Friends: Where in the Gospels does Jesus say, “I am God”? If you know how to read scripture, Jesus says it all over the place. Blessings! Bob

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Spirituality Column #1010

March 24, 2026

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

When the Light Shines

By Bob Walters

“I did tell you, but you do not believe.” – Jesus,

People who want to argue with the Bible but know very little about the Bible love to point out that, with approximate and dismissive faux-authoritative commitment, that, “Jesus never says he is God.”

I guess that is a way, or at least an attempt, to de-tune a Christian’s faith and buttress one’s own rejection of the Bible’s authority, but it is a silly point. Jesus clearly identifies himself, in various ways, as God’s son throughout the Gospels in both word and deed. But, it is true, Jesus was not wearing an “I Am God the Messiah Christ” nametag.

My longtime Bible mentor George Bebawi often made the good yet simple point that Jesus didn’t come to broadcast his own glory, but God’s. And that Jesus didn’t come to display his power, but “being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death” (Philippians 2:8). The initiating economy of our salvation is faith in the identity of Christ, not billboards and sales pitches.

In our own hearts, with the collaboration of the Holy Spirit, we must arrive at the personal decision that the New Testament’s evidence provides the truth we need to accept God’s offer, through Jesus, of restored and eternal relationship with God.

Jesus wasn’t expected, his mission was hidden, his offer fantastical, and his identity was key to all who might believe in him.  Old Testament prophesies predicted his arrival and mission, but they were veiled from the hearts and minds of most Jewish leaders. They saw God through the lens of obedience to the Law, not obedience to the faithful presence of Christ. They were entirely in the dark as to the proposition of Jesus.

The Pharisees in Jerusalem ask Jesus, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24, the verse prior to the one cited above).

Obligingly but cryptically, Jesus talks of his voice and his sheep and his promise of imperishable eternal life, and says, “I and the father are one” (v30). And then, “the father is in me, and I am in the father” v38).

That seems pretty plain, but the lights do not come on.  They will only “get it” when they believe, and they don’t believe. They picked up stones to stone him.

This story is the precursor to The Death of Lazarus in John 11, where Jesus tarries four days then dangerously plans to return to Judea to “awaken” the dead Lazarus despite threats to his own life. Jesus rebuts the warnings of his disciples by noting, in John 11:9-10, “a man who walks by day will not stumble … when he walks by night he stumbles, for he has no light.”

On the one hand, this verse is Jesus saying man has twelve hours of daylight to accomplish his tasks. He has time to fulfill God’s work, but no time to waste. It also harkens to the “I Am” statement of Jesus – one of seven in the Gospel – in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world.  Anyone who follows me will not walk in darkness.”  

A Jew hearing the words “I Am,” should know it references the name God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14-15, “I Am Who I Am.” There were those who believed, but even their faith was tested when Jesus was soon arrested and crucified.

Jesus knew his identity would have to be shown, not debated. The Pharisees were enraged when word of the very dead Lazarus, at Jesus’s beckoning, departed the tomb very much alive. It set in motion the Pharisees’ plot to have Jesus killed, which led to the cross, which led to the empty tomb, which led to light available to all mankind.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) figures Lazarus was revived two weeks before Easter.

 Friends,

Here is Common Christianity column #822 (8-16-22), “Night Sweats.” The moon has a purpose but no life … kind of like us without Jesus. See the column below or on social media. 

Have a great week!  Blessings, Bob

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Spirituality Column #822

August 16, 2022

Common Christianity / Uncommon Commentary

Night Sweats

By Bob Walters

“I am the light of the world …” – Jesus in John 8:12, speaking to the Pharisees who promptly called Him a liar in verse 13.

Central Indiana was fortunate this past week to offer the canvas of a wondrously clear August evening upon which to paint the year’s biggest and brightest full moon.

I like the moon, especially a full moon.  Along with what I’d bet constitutes the bulk of the thinking human race, the pall of God’s “second light” tantalizingly strokes some of my deepest notions of mystery, romance, life’s possibilities, peace, and rest.

It may just be a “big rock in the sky” to some.  For souls kindred to mine, it’s romance. For some, the moon holds an odd power over emotions, yearnings, and, shall we say, rash actions.  First responders and hospital staffs prefer to have the night off.

Despite how the poetic spectacle of a bright full moon may nudge our life’s passions, what we do know about the moon, scientifically, is that there’s nothing about the moon that could be called, in and of itself, “life.”  We make the moon whatever we imagine it to be symbolically, but basically it is a big dead light reflector and gravity field generator that helps make life on earth possible.  So yes, the moon can be seen, takes up space, and has a purpose, but alone the moon has no life.

With that, let’s make a few points about the light, power, and life of Jesus.

Here, we don’t need the moon.  We need the sun.

C.S. Lewis noted famously that though the human eye cannot actually see the sun because of its blinding light, the sun – like Jesus – is the light by which we see everything else, including the moon.  People dispute the reality of Jesus because like the sun, they say, “I can’t see Him,” yet no one denies the sun is there.

We may be enamored by the moon, but human life and purpose are more than reflection. Add a capital letter and switch out the vowel so “sun” becomes “Son” and we graduate beyond the luminary science of sunshine and reflection and into the truth of who and what lights the lives we live – Jesus – and how we are part of that light. 

The moon reflects but does not generate light.  Though one could argue that humans merely reflect the image of God in creation and so are no more alive than the moon, God’s image does far more than reflect off of or through humanity.

God’s image in us gives us the very light Jesus came to reveal and assure: to both receive God in faith and share God’s love with others.  That is the light that we ourselves generate in the power of Jesus.  Without it, we are dead … like the moon.

I never worry about whether I’m alone in the night of a purposeless existence because I was created in the image of someone else.  Jesus tells us that the true light of our existence is sharing the same purpose He has – to love God and love each other.

So, if one is rattled by a dim reflection in the spiritual dark, don’t sweat it.

Instead, light the true, bright, and powerful light of Jesus.  That is life.  No lie.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com), when gazing at a clear full moon, will tell anyone who happens to be nearby to look for “the bunny in the moon.”  Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. (Don and Trish … this one’s for you.><>)