my every longing, keeps me singing

as I go. Jesus has many descriptive Names as well; Rose of Sharon, Lilly of the

Valley, Daystar, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the

Name above all names. And yet in all of this, He claims one name over and over.

John 8:58, “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, before Abraham was even born, I

Am!” Jesus claims His rightful Name. His Family Name. The Name of His Father.

I Am. When Jesus says “I AM,” it means “I will be everything you need.” Hannah

Smith wrote, “I AM implies that we may ask for what is not complete. This

apparently unfinished Name is the most comforting Name the heart of man could

devise, because it allows us to add to it without any limitations.”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus uses His Name at least 10 times. Here are just a few;

John 8:12, “I Am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in

darkness, but have the light of life.” John 10:9, “I Am the Door. If anyone enters by

Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:11, “I Am the

good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 11:25, “I Am

the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall

live.” John 14:6, “I Am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though

he may die, he shall live.” And John 15:1, “I Am the true vine, and My Father is the

vinedresser.” The “I Am” of the Old Testament was whatever man needed. He

became, He was, He is our all in all. Jesus in the New Testament uses all these

examples to show who He is. He is everything to man and the only way to God.

IV. Who Am I?

Have you ever been in a discussion and these words were uttered by you or someone

else, “Who do you think you are?” We live in a world full of identity politics, where

we identify ourselves based upon our political views, identity crisis, uncertainty about

who we are, and identity theft, loss of control over our singular identity. Our youth

are living in a world where the idea of sexual fluidity is a concept where sexual

identity is based upon how a person feels in the moment. So, the question, who do

we think we are is a very valid and important question.

Let me tell you who I am

UNDRESS

I am a pastor, you can see this by the lost look in my eyes

I am someone living with PTSD, depression, and anxiety

I am a Marine Corps veteran

I am an alumni of East Newton

I am a Hendrix

But my identity is in Christ. That’s who I am. II Corinthians 3:18, “So all of us who

have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord,

who is the Spirit, makes us more and more like Him as we are changed into His

glorious Image.

When we give our lives to God, we become His. When we ask for forgiveness and

repent, we become a part of the family of God. He is our Father. And we can then

take His Name, our new family name. God states… I Am. Jesus says… I Am. We

should then proclaim our family name and say with pride… I Am… saved. I Am…

redeemed. I Am… forgiven. I Am… free. My identity is in Christ. Where do you

find your identity?

V. Conclusion.

Jesus is calling us to be holy. Jesus is the I Am, and He calls us to claim our identity.

I am the Lord’s, I know. I am a child of God. Because of the I Am, we are. This

morning, I urge you to reunite with your family. If you are not saved, if you are not

living the life God wants, the altar is open. It’s not too late but the time is getting

short. If you have another need come to the I Am, come to Jehovah-Jireh, the God

who provides. Come and experience God and know Him. We are going to pray and

then have a song of response. If you would like someone to pray with you come to

this side. If you just need to speak to God privately come to this side.

Let’s pray.