"The I AM Statements of Jesus 1"
Welcome to the year 2025! Throughout 2025, we'll be looking at Jesus' "I AM" statements in the Bible. Many people think Jesus' "I AM" statements are only found in the Gospel of John, but Jesus makes plenty of "I AM" statements throughout the New Testament.
When we look at these statements, we will find that Jesus says something about himself as well as what he wants to do to help us. The first "I AM" statement we encounter is Matthew 14:27, which says, "But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid'" (NKJV). According to Matthew 14, Jesus' disciples were out on the Sea of Galilee in the middle of a storm. After he finished teaching, Jesus sent the disciples away in a boat and dismissed the crowd so he could pray by himself. But a huge windstorm came up over the Sea of Galilee and the disciples strained through most of the night to keep the boat from sinking and themselves from drowning. Matthew tells us that Jesus went to rescue the disciples by walking on the water, but the disciples thought he was a ghost! Whether or not you believe in ghosts, if someone came walking toward you on the waves, out of the darkness, in the midst of a massive storm while you're trying to keep from dying, you'd probably be incredibly frightened! But then Jesus speaks the comforting words of Matthew 14:27 to them. Most translations kind of dilute Jesus' words in this verse.
The literal translation of Jesus' words in Matthew 14:27 is, "Be courageous! I AM! Do not fear!" Jesus only says three small sentences. First, Jesus calls his disciples to have courage in the midst of the storm, something it can be easy to let go of in troubling times. Second, Jesus states who he is: he is the I AM. Jesus identifies himself with the words God spoke to Moses in Exodus 3:14 at the burning bush: I AM THAT I AM. Third, Jesus encourages the disciples to not be afraid. He recognizes that they're afraid and, instead of rebuking them for their fear, he lets them know they're safe and that he's there. Jesus' message to his disciples is that he understands that they're afraid - and because they're afraid, God has come to them upon the waves of the storm to rescue them.
Friends, if you find yourself in a storm, remember that Jesus is the God who will always come to rescue you.
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
