More than 2 thousand years have passed and still many scientists wonder "who Jesus is?"
Just in the first sentence it is clear: Jesus is the one who speaks and talks tirelessly and with God's love.
Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and that I do nothing by myself, but as the Father taught me, so I speak. For he who sent me is with me; the Father has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.
John 8: 28-29
His first self-answer in the text of today's sermon is: "I am the first thing I tell you." Or closer to the original Greek: "What I said at the beginning, I also tell you now," namely, who I am, or more clearly: "That's what I'm talking about all the time," of who I am.
Jesus is, first of all, the one who talks tirelessly to the people. He lovingly tells all about God three or four or five times and emphasizes what he says through his actions.
That's why it's good, dear church, that every Sunday we listen to his gospel. It is not unusual for us to discover something new in the texts we have heard many times before. We learn about God for ourselves, for our lives.
That's what Jesus is for. That's why he always tells us something new.
That's why it's good that we remember his passion every year.
Our life is again a richer year. Maybe we will discover something new in the Passion of Jesus for us or for someone else. Perhaps we have had to experience something that only makes us clear now: that is why Jesus had to suffer that, so that I, this human being whom I love, can be sure that he is not alone. I myself or this person can trust firmly that God does not leave us alone despite this terrible stroke of luck or this bad illness. God leaves him, you or me, as little as he left Jesus alone in suffering.
Suddenly we understand Jesus' answer to the question of who he is: "I am the first, whatever I tell you." "What I said at the beginning, I also tell you now," namely, who I am. "That's what I'm talking about all the time," of who I am.
Jesus is the one who talks tirelessly and full of love again and again of God and shows us the love of God.
Jesus deepens his first response. I have a lot to talk about and judge about you. Jesus speaks very clearly about God. He also directs our lives sometimes with hardness and clarity towards him.
This becomes clearer and more vivid to me in his miracles and parables. There Jesus allows people to listen and experience how God is there for us.
In the Gospel of John, in whose ways of thinking these words of Jesus are transmitted, the discourses of Jesus are particularly evident in the words of Jesus. In this discourse of Jesus, I am clarified in all diversity, who Jesus is for us, dear community.
Listen to these words that Jesus has for us, and as he emphasizes here for the whole world, to
say in God's name:
I am the bread of life (6, 35)
I am the light of the world (8, 12).
I am the door (10, 9).
I am the good shepherd (10, 11).
I am the resurrection and the life (11, 25).
I am the way and the truth and the life (14, 6).
I am the vine (15.5).
In this diversity, Jesus makes himself known and tells us who he is. Depending on the time in our lives, it makes clear to us who is for us.
When we are really successful, it allows us to experience the light of the world.
If we fear death and dying, he wants to be found as the resurrection and the life.
When we run out of energy, he wants to be our vine for us.