Vintage Faith Community

In today's passage, Jesus makes the most absurd claim yet, with a bit of bad grammar: "Before Abraham was, I am." He's just spend 20-some verses telling those who are just beginning to believe in him that they are: 1. Not children of Abraham, 2. Not sons of God, and 3. Children of the devil. Doesn't Jesus know that this is no way to start a movement? Why does he insist on painting such a negative picture of human nature? The answer is simple: you don't know how great the Rescue is until you know how dangerous your situation has become; you don't know how great a cure you've been given unless you know the disease was terminal! But Jesus wants those who say they believe in him off the fence - you can't stay neutral to Jesus, sitting in the pew and confessing to believe in him but living the rest of your life for yourself. In these radical claims - that he is the Great I Am, the one whom Abraham worshipped - Jesus commands us to decide - will we crown him or kill him?