Skip to main content

The ‘I Am’s’ of Paul – Part 1

Posted on July 29, 2019 by lifejourneycf.net

We know Jesus had a series of ‘I am’s’ such as “I am the Door”, “I am the Good Shepherd” and “I am the Way the Truth and the Life”. In fact the greatest declaration of Jesus was His declaration of Deity, “before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:58). The majority of Christ’s ‘I Am’s’ are found in John’s Gospel.

Paul, too has some ‘I am’s’. Whereas Jesus’ words are a declaration of His Deity, Paul’s are one’s of servitude. These are found in Romans Chapter One. He says in Romans 1:14 ESV “I am under obligation”. The NKJV says, “I am a debtor…”. Jesus was neither of those. He is God. Paul, on the other hand often begins his letters with he being a ‘servant of Christ’. What is interesting, though, Jesus lived as a servant … He was prophesied a servant in Isaiah (see chapters 49-53). Christ revealed His Deity through His servant’s heart. His words of kindness … His acts of mercy … His acceptance of sinners … all prove a heart of a servant. Remember when He washed the disciple’s feet in the Upper Room? The act of a servant!

So Paul reflects the heart of the Savior by declaring he is the ‘servant of Christ’ (Romans 1:1a) and then expanding that in v14 “I am a debtor” … “I am under obligation”. In the previous verses he gives two indicators of his first ‘I am’ statement. In v9 he says, “without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers”. Paul saw PRAYER AS PRIMARY! My good pastor friend with whom I served alongside here in Osceola county Florida said something about prayer that has stuck with me. He called it P.U.S.H. “Pray Until Something Happens!” (Pastor Pete Robertson). Paul saw prayer as a necessity … not just a thing-to-do-to-look-spiritual. Often, Paul labored in prayer. Oh, does that sound familiar? Who do we see deep in prayer in the garden sweating drops of blood the night before His being convicted and crucified? He also says in v11 that he wished to “impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you”. We can’t go into great detail about gifts here today, but gifts were given to the church not to prove one’s spirituality but to edify and encourage the Body of Christ (the people of God, the Church, Christ-Followers). Imparting some spiritual gift like, teaching God’s Word or building greater faith and trust, or exercising words of exhortation were done to build up and edify the church. It is after these two indicators he says, “I am under obligation”. PRAYER and EDIFICATION was his obligation. And he says it … he is under obligation (responsibility, duty, commitment) “… both to the Greeks and the barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish” (v14b ESV).

We aren’t apostles but we servants of Christ – not in the Paul sense – but to be God’s servants in this world … to PRAY always for all and to EDIFY others. We can even feel obligated as Paul did to do this within our spheres of influence! Lets join together to do so and see God change our world one person at a time. Let’s Love God, Love Others and Make Disciples TOGETHER!

Part 2 coming next time! Check it out!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Prayer for Christmas Eve

O God our Father, you have brought us again to the glad season .....when we celebrate the birth of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Grant that his Spirit may be born anew in our hearts this day .....and that we may joyfully welcome him to reign over us. Open our ears that we may hear again the angelic chorus of old. Open our lips that we, too, may sing with uplifted hearts. Glory to God in the highest, .....and on earth, peace, goodwill toward all; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The United Methodist Book of Worship, no. 276.

"THE CHALLENGE" Monday Morning Blog - 10/3/2011

Eggs, cheese, bacon, home fries and toast are on order. I'm sipping a cup of dark roast as I write. My mind and heart are full (unlike my stomach).I mean that my God has been filling my heart and mind with deep issues of life that are causing me to be challenged. It is necessary I make changes and choices that coincide with what I am being confronted with. All too often I read the Scriptures and see the words but they are or become distant. I leave the words in the closed book when I am expected to make them part of who I am (or am to become). For example, the 1st ten chapters of Acts are extremely full of confronting issues that are there to challenge my heart with deep spiritual issues. I will simply point out one. I am a spiritual being (because of Christ in me) but I live in the natural realm. Acts chapters 1-10 reveal many Christ followers who experienced God's amazing power ... all because they were seeking, craving, living in the strength of the Holy Spirit. They, too ...

Monday Morning Blog 4-4-2011

Woke to a cool dry morning and drove family to destinations, visited with a neighbor then Kathy and I got ready to drive to Bristol for her ladies gathering at AGF at 10am. As we went outdoors the cool dry morning was now changed to a snowy, windy colder late morning. It's nearly noon now and the snow seemingly is ready to turn to rain. I am reminded that we are in Northern New England. Weather we can't control, mind input we can. As I write, I am at a public diner where I had a nice breakfast and I'm still sipping coffee. There is activity all over the place here. People coming and going, oldies playing on the radio, phones ringing and even a bit ago some of the staff were chasing a loose dog around (who was finally lured into the office by the owner!). In similiar situations like this, I recall times when people and conversations I heard could cause my mind to wander ... drift toward unhealthy thinking for a Christ-follower. Paul exhorted the Philippian believers to ...