January 15, 2025
"The I AM Statements of Jesus 3"
If I told you that Jesus taught his disciples to think of him as God during his earthly ministry, what would you say? That I'm making this up? That I haven't properly understood what Jesus taught? That Jesus taught this but didn't use the word "God" to refer to himself? Well, perhaps we're in for a little surprise!
Matthew 24:5 says, "For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many" (NKJV). Jesus is speaking to his disciples in Matthew 24. Jesus has just finished a very long day in the temple (Matthew 21:23 - Matthew 23:39) and is leaving Jerusalem to spend the evening on the Mount of Olives. When Jesus' disciples ask him about the fate of the city and temple of Jerusalem, as well as the end of the world (Matthew 24:1-3), Jesus responds with his final sermon in Matthew 24 - 25 about last day events. But Matthew 24:4 is interesting, because Jesus' first response in answering his disciples' questions is to tell them, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus' warning here means that what immediately follows is for his disciples rather than those who don't believe in him.
What follows verse 4 is Jesus' pronouncement in verse 5 that many people will come in his name claiming to be the Messiah, resulting in the deception of innumerable people. That sounds pretty serious, doesn't it? But let me ask you a question: if people who don't believe Jesus is the Messiah are deceived into thinking that someone who is masquerading as Jesus is the true Messiah, why would they be deceived by this? Logic affirms that only those who believe Jesus is the Messiah would respond to someone who claims, in Jesus' name, to be the Messiah like Jesus is the Messiah!
Matthew 24:5 is not talking about non-believers being deceived. Instead, those who are most in danger of being deceived by a false messiah masquerading as Jesus are those who believe in Jesus! And the literal translation of Jesus' words in Matthew 24:5 makes this clear: "For many will be coming upon my name, saying, 'I AM the Messiah,' and they will deceive many." Jesus indicates in Matthew 24:5 that a false messiah will pretend to be Jesus by speaking how Jesus spoke to the disciples: calling himself the Messiah and referring to himself as "I AM." As far as we can tell from Matthew 24, Jesus' disciples were undisturbed by Jesus calling himself "I AM," which means they were used to hearing Jesus refer to himself as the name God gives himself at the burning bush in Exodus 3.
Friends, I encourage you to get to know Jesus, who is the only true Messiah and God who is coming to save us!
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
