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Today’s homily in one sentence
Today’s message is: Is Jesus who He say He is?
HOMILY NOTES A. The call of Moses
Exodus 3:7-15:
But the LORD said: I have witnessed the affliction of my people in Egypt and have heard their cry against their taskmasters, so I know well what they are suffering. Therefore I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them up from that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Now indeed the outcry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen how the Egyptians are oppressing them. Now, go! I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” God answered: I will be with you; and this will be your sign that I have sent you. When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will serve God at this mountain. “But,” said Moses to God, “if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what do I tell them?” God replied to Moses: I am who I am. Then he added: This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you. God spoke further to Moses: This is what you will say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your ancestors, 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 title for all generations.”
The literal Greek translation of I AM is “egō eimi”
B. Jesus’ response to Peter in today’s Gospel
Today’s Gospel, Matthew 14:27: “At once [Jesus] spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’”
The literal Greek translation of it is I is “egō eimi”
C. Who did Jesus say He was?
Modern “voices” dilute Jesus, painting Him as a righteous man, a holy prophet, or a virtuous teacher.
Jesus is the only historically religious figure who intentionally draws attention to Himself.
D. Liar, lunatic, or Lord
From C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952)
“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him”
“The one thing we must not say: ‘I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.’”
Jesus never claimed a great moral teacher. He claimed to be God. There are only three logical conclusions.
E. Logical conclusion no. 1: He is liar
He said He was God and He knew He wasn’t.
What’s the problem with this argument? The words of a liar don’t lead to miracles from His words.
F. Logical conclusion no. 2: He is a lunatic
He said He was God, believed He was, but wasn’t.
What’s the problem with this argument? Lunatics don’t have the positive impact or miracles as such.
G. Logical conclusion no. 3: He is the Lord
He is who He said He is.