When Jesus said “I AM” An Invitation to Courage Summit View Church April 15, 2012 Scott Raley

from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Act 3 Scene 1 by William Shakespeare

To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them.

To die—to sleep, No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to: 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd.

To die, to sleep; To sleep, perchance to dream— ay, there's the rub: For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause—there's the respect That makes calamity of so long life.

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th'unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin?

Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovere'd country, from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry And lose the name of action.

In Contrast: “I AM”

Exodus 3: Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 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 3:15 15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me the name you shall call me from generation to generation. from generation to generation.

John 8: “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 13:19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am.

When Jesus said, “I AM”

1. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (Revelation 22:13, NIV)

2. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV)

3. I am the bread of life. (John 6:48, NIV)

4. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, NIV)

5. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die... (John 11:25, NIV)

6. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me... “ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me... “ (John 10:14, NIV)

7. Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.“ Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep.“ (John 10:7, NIV)

8. “I am the true vine, and my Father “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.” (John 15:1, NIV)

9. and 10. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16, NIV) “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” (Revelation 22:16, NIV)