1. APPROACHING THE CROSS: Jesus, The Christ

2. LENTEN TOPICS: WHO’S YOUR DADDY? GIVER OF ETERNAL LIFE!

3. Let’s track the facts: Jesus came not to condemn the world but to save the world through him. (John 3:17) “Whoever believes in him is not condemned,” John 3:18a Grace and justification comes through Jesus – Romans 5:15-17

4. Truth: Your sins, your failures, your shortcomings will not keep you from eternal life, as you repent of them, learn from them to be holy in Christ and grow toward the image of God. You have received the gift of Eternal Life!

5. Approaching the Cross- Jesus- The Christ

6. John 8:48-59

7. Accusations! Jesus was demon possessed. Jesus is seeking glory for himself. Jesus is not old enough to have seen Abraham. (He’s not over 50)

8. Attempt to silence! Those gathered there, picked up stones and attempted to stone Jesus, but he escaped their attempt.

9. Who is Jesus, really? Honorable son of God. vs 49 Son, seeking to glorify his father. vs 54 Obedient Son of his father. vs 55 Honorable, glorifying and obedient son of God.

10. WHO ARE WE TO BE AS CHILDREN OF GOD? Not living according to our fleshly desires. Live according to the Spirit of God now in us. Setting our minds on eternal life and peace. We honor God through our thoughts, words and actions. We seek to glorify God as His children. We desire to obey God because of our love for Him.

11. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

12. Jesus makes three claims in these verses: 1. Abraham rejoiced in seeing the day of Jesus. 2.Jesus saw Abraham & Abraham saw Jesus. 3.Before Abraham was born, I am.

13. ABRAHAM REJOICED IN SEEING THE DAY OF JESUS. In Genesis we find Abraham excited that the promise and covenant with God included the Messiah coming through his descendants and offering salvation to the world. Genesis 22:18

14. JESUS SAW ABRAHAM AND ABRAHAM SAW JESUS. Three men come to Abraham in Genesis 22:17-22 before the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Two leave to go to the cities and Abraham is left alone with the third. The third was the Lord. vs 22

15. BEFORE ABRAHAM WAS BORN, I AM Jesus has been with God from the beginning. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. This is the reality of the Tri-unity of God

16. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ!