It Is I, Don't Be Afraid

We'll begin our worship this evening. We're going to sing to God's praise in Psalm 103.

Psalm 103, the Scottish Psalter version, page 369.

We're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 5. The tune is Kilmarnock.

O thou, my soul, bless God the Lord, and all that in me is,

be stood up his holy name to magnify and bless.

Bless, O my soul, the Lord thy God, and not forgetful be of all his gracious benefits he hath bestowed on thee.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 5 to God's praise.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

He's steadfast.

Of all his gracious benefits, he hath bestowed on thee.

All thy inequity to the most gracious be forgiven.

Through thy diseases, all that things, thou heal and be re-eating.

Could thou redeem thy life after, to death which sought for done?

Through thee with loving kindness of and tenderest he's come.

Through thy abundance of good things, thou satisfy thy love.

So that he must be evil, saint, trade you with his thy youth.

Let's come to God in prayer. Let us pray.

Amen.

Our gracious Father in heaven, as we come once more to worship, to sing praise together as your people,

to come and hear your words speak to us, to come and offer up our prayers to you.

We thank you that you alone are God, you are the one who is able to hear all that comes from our hearts and our lips this night.

Even the very groanings that we utter in our hearts, Lord, they are known to you.

For you know us in that great way.

You know us as our Father in heaven.

You know us as our Lord and our God.

And we pray that you will stir us up in our time of worship.

That you will help us, Lord, to worship you in that right spirit.

Even with the words that we have just sung.

That from our very souls we would bless the Lord with all that is within us.

That you would stir us up by your holy name to magnify and bless you.

That you would become more and more of our focus in this time of worship.

That you would take away the distractions that so often fill our minds.

Even the thoughts of what may lie ahead for us in this coming week.

The things that may be cluttering up our inboxes.

The things that can be important in their own self.

But as we come just now, Lord, we just ask that in looking ahead to the week and the days that lie ahead.

That you will help us in this time to be refreshed through your word.

To be strengthened by it.

To be encouraged through it.

To be built up in our faith.

So that whatever the challenges that come in this week.

Whatever the joys we have.

Whatever the lows we may experience.

That you would be with us, Lord.

And that we would know you as our God.

As the one who never leaves or forsakes.

The one who is a refuge and a strength for all our different needs.

And so, Lord, we ask that you will, as you so often do, remind us of your great promises to us.

As you so often do, remind us through your word who you are and all that you have done for us.

Even as we have sung from this psalm, we are reminded of the great forgiveness that there is with you.

That even in the midst of our forgetfulness, when we forget so much that you have done for us.

When we forget that we depend on you for all things.

That, Lord, you are gracious towards us.

And that all your gracious benefits are there for us day after day.

And so, may you give us that sense of thankfulness.

That sense of rejoicing in you.

That sense of coming anew each day.

And receiving, Lord, your great mercies anew each day.

And may you help us to fill our hearts with thankfulness even anew this night.

That as we come to the close of a day.

As we come to the close of your day.

And as your word reminds us that the time moves on.

The sun rises.

The sun sets.

The days move on.

That we are reminded of your constant faithfulness.

Your steadfast love that is unchanging.

And we pray, Lord, that to be known as your word is proclaimed.

Not just here, but through all the pulpits of our island here.

And throughout your church, Lord, near and far.

We thank you for your word that is proclaimed in so many different languages.

To so many different people.

All worshipping the one God.

And we thank you that we join in with that worship this evening.

That we are reminded, Lord, of what a taste of heaven would be.

To know that we enter into praise with one another here.

We enter into praise with your people near and far.

We enter into praise with saints past and present.

And we thank you, Lord, that that praise is at the very throne of heaven.

That our praise is offered through that name above every name.

In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

And we thank you that in him we have reason to rejoice and to hope.

That in him we have so much to give thanks for.

And again, this evening as we open up your word, we pray that as we read and as we hear from it,

that you will remind us of that wonder of just who you are.

Even in these few words as we read of I am.

That you are God.

And that in Jesus we have God incarnate.

We are the one who has come to draw near to us in all our needs.

And Lord, we may we know your peace and your presence in that way.

We do pray, Lord, for your people who journey in life and find themselves in so many different places and situations

unexpectedly or through no choice of their own.

We think of your persecuted people far and wide.

Those who suffer for their faith.

Those who are believers in Christ.

Those who love the Lord with all their hearts.

And yet for that, for that very simple faith that they might have.

That they are persecuted and experience so much harshness in so many different ways.

We do pray, Lord, that you will surround them.

We thank you for your word that reminds us of how in wonderful ways you were with your people

as they proclaimed you as their Lord.

As we think of Daniel in the Old Testament or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as they were cast into the fiery furnace.

We think of all these experiences that your people have suffered down through so many generations.

And yet the one God, the same God, who was near to them is there for all your people even this night

to help in every experience and every challenge.

And we know, Lord, that we need you in all of these different ways.

There are many trials that will come our way.

There is grief that comes into our life and sorrow.

There are hardships in so many different ways.

There is illness.

As we hear so many around us, Lord, who are going through times of illness, both old and young.

We think of those who may be on the very verge of eternity.

Those who are laid aside in different ways at this time, Lord.

Who are thankful for those who know you and have that great assurance that you are with them.

That you will see them home.

We pray for those who maybe have no thought of you.

Those who are strangers to you.

That your spirit will work.

That your spirit will lead and draw people to know the comfort and the comforter.

We ask these things, Lord, recognizing that you alone can do it.

And so we plead with you, Lord, that you will remember us in mercy.

We do pray, Lord, for our governments at this time.

We think of situations near and far.

We think of our own MP and MSP for our islands here.

We pray for you to guide them and to uphold them.

To give them your strength and above all, to give them a faith in you.

To give them to know that you are their God.

That any authority and perceived power that might be had in the hands of man in this world,

it is all from above.

We pray that for all our MPs and MSPs in Westminster and Holyrood,

in our council buildings,

and all who deal with us in so many different ways, making decisions for us.

We pray for your blessing to be upon them.

For you to minister in these places of power,

to know your power, to know your greatness in their midst.

We again think of situations throughout the world,

situations that shock us and leave us just seeing the wickedness in this world.

As we again remember America, a powerful nation in so many ways.

But yet we see the fear and worries that are so often there.

We think of the events of last evening.

We just pray, Lord, for your peace, for your calm, for your spirit to work.

We think of that for nations in turmoil,

where there is war and terror, famine, natural disasters,

where we see so much grief all around us.

We pray, Lord, to have mercy,

to heal, to heal the broken hearts,

to heal the suffering,

to heal the wickedness of man,

to bring us to see ways of peace instead of war.

We pray, Lord, that you will remember us then and do us good.

Continue with us as a people here, Lord.

Guide us by your mercy.

Help us in all that we seek to do for you as a congregation.

Help us as we open our doors to visitors into our town.

We commit the breakfast next Sunday morning

that will be open here for many who will be visiting our town.

We pray to see people coming in through our doors,

not just to receive physical food,

but that there will be a word in season for them,

that they would come and hear the gospel,

that they would come and hear the good news of Jesus Christ.

We pray your peace over our town in these coming days,

in a busy week.

As we see so many visitors coming, Lord,

we ask your protection, your safety

upon all who will be coming and going.

We pray, Lord, all these things,

acknowledging our need of you,

acknowledging our weakness and frailties,

but acknowledging the strength that you give

and the grace that is always sufficient.

May we know it more and more.

So hear our prayers and continue with us now.

Bless us and go before us as we ask all things

through the forgiveness of our sins.

In Jesus' name, amen.

We're going to sing again to God's praise,

this time in Psalm 34.

The Sing Psalms version, page 40 of the psalm books.

The tune is St. Stephen.

Psalm 34.

At the beginning of the psalm,

we sing from verse 1 to verse 9.

At all times I will bless the Lord.

I'll praise him with my voice.

Because I glory in the Lord,

let troubled souls rejoice.

Together let us praise the Lord,

exalt his name with me.

I sought the Lord.

His answer came.

From fear he set me free.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 9 to God's praise.

That's all.

At all times I will bless the Lord.

I'll praise him with my voice.

Because I glory in the Lord,

let troubled souls rejoice.

Together let us praise the Lord,

and exalt his name with me.

I sought the Lord.

His answer came.

From fears he set me free.

He'll lift the heavens and shine with joy.

They are not good to shame.

Lest suffering man cry to the Lord,

from him deliverance came.

The angel of the Lord,

and guides continually.

He sets his people free.

In the midst of the Lord,

O hear the Lord,

who stays with me.

You will not be oppressed.

We're going to read God's word together now.

Our first reading is in Exodus,

and then we'll read in the Gospel of John.

So we're first reading in Exodus chapter 3,

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

and we read from verse 1 to verse 15.

Exodus chapter 3, I'm reading from verse 1.

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro,

the priest of Midian.

And he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness

and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire

out of the midst of a bush.

He looked, and behold, the bush was burning,

yet it was not consumed.

And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight,

why the bush is not burned.

When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see,

God called to him out of the bush,

Moses, Moses.

And he said, Here I am.

Then he said, Do not come near,

or take off your sandals of your feet,

for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

And he said, I am the God of your father,

the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob.

And Moses hid his face,

for he was afraid to look at God.

Then the Lord said,

I have surely seen the affliction of my people

who are in Egypt,

and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters.

I know their sufferings,

and I have come down to deliver them

out of the hand of the Egyptians,

and to bring them up out of that land

to a good and broad land,

a land flowing with milk and honey

to the place of the Canaanites,

the Hittites,

the Amorites,

the Perisites,

the Hivites,

and the Jebusites.

And now, behold,

the cry of the people of Israel has come to me,

and I have also seen the oppression

with which the Egyptians oppress them.

Come, I will send you to Pharaoh,

that you may bring my people,

the children of Israel,

out of Egypt.

But Moses said to God,

Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh

and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?

He said,

But I will be with you,

and this shall be the sign for you

that I have sent you.

When you have brought the people out of Egypt,

you shall serve God on this mountain.

Then Moses said to God,

If I come to the people of Israel

and say to them,

The God of your fathers has sent me to you,

and they ask me,

What is his name?

What shall I say to them?

God said to Moses,

I am who I am.

And he said,

Say this to the people of Israel,

I am has sent me to you.

God also said to Moses,

Say to the people of Israel,

The Lord,

the God of your fathers,

the God of Abraham,

the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob

has sent me to you.

This is my name forever,

and thus I am to be remembered

throughout all generations.

And we'll turn to the Gospel of John,

John 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6.

We're going to read a few verses there.

John 6 from verse 16

down to verse 21.

This is just after the events

of the feeding of the 5,000.

As we take up our reading in verse 16,

John 6 verse 16.

John 6:16

When evening came,

his disciples went down to the sea,

got into a boat,

and started to cross the sea

to Capernaum.

It was now dark,

and Jesus had not yet come to them.

The sea became rough

because a strong wind was blowing.

When they had rowed

about three or four miles,

they saw Jesus walking on the sea

and coming near the boat.

And they were frightened.

But he said to them,

It is I.

Do not be afraid.

Then they were glad

to take him into the boat.

And immediately the boat

was at the land

to which they were going.

And so on.

Well, let's again sing

to God's praise

before we come back

to the passage in John.

We're going to sing

in Psalm 99,

in the Sing Psalms version,

99a.

The tune is Peter's Ham,

99a,

page 130 of the psalm books.

We'll sing from verse 1

to verse 7.

The Lord reigns from his throne on high.

Let all the nations quake.

He sits between the cherubim,

so let the whole earth shake.

Great is the Lord on Zion Hill,

exalted over all.

Upon his great and holy name,

let all the nations call.

We'll sing from verse 1 to 7

to God's praise.

The Lord reigns from his throne

on high.

Let all the nations quake.

He sits between the cherubim,

so let the whole earth shake.

Great is the Lord on Zion Hill,

exalted over all.

Upon his great and holy name,

let all the nations call.

The King of truth and equity,

established by his might.

In Jacob you have done for us

all that is just and right.

Exalt the Lord our God with us.

Let all the world of God

before his boots to worship him,

for holy is the Lord.

Moses and David and where his priests

Samuel called on his name.

They called upon the Lord their God,

and he replied to them.

He spoke to them and gave his law

out of the cloud from heaven.

They kept the stout to some degrees,

where she to them had given.

Let's turn back together to a reading

in the Gospel of John,

John 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6,

and reading at verse 20.

John, chapter 6,

John 6 · chapter mention

and reading at verse 20.

But he said to them,

It is I, do not be afraid.

It is I, do not be afraid.

There have been many landmark moments

in our history,

in the history of this world.

Big events that have a massive,

a huge and lasting effect in our world.

And we can think of them in different ways.

We can think of, perhaps,

things that have changed

the way in which we live.

Think of inventions, for example.

Things that have come into being,

that have been made life so much easier,

that have transformed lives.

The invention of the wheel.

A wheel seems such a simple thing now,

but how much we rely on it.

The industrial revolution,

how it changed the landscape of our land,

and indeed the world.

Telecommunication,

how that came in,

and how it opened up new avenues

of communication all over the world.

We think of transport,

how aeroplanes just changed

the way we live.

The space race,

how people ventured outside

our own sphere of life

here in this world,

and travelled to different parts of space,

to the moon,

to different places.

Things that would have seemed

unimaginable at one point,

but that have come into being.

You think of the internet,

and how that's transformed our lives,

how we rely on it for so many things now,

for good and for bad, unfortunately.

We think even of how we're able

to broadcast worship services

to all ends of the earth.

Things that 20 years ago

would have seemed impossible.

There are so many things

that have happened,

landmark moments in our history,

and that they still impact

the way we live

in our day,

and in our age.

They are major events.

They don't happen every day,

but are they the main impacts

that we should see in our lives?

Are they the greatest landmark moments

that our world has known?

We are thinking of one of the greatest,

if not the greatest,

this morning,

as we looked in Philippians,

as we were thinking of Jesus,

who did not consider equality with God

a thing to be grasped,

but made himself nothing,

of how he came into this world,

how he gave his life and obedience

to death,

even death on the cross.

What a landmark moment

in our history

that Jesus came to die for sinners.

We look at it this evening,

we come to see a little more

of what Jesus,

of who he is.

The greatest landmark moment

in your experience,

in my experience,

should be to see

and understand

who Jesus is.

Who is Jesus?

How would you answer that question?

Who is Jesus?

You might think that as you read

in the Bible,

in the Gospels in particular,

that everyone who met Jesus

knew exactly who he was

and knew immediately,

but far from it.

In the Gospel of John earlier,

it says that he came to his own

and his own received him not.

They didn't want anything to do with him.

They didn't know who he was.

They didn't believe

who he said he was.

There were so many

who saw him.

They saw him doing miraculous things,

and yet still,

they didn't understand

who he was.

Do you know

who Jesus is today?

Do you know what he can do

in your life

and in your experience?

There are many here

who can say,

yes,

I've known Jesus.

I've known his help.

I've known his blessing.

I've known his transforming power

in my life,

and yet still,

we only know him in part.

We only understand

in part.

You think even of

those who were closest to Jesus

as you read in the Gospels.

The disciples,

even they,

didn't understand

fully who Jesus was.

Early on in the Gospel of Mark

in chapter 4,

there's another occasion

where they're in a storm

in a boat with Jesus,

and they're fearful

for their very lives,

and they ask Jesus,

do you not care

that we are perishing?

And Jesus gets up.

He rebukes the wind

and the waves,

and they are still.

And what do they say?

Well, they say,

who then is this

that even the wind

and the waves

obey him?

They just couldn't.

understand who he was.

We see so many things,

and do we really

understand who Jesus is?

Later on in the Gospel of Mark

in chapter 8,

Jesus was having

a conversation

about who people

were saying he was.

Some were saying,

Elijah or one of the prophets,

but he turned to them

and he said to them,

but what about you?

Who do you say that I am?

And Peter answered,

you are the Christ.

Did he understand?

Did he fully understand

what he was saying?

Probably not at that point.

He didn't fully understand.

And even we can use Jesus

on our lips

and our prayers

and our worship,

and do we fully understand

who he is

and what he can do for us?

In both our readings

this evening in Exodus

and here in John chapter 6,

John 6 · chapter mention

we see landmark moments.

Landmark moment,

a moment for Moses,

hearing God speaking to him,

reminding that he has not

forgotten his people,

that he is about to do

a great work of salvation

for them.

And what does he say

to him

when he asks that question,

who will I say

has sent me?

I am.

Two words.

It seems to make no sense.

I am.

And yet what power

there is in these words.

And we're reading here

in Gospel of John chapter 6.

John 6 · chapter mention

Again, it's a landmark moment

for the disciples.

There is this realization

almost of who he is.

He declares in verse 20

as they are so afraid.

It says there in English,

it is I.

Do not be afraid.

But it is I

is actually I am.

These two words,

I am.

Do not be afraid.

The same words

that Moses heard

in the book of Exodus.

These two words

are powerful.

We are hearing of

the great Redeemer.

We are hearing of

the great God

who is able to save.

He is with us.

The people were looking

for a Savior then,

just as so many

are looking for a Savior,

for someone to help today.

You think of earlier

in John's Gospel

in chapter 4.

When Jesus met

with the woman

at the well,

the woman said to him,

I know that Messiah

is coming

who is called Christ.

When he comes,

he will tell us

all things.

And what did Jesus

say to her

to comfort her,

to assure her?

He said,

I who speak to you

am here.

He was there.

He was there

with the disciples

as he came to them

walking on the water.

I am was with them.

And that is a great assurance

that we have this evening.

That as we look

to and trust in him,

he says,

don't be afraid.

I am.

And do we need

to hear these words

ourselves?

when we think

of the lives

in which we live,

when we think

of all that goes on

in our hearts,

when we think

of all that concerns

us and troubles us,

things that make us

afraid,

do we not need

to hear these words?

I am.

Do not be

afraid.

He is here.

And when we know

Jesus,

maybe not in

his fullness,

but when we know

him more and more,

we understand

more about him,

we see just what

he is able to do

for us,

who he is

and what he is

able to do

for us.

And in these

two passages

so closely connected

in Exodus and John,

I just want to think

of three things

this evening

that these words

give to us.

I am.

Do not be

afraid.

It gives us

first hope.

Then it eases

our fears.

And then thirdly,

it answers

our doubts.

So the first

thing we want to

see is it gives

us hope.

He is

here.

In both

our readings,

we see something

miraculous happen.

With Moses,

there was

the burning bush

that was not

consumed.

This bush,

it caught his

attention,

it made him

turn towards it

because there was

something unique

about it.

A burning bush

would have not

been unique

in and of

itself in a

hot desert

and a hot

climate.

But the bush

that went on

fire would be

consumed.

But not this

one.

It was not

consumed.

There was

something about

it.

There was

something miraculous

about it.

And here in

the Gospel of

John,

what we see

is Jesus

coming to

the disciples

walking on

the sea.

in verse

19,

Jesus walking

on the sea

and coming

near the

boat.

It's not

normal.

It shouldn't

happen.

There's something

miraculous here.

But is our

focus on the

miracle or

the one

behind it?

You see,

the purpose

in both

was not to

show something

miraculous

in the sense

of the bush

not burning

or Jesus

just walking

on water.

The greatest

emphasis behind

it was

making himself

known.

Showing

himself.

His identity

to Moses

and to the

disciples.

That they

would see

more of

who he

was.

And what

it means

to have

this God

with us.

It gives

us hope.

it reminds

us that

he is

here.

As Jesus

says there

in verse

20,

he sees

that they

were frightened

in verse

19,

at the end

of verse

19,

but he

says,

I am,

it is I,

do not

be afraid.

It's about

the one

who was

there.

Not the

miracle itself,

but the one

who was there

because who

is it that

has come

to them?

Yes,

we say

Jesus came

walking on

water,

but in

what he

says to

them,

in these

two words,

I am,

do not

be afraid.

He is

saying more,

he is

saying God

is here

with you.

God of

heaven,

God of

earth,

our maker,

and the

maker of

the whole

universe,

he is

here,

do not

be afraid.

For only

God can

go beyond

the realm

of what

is possible

to the

impossible.

I am

is here.

The same

as what

Moses

experienced

in that

burning

bush as

he turned

towards the

burning

bush,

and he

asked that

question,

if I come

to the

people of

Israel and

say to

them,

the God

of our

fathers

has sent

me to

you,

and they

ask me,

what is

his name,

what shall

I say

to them?

God said

to Moses,

I am

who I

am,

and he

said,

say to

this

people of

Israel,

I am

sent me

to you.

What

assurance

there is

given in

these words.

He is

here,

he is

with us,

and the

children of

Israel would

have been

thinking as

they were,

God has

forgotten

us,

he has

left us

in this

land,

in Egypt,

to suffer,

to die,

but I

am has

not

forgotten.

And as

the disciples

are in

this boat

once again,

as they

see Jesus

walking,

their fear

is helped

by the

words,

I am.

It is

God.

And do

you have

that assurance

today?

Do you

have that

comfort

today?

That in

everything that

you face,

that I

am is

here.

That that

is the

one that

you are

looking to.

That that

is the

one who is

saying,

do not

be afraid,

it is

I.

One of the

most common

crimes

today is

identity

theft.

Maybe you've

been a part

of it.

Maybe someone

has stolen

your identity.

In some

ways it

can be

quite

just an

inconvenience.

Someone

clones you

on Facebook.

Someone's

copied your

profile.

It's more

of an

inconvenience.

But in

other ways

it can be

more serious.

Your identity

is taken

and used

and it

makes you

lose money.

It means

that you

maybe have

credit cards

in your name

that you

don't even

know about

and people

steal from

you in

that way.

It's a

serious thing

and we're

always encouraged

to guard

our passwords,

to guard

everything

about us.

There is

that side

of identity

theft.

But what

about a

greater crime

committed in

terms of

identity theft

where we

have tried

to take

the identity

of God

for ourselves.

To steal

away from

God who

he is

and make

a God

that suits

ourselves.

Taking

his authority,

taking his

power,

taking his

ability

and just

putting it

into ourselves

and what

we can do.

We're making

God

something

small,

something

he's not

because we

don't see

who he

is.

We don't

see him

as the

I am.

the God

of the

whole

universe.

We don't

see him

in what

he can

do.

And so

we're

stealing

his

identity.

We're

stealing

his

identity

when we

think of

what we

do with

Jesus

if we're

not

trusting

in him

and his

finished

work.

That he

has

taken

our

sins,

that he

has humbled

himself,

that he

has taken

death on

the cross

for us.

And we

say,

but there

must be

something I

can do

to save

myself.

Jesus

can't be

the only

answer.

We're

taking that

identity to

ourselves,

an identity

that's not

ours.

We need

to see

who he

is,

that he

is here.

And who

he is,

he is the

I am.

we

won't

know

his

hope,

we won't

know his

power,

we won't

know his

reality while

we are

making him

into something

that he's

not.

We're

taking away

from the

fact that

it is

him,

I am,

and not

giving him

the glory

that he

is due.

It is

I,

do not

be afraid.

Not it

is me,

not someone

else,

it is

I.

He gives

us hope.

That's the

first thing

we see

because he

is here.

The second

thing he

does here

is he

eases

our fears.

And what

we see

here is

that he

speaks.

In both

our readings

what we

see is

the great

I am,

he eases

the fears

of Moses

and his

disciples.

The disciples

in John 6.

And how

does he do

it?

How does

he ease

their fears?

Well,

the great

assurance

is not

what they

see,

but what

they hear.

He speaks.

He speaks

to them.

And it

is these

words that

are just

so powerful.

It is

I do

not be

afraid.

Just a

few words.

I am

do not

be

afraid.

but what's

behind that

is

recognizing.

Recognizing

who it

is.

Because you

see in

verse 21

it says

then they

were glad

to take

him into

the boat.

They knew

who it

was at

these words.

Moses

was glad

when he

heard who

it was.

I am

and the

assurance

that he

was giving

to him.

Do you

ever get

a phone

call?

And you

lift up

the phone

or you

listen to

an answer

a message

left on

the phone

and the

person who

is at

the other

end just

says

it is

me.

How do

you know

who it

is?

There are

some times

when I

just I

don't know.

I don't

know.

I don't

recognize the

voice so

it is not

enough to

say it is

me.

I need

more.

But if

you

recognize

the

voice,

if you

know the

voice and

the person

who says

it is

me,

you know

exactly

who it

is.

And that

leads us

here to

think about

do we

know this

God who

is speaking?

Moses

did.

The

disciples

here did.

But do

we know

this voice?

Do we

understand

who it

is saying

who is

speaking to

us here

when he

says it

is I

do not

be afraid.

I am

do not

be afraid.

Do we

understand

who it

is?

In both

these

situations

for Moses

and for

the disciples

here in

John,

they were

afraid.

But what

gave them

comfort and

assurance was

the one who

was speaking.

And is

that the

case for

you and

I

tonight?

As we

hear the

word of

God, do

we know

who is

speaking?

Do we

understand who

it is that

is speaking

to us

here?

It is not

me.

It is not

me who is

speaking to

you through

this.

It is the

Lord.

It is I.

Do not

be afraid.

Is there

any greater

comfort that

we can

have than

these

words?

To know

that God

himself is

speaking.

That God

himself is

giving comfort.

That God

himself is

giving assurance.

Don't be

afraid.

I am.

The

presence

of God.

Do we

know it?

Have you

ever experienced

that sense?

God is

here.

And God

is speaking.

There are

moments in

our experience,

I'm sure,

every Christian

will have had

it at some

point.

Not all

the time.

But in

certain

moments,

you're just

aware,

God is

here.

It's a

power.

There's

something about

it that you

just cannot

put into

words.

That

experience

that he

is here.

That

experience

that no

doubt

Moses

and the

disciples

here in

John were

experiencing

for

themselves

as they

heard

these

words,

I am.

The

very

voice

of God

speaking

to

them.

You

see it

through

scripture.

You

see it

in

moments.

In

the

Old

Testament

you

have

Joshua

who

was

taking

over

from

Moses

later

on.

And

he

was

afraid.

And

what

gave

him

peace

was

the

presence

of

God.

God

said to

Joshua,

have I

not

commanded

you be

strong

and

courageous?

Do

not be

frightened,

do not

be

dismayed,

for the

Lord your

God is

with you

wherever

you go.

Isn't

there a

power in

that

presence?

When

you're

afraid of

what lies

ahead,

when you're

not sure,

when you're

anxious,

when you're

worried,

but you

know God

is with

you.

You

know God

is there.

And

there is

a

power.

But do

we see

the value

in the

one who

is speaking

to us?

Do we

see his

worth?

Do we

understand

who it

is that

was with

us?

There's a

story of

an American

man who

was clearing

out his

loft.

And he

came across

a gold

coin.

He

couldn't

remember

where it

had come

from,

but he

found it

and he

was quite

impressed.

It was

a

beautiful,

well-conditioned

coin.

Not

knowing much

more about

it,

he decided

what he

would do

was just

put it

in a

frame and

hang it

on his

wall.

A few

months later,

a friend

came to

visit him.

And as

he was

walking into

the house,

he noticed

this coin

on the

wall and

went to

have a

closer look

and he

gasped.

He was

stunned to

see this

coin because

he knew a

little bit

about coins.

And he

said,

where did

you find

this?

Where did

you get

this?

And he

said,

I just

found it

in my

loft.

And then

the man

asked him,

do you

know what

this is

worth?

I'm not

sure.

Maybe a

few hundred

dollars,

maybe a

thousand

dollars.

He says,

oh no,

this is

worth much

more.

This is

worth around

two hundred,

two hundred

and fifty

thousand

dollars.

And the

man was

gobsmacked

that he had

this thing

of value

in his

house that

he didn't

realize.

we have

something

much more

worth,

of much

more worth

for

ourselves.

And you

think of

God

speaking to

us.

how many

of you

have a

verse of

scripture

hanging on

the wall

at home?

Perhaps you

walk past

it every

day.

Perhaps you

know it

off by

heart.

But do

you realize

its value?

Or are you

like that

man walking

past the

coin every

day until

he understood

its worth,

not realizing

the value

that was

there?

Are we

like that

with the

word of

God?

We have

it maybe

hanging on

a version

of the

house or

we have

our

Bibles

in our

homes and

yet we

don't see

the value.

We don't

understand the

worth of

what it's

saying to

us, of

the promises,

the assurances,

the comforts

that there are

there for us.

When we look

everywhere else

apart from

the word,

our greatest

comfort, our

greatest assurance

is here

before us.

As he said

to the

disciples,

I am,

do not

be afraid.

They had

to hear

the voice,

they had

to recognize

the voice

and who

it was

that was

speaking.

May we

hear and

recognize the

voice of

I am,

the I

am who

says,

do not

be afraid,

put your

trust in

me.

me.

The third

thing and

the final

thing we

see here

is how

he answers

our doubts,

how he

gives

reassurance

to both

Moses and

the disciples.

All their

fears,

all their

doubts

are answered.

And that's

what God

does for

us.

When you

think of the

experience of

both Moses

in the

Old

Testament

and the

disciples

in the

New,

not in

these exact

moments but

as they

went forward

from here,

do you not

think they

would have

come back

to these

moments and

reminded

themselves of

who spoke?

Moses was

afraid to

take the

children of

Israel out

of Egypt.

But God

had said,

I am.

I am has

sent you.

I am is

with you.

And so he

would go

on in the

journey of

taking the

children of

Israel out

of Egypt

and to

the edge

of the

promised

land,

always knowing

that experience

of I am

with them.

Making the

way plain,

taking all

the challenges,

feeding them,

opening up the

Red Sea,

protecting them,

guiding them

all the way.

He was there

for them.

There are

many other

moments in

the Old

Testament that

you can look

at and see

fearful