John 8:21 – Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” 22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”  23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked.  “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”

27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him. (NIV)

I find the Gospel of John to be, perhaps, my favorite Gospel.  However, some passages can be a difficult read.  This is one of those passages!   Theologically, there is much to unpack here, but essentially it boils down to whom do you say that Jesus is?  This is an important question as we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus – Who is Jesus to you?   

Jesus tells us in verse 24 (and again in verse 58) that, “I am he.”  Many believe that Jesus was referring back to the name that God gave Moses to use when confronting Pharaoh.  There are also a number of times in the Book of Isaiah where God uses this name.  Regardless of what came before, each of us must decide for ourselves who Jesus is to us this very day. 

The Gospel message is that Jesus is God in the flesh: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God., The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (John 1:1, 14).  Then we are told that Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for the sins of all: “He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.” (Hebrews 7:27).

As basic as this seems to our faith, we must reaffirm to ourselves daily what we believe about Jesus.  If Jesus is who he says he is, will that make a difference in your life this day?   

Let the difference Jesus makes in your life be seen by those around you!  

Posted by Ramón Torres