Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament

Jun 14, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Elevator Pitch of Jesus’ Preexistence

The sermon’s core challenge was reframing Jesus’ divinity in everyday language. When Jesus declared, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” He claimed eternal identity as God. This truth isn’t reserved for theologians but for anyone needing hope. The “elevator pitch” metaphor urges believers to articulate Jesus’ timeless nature simply, like explaining a skyscraper’s blueprint. Start with His role as Creator, not complex terms. Every knee will bow because He designed the universe—and still holds it together. [48:47]

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”
(John 1:1–3, NIV)

Reflection: When have you struggled to explain Jesus’ divinity to someone unfamiliar with faith? What simple metaphor or story could you use to share His eternal nature this week?

Day 2: The God Who Sees You in the Desert

Hagar, alone and desperate, encountered the Angel of the Lord—a divine messenger who saw her pain and named her son Ishmael, “God hears.” This wasn’t a generic angel but Jesus Himself, prefiguring His incarnation. He meets us in our deserts, speaks identity into our shame, and redirects our steps. Like Hagar, we’re called to recognize God’s presence even when life feels barren. [58:33]

“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’”
(Genesis 16:13, NIV)

Reflection: Where do you feel unseen or forgotten? How might Jesus’ words to Hagar reshape your understanding of His nearness in that struggle?

Day 3: The Sacrifice That Spares Your Isaac

Abraham’s test on Mount Moriah revealed Jesus as the Angel of the Lord who stops destruction. When Abraham raised the knife, the Angel intervened, proving God provides the lamb—a foreshadowing of Calvary. Jesus isn’t just the substitute; He’s the voice that halts our self-destruction. Every act of surrender meets His provision. [01:06:48]

“Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide.”
(Genesis 22:13–14, NIV)

Reflection: What “Isaac” are you clinging to—a dream, relationship, or control? How does Jesus’ intervention on Moriah invite you to trust His provision?

Day 4: The Name That Makes Demons Tremble

Jesus’ claim “I AM” (John 8:58) wasn’t philosophical—it was a seismic declaration of divinity. The Pharisees picked up stones because they knew He invoked God’s name from Exodus 3:14. Every knee will bow not to a moral teacher, but to the eternal I AM. His name carries authority over addiction, fear, and death. [49:14]

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
(Philippians 2:9–10, NIV)

Reflection: What situation feels too powerful for you right now? How might praying “Jesus, You are I AM here” shift your perspective?

Day 5: Jesus in the Basement of Your Story

The sermon’s tower metaphor challenges us to find Jesus not just in Gospels but in life’s “basements”—shame, failure, or waiting. Like Hagar and Abraham, He’s present in overlooked places. The Angel of the Lord appears where we least expect: a desert spring, a mountaintop altar, a cancer diagnosis. His preexistence means He’s already in your future. [01:12:34]

“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
(Psalm 34:7, NIV)

Reflection: What “basement” area of your life feels disconnected from Jesus? How might His presence there—as deliverer, seer, and speaker—change how you pray today?

Sermon Summary

Prayer takes the priestly vest in hand and remembers the names. The Old Testament picture of stones of remembrance frames intercession as work God loves to use. That same Old Testament lens sets up the summer work. The problem sits right up front. An unelevated view of Jesus keeps him trapped on four floors of a very tall tower. The solution opens the doors. The architecture shows up. Colossians calls Jesus the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Hebrews says the Son is the appointed heir and through him God made the universe. John says the Word was with God and was God and then became flesh. Philippians says the One in very nature God emptied himself, took the form of a servant, obeyed to the cross, and now bears the name above every name so that every knee bows and every tongue confesses.

John 8 raises the stakes. “Before Abraham was, I am.” The choice lands hard. Stones on the ground or knees on the floor. Ambivalence is not an option. That claim turns the binoculars back through the Old Testament and the angel of the Lord comes into focus. Psalm 34 names the messenger of the Lord who encamps around those who fear him and delivers them. That is not a random cherub. That sounds like Jesus who surrounds and saves.

Genesis 16 lets Hagar name him. The angel of the Lord finds her, speaks in the first person, promises, and is recognized as El Roi, the God who sees. Genesis 22 lets Abraham hear him. The angel of the Lord stops the knife, receives devotion with the words “you have not withheld from me your son,” and points to the ram God provides. The pattern holds. The messenger delivers, sees, and speaks as God. The Gospels echo it. “I have come down from heaven not to do my will but the will of him who sent me.” “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me.” The same messenger walks every floor.

The elevator pitch then gets simple. Start with the problem. People limit Jesus. Offer the solution. Jesus is woven through the whole Bible. Give a taste. Hagar’s El Roi. Abraham’s ram. Close with the outcome. He delivers, he sees, he speaks, and he calls for a response.

Key Takeaways

1. Stop limiting Jesus to four floors. The tower is taller than Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The architect drew every floor, from Genesis to Revelation, and his fingerprints sit on each landing. A small Jesus will never steady a large life. Let the text raise him to his true height. [38:41]
2. “Before Abraham was, I AM.” That line either cracks a stone loose or bends a knee. Neutrality is not real when God uses his own name. If Jesus takes the divine name, then worship is sanity and casual respect is not. [48:47]
3. The Angel of the Lord delivers, sees, speaks. Psalm 34 shows him surrounding the afflicted. Genesis 16 has Hagar meet El Roi, the God who sees. Genesis 22 lets Abraham hear “you have not withheld your son from me,” and a substitute stands in the thicket. The same voice and work bloom again in the Gospels. [66:48]
4. Share Jesus with an elevator pitch. Start with the problem people feel. Offer the bigger Jesus the Bible presents. Tell one vivid story that carries his voice, his sight, and his rescue, then invite the next step. The goal is not to say everything, but to help someone want to hear more. [70:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[33:01] - Stones of remembrance and prayer
[34:28] - Praying for names and needs
[35:27] - Dinner question and blown answer
[36:46] - What is an elevator pitch
[38:12] - The problem of an unelevated Jesus
[39:00] - Meet the Architect of the tower
[40:12] - Colossians, Hebrews, John gather
[41:25] - Peace that guards in Christ
[42:35] - The descent and ascent of Philippians 2
[43:33] - Every knee and every tongue
[44:23] - John 8 and the great I AM
[50:28] - Seeing the Angel of the Lord
[52:10] - Deliverer who encamps, Psalm 34
[55:23] - Hagar and El Roi, Genesis 16
[61:58] - The voice who speaks as God
[63:37] - Isaac on the wood, faith under test
[67:14] - The ram and the greater Lamb
[68:11] - Sent from heaven to speak
[70:11] - Crafting a clear elevator pitch
[72:34] - Prayer for boldness and wisdom

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
John 8:58 (ESV)
“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.’”

Genesis 16:13-14 (ESV)
“So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God of seeing,’ for she said, ‘Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.’ Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi…”

Genesis 22:11-12 (ESV)
“But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’”

Observation Questions

In John 8:58, Jesus uses the phrase “I am” to describe Himself. What Old Testament event does this language directly connect to, and why would this claim upset His listeners?
How does the Angel of the Lord in Genesis 16:13-14 and Genesis 22:11-12 speak and act in ways that go beyond a typical angelic messenger? [58:55]
What three actions does the sermon highlight about Jesus in the Old Testament (deliver, see, speak), and where do we see these in the Bible passages above? [01:09:22]

Interpretation Questions

Why did Jesus’ claim in John 8:58 leave no room for neutrality? How does this confront modern ideas of Jesus as merely a “good teacher” or moral example?
The Angel of the Lord in Genesis 22 says Abraham “has not withheld [Isaac] from me” (v. 12). How does this statement point to Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice and authority? [01:06:48]
The sermon argues that limiting Jesus to the Gospels (“four floors”) weakens our understanding of His divinity. How do the Old Testament appearances of the Angel of the Lord challenge this limited view?

Application Questions

In what areas of your life do you tend to “limit Jesus” to specific roles (e.g., Savior, teacher) while ignoring His authority over creation, history, or your daily struggles? How could a broader view of Him change this? [38:41]
The sermon encourages sharing Jesus with an “elevator pitch” that starts with a problem people feel. What current struggle (loneliness, injustice, fear) could you connect to Jesus’ identity as the God who sees, delivers, or speaks? [01:10:11]
Hagar named God El Roi (“the God who sees”). When have you experienced Jesus’ nearness in a season of feeling unseen or forgotten? How could this story help someone else?
Abraham’s obedience in Genesis 22 required radical trust. What step of obedience is Jesus asking of you right now, and how does His identity as the ultimate Provider (Genesis 22:14) strengthen your resolve?
The sermon warns that ambivalence toward Jesus is impossible—we either reject Him or worship Him. How does His claim in John 8:58 challenge casual or cultural “respect” for Jesus in your relationships? [49:35]

Sermon Clips

59s

#BeforeAbrahamIAm

“Now let's go into the the scenario where he really makes this great claim. And then Jesus says, your father Abraham, your biological father Abraham, he rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day. He sought You're not even 50 years old. How the heck did Abraham see you? Right? It's a you know you know, you're you're thinking Jesus is a little nuts anyways because no one's, you know, who's who's his rabbi, who's his teacher. He doesn't have one. And now he's claiming that he has seen Abraham. Very truly, Jesus says, before Abraham was, I am.”

48s

#LambInPlaceOfIsaac

“Did you catch that? Who showed up? The angel of the Lord. And and he'd make a sacrifice to who? To the Lord. And who does he say he is? To me. Angel of the Lord. Me. Angel of the Lord. Me, your only son. Abraham was told by God to take the sacrifice. The angel of the Lord showed up and said, Abraham, stop. And now I know that you won't withhold your son from me. And so God miraculously provides a lamb in its place. In the place of Isaac, God provides a lamb. In the place of all of us needing to stand on that pile of wood, God has provided a sacrifice, and his name is Jesus.”

41s

#ElevateJesusBeyondGospels

“For me, the problem is this. Many Christians have an unelevated view of Jesus. Get what I did at elevator? Get that unelevated? Okay. They restrict him only to about four stories from from the 40th Floor to the 44th Floor of the tower. And for those of you who know the Bible, you know what I'm talking about with those 40 floors. Right? Okay. So we restricted Jesus to four chapters, four books in the whole entire Bible. And and we don't we don't go down to the basement. We don't go up to the out to the top of the house. We don't go those. We just keep Jesus restricted. So that's our problem.”

36s

#NoAmbivalenceAboutJesus

“Listen, church. He is making an astounding claim. He is making an astounding claim. The question for you, you've got two options with that claim that he makes. You can either pick up a stone and you can hurl that at Jesus, or you can bow your knee and confess with your mouth, he is lord. Amen. But you can't be ambivalent towards him. You can't just be casual towards him. You can't just be, well, that was another thing that Jesus taught. Jesus taught. Jesus said that he was with Abraham. Jesus said that he is equal to God.”

35s

#JesusUsesIAmName

“Look at what Jesus is claiming. Jesus is claiming preexistence. Right? Jesus is claiming that he is he is using the name of God. Jesus is saying, I am connecting to Moses. Here is the name. Who are you? And God says, I am who I am. Jesus is doing all that connection there. And what do they do? They go to pick up stones. They go to pick up stones to stone him because he is claiming that he is divine. He is claiming that he has heard and he saw and he spoke with Abraham, and he's using the connection of God's name.”

38s

#ProtectorOfTheAfflicted

“In the context of the verse, where you have your bible open, just look at it. Verse two, who are those he's encamped around? The afflicted. He's encamped. He's encircled. He surrounds those who are seeking him. He surrounds, he encamps, he protects those who are poor in spirit. Blessed are the poor for they shall see God. He encamps, encircles, and protects those who take refuge in him. That is not the role of just a guardian angel that's around. That is the role of one specific angel, and you can make a lot of arguments that that is what Jesus does.”

36s

#JesusSurroundsYou

“Are you one of them? If you're one of them, he circles around you. He encamps around you. He surrounds you. He protects you. Little do you know the things that came at you this week that Jesus protected. Little do you know those things that didn't happen to you this week, that God surrounded you and protected you from and watched over you. He surrounds. He protects. He encamps. The first thing we see, the angel of the lord delivers. He delivers. The second thing, the angel of the lord sees as god.”

42s

#AbrahamFaithProvision

“but now God gives Abraham an incredible act. Remember? Remember Jesus talking to the Pharisees? If you Abraham was your father, you would do what Abraham did. Abraham believed God, and it was credited him as righteousness. And Abraham is presented with this thing. Take that son. You're not gonna have another one. Take the only son that you have with Sarah and offer him up to me physically, literally. Offer him up to me. By the way, there is prescriptive and there are descriptive promises in the bible. This is not a descriptive promise in the bible. You don't need to go and sacrifice your boys. Okay?”

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Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament

Devotional

Day 1: The Elevator Pitch of Jesus’ Preexistence

Day 2: The God Who Sees You in the Desert

Day 3: The Sacrifice That Spares Your Isaac

Day 4: The Name That Makes Demons Tremble

Day 5: Jesus in the Basement of Your Story

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament

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