Jesus Is Always in the Present Tense

Two little words. "I am."

With just two little words, Jesus blew the minds of Jews at the Temple in Jerusalem. With just two little words, Jesus announced His ability to travel through time better than Marty McFly, Mr. Peabody, Bill & Ted combined. And He did it by simply saying, "I am."

"Before Abraham was, I am" (John 8:58).

Jesus used those two innocent, seemingly innocuous words to announce that He was "The Great I Am" (Exodus 3:14) Jesus was there in the beginning before time began (John 1:1-2). As the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8), He not only created time, but had total control over the clock.

You see, Jesus is always in the present tense. Always.

As we know, Jesus eventually stepped out of the throne room of heaven and into the river of time. For 30-some years, the Creator of time was subject to it. He grew up from baby to boy to man. He aged. And when the time was right, our Savior gave His life on a Roman cross.

It was there, outside the city walls of Jerusalem, that Jesus created the greatest time warp the universe has ever known. The Lamb of God died once for all time (1Peter 3:18). In doing so, Jesus punched a hole in the fabric of time and reached back to offer salvation to our first parents, Adam and Eve. At the same time, He stretched forward through space and time to you and to me. He took on all sin for all time. He died once for all.

How was this possible? Jesus is always in the present tense. Always.

As a result, I believe Christ is calling us to do the same...live the in present tense. We're to check the bags of yesterday's regrets at the foot of the cross. God is crystal clear when He says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing" (Isaiah 43:18-19a). He also doesn't want us to be terrorized by tomorrow. "Don't worry about tomorrow...each day has enough trouble for itself" (Matthew 6:34).

The late missionary Jim Elliot summed it up best when he said, "Wherever you are, be all there."

I've heard it said that Jesus was crucified between two thieves: yesterday and tomorrow. The thief of yesterday steals the joy through regret and keeps us from enjoying today. The worries of tomorrow steals our joy through worry. That's not why Jesus died. Not in the least.

Jesus is always in the present tense. Always. And He's calling us to live in the present tense as well.

And it all started with two little words. "I am."

In Christ,
Jay

From a sermon at Freedom River CC on July 20, 2008.