The Name of God

 

Part VIII

God The Holy Trinity, Worship The Father in Spirit and Truth 

Yesterday(on 4th June 2023) we celebrated the Feast of HolyTrinity. John 4:21-24 Jesus said: Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know; for salvation comes from the Jews.  But the hour is coming—indeed is already here—when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: that is the kind of worshipper the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth. In this Word of God Br John(Br Joemon) was explaining How Jesus explained about the Holy Trinity to the Samaritan woman. “Holy Trinity is a great mystery. Jesus came to reveal who is God. John 1:18 (NJB): ‘No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.’ The Samaritan woman is a broken woman. Jesus speaking this secret to this woman about God. To know God, not necessarily to be holy. Jesus wants to enter a relationship with anyone of us. All of us has the hope to know God. Her thirst for living water drew Jesus’s heart to her. Jesus revealed her a new name for God, not just a identity but the Father, the loving Father. Jesus tells her to the true worshipers God in spirit and truth. God wants us to unite with His Spirit. We all should have to receive the Spirit of God. God is the Father, we have to believe that God is the Father in the Spirit and Truth. The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, the Holy Trinity. The Truth is Jesus, the Son of God, the solidfied form of the Word”. Revelation 19:13 (NJB): 13 his cloak was soaked in blood. He is known by the name, The Word of God.  

St Augustine encountered with a child in the shore of a sea and he came to him and asked him what he was doing. “I’m going to pour the entire ocean into this hole,” the boy replied.  “What?” said Augustine. “That is impossible, my dear child, the sea is so great and the shell and the hole are so little.” “That is true,” the boy said. “It would be easier and quicker to draw all the water out of the sea and fit it into this hole than for you to fit the mystery of the Trinity and His Divinity into your little intellect; for the Mystery of the Trinity is greater and larger in comparison with your intelligence than is this vast ocean in comparison with this little hole.”  And then the child vanished.

Some say that St. Augustine had been talking with an angel sent by God to teach him a lesson on intellectual pride. Others say it was the Christ Child Himself who came to remind Augustine of the limits of human understanding in relation to the great mysteries of our Faith.

The Name of God

Part VII

That is Who I Am, Messiah Christ 

  Jesus again reveal his name to the Samaritan woman This is who ‘I Am’. Here Jesus says firmly ‘I Am the Messiah-Christ  John 4:25–26 (NJB): ‘I know that Messiah—that is, Christ—is coming; and when he comes he will explain everything.’ 26 Jesus said, ‘That is who I am, I who speak to you. Br Victor in talk said “Even the Samaritan woman had read the Bible and understood that the Messiah, Christ, would come into this world because she had read the Bible and pondered the verses in it."Now the Holy Spirit is revealing to us another name for Jesus, our Lord, the Messiah, Christ."  Jesus desires that he reveal his name to everybody. He is the Christ, the Messiah. The Israelites were expecting him. Jesus Christ is the One who will disclose the Kingdom of God, which has been hidden for many centuries.  John 1:40–42 (NJB): 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother and say to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’—which means the Christ— 42 and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’—which means Rock. In the book Revelation Jesus says in Revelation 22:12–13 (NJB): 12 Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay everyone as their deeds deserve. I am the Alpha and the Omega the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. In Jesus everything is fulfilled. There is nothing is hidden in Jesus and he likes our presence and he made us and taught us what we have to do and his teaching continues. Lord, come and abide in us!

The Name of God

 

Part VI 

Jesus replied, ‘I have told that ‘I Am He’

   When Our Lord announced to the Sadducees and Pharisees, 'I Am He,' they shuddered in dread and retreated, falling to the ground. No one, according to Jesus, can stand in the way of God's power. But he is merciful, and he depleted himself in order to be like us. If God says, "I am," it signifies that nothing can stand in His way. There is only one 'I', and that is our Lord and God.  ‘Knowing everything that was to happen to him, Jesus came forward and said, ‘Who are you looking for?’ They answered, ‘Jesus Nazarene.’ He said, ‘I am He.’ Now Judas the traitor was standing among them. When Jesus said to them, ‘I am He’ they moved back and fell on the ground. He asked them a second time, who are you looking for? They said Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus replied ‘I have told that I am He. If I am the one you are looking for, let these others go’. This was to fulfil the words he had spoken, ‘Not one of those you gave me have I lost ’ (Jon. 18: 4-9). Nobody can stand infront of the power of God. How prowerful his Word is and He is the Creator of all the Universe but He humble Himslef to fulfil His mission for salvation of all humanity. 

In the Book of Isiah says about the falling back of the people of Israel.  ‘Now, stammering lips and in a foreign language, he will talk to this nation. He used to say to them, ‘Here you can rest! Here you can let the weary rest! Here all is quiet.’ But they refused to listen. Now Yahweh is going to say to them, ‘Sav lasav, Sav lasav, kav lakav, kav lakav, zeere sham, zeer sham.’ So that when they walk they will fall over backwards and so be broken, trapped and taken captive. (Isiah28: 11-13). Jews and Roman troops arrived to arrest Jesus. Here, Isiah claims that they have fallen into Satan's trap. The retreat of Jews and Roman soldiers while seizing Jesus is foretold in the Book of Isaiah. Everything is hidden in the Scriptures; all we have to do is read the Word of God from the Bible...… Isaiah 34:16 (NJB): Search in Yahweh’s book, and read, not one of these will be missing, not one of them lacking a mate; for thus his mouth has ordained it, and his spirit has brought them together.

The Name of God

Part V

God is Spirit, worship Him in spirit and truth

   Jesus tells us once more that there is no distinction between him and the Father, that they are one. And no one saves anyone from Father's grasp. Jesus stated: ‘The sheep that belongs to me listen my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from my hand. The Father and I are one.’ (Jon. 10: 29-30)

   We have a special place in Jesus’ heart. Everything is hidden in the Spirit. That’s why Br. Victor always quote this Word of Jesus: ‘But the hour is coming—indeed is already here—when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; that is the kind of worshipper the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth. (Jon. 4: 23-24) Jesus is not telling everyone everything. He chooses someone to be his own, to listen to him, to obey him, and then he reveals those mysteries in God's Kingdom. Lord, keep us close to you and in your eternal love. ‘Now that you know this, blessed are you if you behave accordingly. I am not speaking about all of you: I know the one I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: He who shares my table takes advantage of me. I tell you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe that ‘I am He’. In all truth I tell you, whoever welcomes the one I send, welcomes me, whoever welcomes me, welcomes the One who sent me.’(Jon. 13: 17-20). There is no change in Jesus' statement that He and His Father are One God. Again, Jesus says, 'I Am He,' which God the Father declared and revealed to Moses as His Holy Name. Nobody knows what a blessing God granted upon His cherished children. We are very grateful because Jesus, our Lord, has given Br Victor and his disciples the ability to understand the significance of the Scriptures, and it is through this that we have received the abundant grace that our Lord has poured out on us.   

The Name of God

 

Part IV

‘I am with the God the Father, I Am He’

   As God revealed his heavenly name to Moses, Jesus revealed his name to the people once more: "I am He." According to the Bible: They did not recognise he was that he was talking to them about the Father. So Jesus said: ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that ‘I am He’, and that I say is what the Father has taught me; he who sent me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I am always do what pleases him.’(Jon. 8: 28)Many times, Jesus says, "I am with God the Father, and I am He." He shows here that he and Heavenly Father are one God. That is why Jesus says, "When we crucify him and lift him up on the Cross, we will know that He is the Son of God and that I am He." When we believe this, our faith grows and does not waver. 

   Yahweh our God reveal again his divinity. Jesus never tell us directly that he is God. 'See now that I, I Am He and beside me there is no other god. It is who deal death and life; when I have struck, it is who heal (no one can rescue anyone from me) (Deut. 32: 39)  But he reveals this to us in a mysterious way, and we realize it once we become more humble, like a young child. Jesus himself tells us that he is the Good Shepherd. John 10:10–11 (NJB):  11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. Jesus is revealing another name for himself: the Good Shepherd. He will never abandon us in the midst of our anguish, pain, and rejection. 

The Name of God

Part III

Yes, if you do not believe that I Am He, you will die in your sins.

   Lord, through our little knowledge it is difficult to understand your kingdom. But Lord, send us your Spirit to give the wisdom from above. “Where I am going, you cannot come?” ‘ Jesus went on: You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I have told already: You will die in your sins. Yes, if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’ (Jon.8: 22-24)In this passage, Jesus states that if we do not believe that his name is I Am He, we will perish in our sins. Yes, Lord, we believe that you and your Father are the same God. Jesus often stated that he is the one and only Son of God who descended from Heaven. Still, we new Israelites do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and their faith wavers. But we must accept the Truth in our faith. The Word of God is the Truth.‘Consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth’. (Jon. 17: 17) When we encounter God and become spiritual, we always ask ourselves, "Is God true or exists in this universe?" When we discover that the Truth is Jesus, and that he will be our God, we shall abandon any human-created gods or other cosmic powers in order to obtain earthly joys and benefits. Only then can we start to understand the God the Trinity. ‘And eternal life is this to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent’. (Jon. 17: 3) Lord, let me surrender myself to you and hold me in your arms.

The Name of God

 Part II

   Once we know and understand God, He will pour out His grace on all of us. 'I AM' is a potent name for God. Only God has the authority to declare, "I Am God." In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed., 'And eternal life is this: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent., John 17: 3.  How do we  obtain the eternal life, only by knowing and understanding Jesus Christ and the Father is; One God.                              

    I remember the words of Br. Shaji in one of his talks; when he explains the Name of God. He said: ‘Jesus Christ is the same God, the living God, He who  has spoken to Moses from the bush, in Mt. Sinai. And we should believe that’ ‘The angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame blazing from the middle of a bush. Moses looked; there was the bush blazing, but the bush was not being burnt up. Moses said, ‘I must go across and see this strange sight, and why the bush was not being burnt up.’ When Yahweh saw him going across to look, God called to him from the middle of the bush. ‘Moses, Moses!’ he said. Here I am,’ he answered. Come no nearer,’ he said. ‘Take of your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am God of your ancestors.’ he said ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and God of Jacob.’ At this Moses covered his face, for he was afraid to look at God.’(Exodus.3: 2-6). God commands Moses to make himself holy before approaching Him. The blazing bush symoolizes God's Spirit, which is Fire. The same fire that sanctified Mary, which God prepared and kept holy for His only Son, Jesus Christ. Moses was terrified to approach God and face His vision after God revealed His name to him. 

The Name of God

Part I

Lord, Your Name is Most Holy 

   The Name of God is magnificent and difficult to comprehend in human terms. God is so great that no other name on earth or in Heaven compares to Him. Jesus once asked his Apostles what they thought about Jesus and who he was. Mt 16: 15-16, 15 ‘But you,’ he said, ‘who do you say I am?’  16 Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'Jesus, you are our redeemer and the world's Saviour. His Holy Name was revealed to many saints, apostles, and prophets. God revealed His divine name to Moses, and God spoke personally to him. He bestowed upon Him many blessings and virtues that no other Prophet or pious person has ever known. Moses then addressed God, saying, ‘Look if I go to the Israelites and say to them, “ The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is his name?” what am I to tell them?’ God said to Moses ‘I am he who is.’ And he said, ‘this is what you are to say to the Israelites “I am has sent me to you.” God further said to Moses, ‘You are to tell the Israelites, “Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is my name for all time, and thus I am to be invoked for all generations to come.’ (Exodus. 3: 13-15). God chose Moses to deliver the Israelites from the Egyptians. God picked Moses via His mercy and grace, not through Moses' own efforts. However, He made him His own friend. God talked directly to Moses and revealed His Mighty Presence to him. 

Name of God

 

Jesus we believe, you and the Father is One God

   Lord, when you said you are Son of God they tried to kill you. He answer to them was, ‘My Father still goes on working, and I am at work, too.’ But that only made Jews even more intent on killing him, because not only was breaking the Sabbath, but he spoke of God as his own Father and so made himself God’s equal. Here Jesus said God is "My Father". Jesus and Father is doing the Heavenly mysterious work together for His own creation. This made the Jews got angry towards Jesus and they made up their mind to kill him. He again said, whatever the Father do he does also, this means Jesus and Father is One and cannot be separated. When we honor the Son,  we honor the Father too, this is the way the unity of God the Father and God the Son is an inseparable dignity. When Jesus said he and the Father is One God and Jews got angry because of this: Jesus answered ‘To this Jesus replied: In all truth I tell you, by himself the Son can do nothing: and whatever the Father does the Son does too. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he himself does, and he will show him even greater things than these, works that will astonish you. Thus, as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to anyone he chooses; for the Father judges no one; he has entrusted all judgements to the Son, so that all may honour Son as they honour the Father. Whoever refuses honour to the Son refuses honour to the Father who sent him? In all truth I tell you, whoever listens to my words, and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life…’(Jon. 5:17-24)’ Whatever Father do, the Son also does and Jesus doesn’t do any thing of his own but he do always the Father’s will. Father entrusted all the judgements to the Son, Jesus Christ. Whoever refuses to honor the Son, refuses the Father and they never believe in God. Those who disrespect the One God; the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit would be perished and they will not enter eternal life.