Identity in Christ
Ephesians • Sermon • Submitted
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Praying for Knowing Identity and For Power
Praying for Knowing Identity and For Power
What do I want them to know? Who they are in Christ
Why? We live from knowing who we are
What do I want them to do? Remember who they are in Christ
Why? It brings acceptance, security, significance, and power
ME/WE
Who are you? Who are you?
Have you ever asked yourself that question?
YEAH
Some us say I am over 30 years old and I am still trying to figure that out
It is not only a question we ask ourselves it is a question people ask us....how many times have people asked us “who are you?”
How many times has someone ask you, “Who are you?” “Tell me a little about yourself.”
How do we often answering this question in our society? There are several ways
“I am what I do” Duties/do (banker, lawyer, parent, janitor, police woman, stay at home mom)
This is not who you are this is what you do
“I am who I support my tribe” (I am a Team Trump, I am Team Biden, democrat or republican or independant, I am Browns fan or Steelers fan)....
we identify with it so much that win our tribe loses we feel like losers....Some people have a bad Monday and Tuesday because on Sunday the Browns lost....some said they were depressed for weeks…is that not how we feel sometimes after a Browns loss
You are not your TRIBE…YOUR TRIBE IS WHO YOU ROOT FOR
“I am what I have or make; my income” (This is not spoken verbally to much, (People do not typically say I am rich) by it is spoken by the ITEMS WE HAVE BECAUSE OF OUR INCOME by what we own, I have designer clothes, a nice car, a big house, expensive things)
But that is not who are...You are not what you own, but if we are not careful what we own can own us
“I am my abilities, my giftings” (I am smart, strong, can play guitar, sing, preach)
That is not who you are that is one of the gifts God has given you.
“I am what you see externally; my body (I am the American eyes I am beautiful because I have a chisele body with 6 pack abs)
Who are externally is not who you are internally.
“I am my Addictions” (I am a alcoholic or sex addict)
THESE 6 THINGS and MANY OTHERS WE SAY WE IS NOT WHO YOU ARE IFYOU ARE IN CHRIST....THIS IS NOT WHERE WE FIND OUR IDENTITY
NOT ONLY THAT THESE IDOLS we are chasing after will not give you what you what, many for a moment
What are you looking for? What am I looking for? WHY DO WE GO TO THESE IDOLS OF IDENTIFICATION???
What are you looking for? What am I looking for? WHY DO WE GO TO THESE IDOLS OF IDENTIFICATION???
Acceptance, Significance, and Security
Many people if they have the right job, their a president of a company they will receive…ACCEPTANCE, SIGNIFICANCE, SECURITY.
-But here’s the thing one day you will fire or retire....The thing you find security in will be gone.
If we get it in money one day will not have enough and our security is gone
If we get it in our body one day (the significance we had in having a “perfect body” will be gone... will get old, wrinkly, or maybe have cancer
ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHERE GOD WANTS US TO GET IDENTITY WILL BE GONE
ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF WHERE GOD WANTS US TO GET IDENTITY WILL BE GONE
-Security, significance, acceptance gone
THAT’S DEPRESSING....FOR THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST
TENSION
BUT IT IS NOT DEPRESSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN JESUS....for believers in Jesus we have a place we can go to get our identity
We have a place that is SECURE, BRINGS SIGNIFICANCE, AND ACCEPTANCE
Where we get ACCEPTANCE, SIGNIFICANCE, SECURITY…not only that JOY, PEACE, LOVE, STRENGTH
Where we get ACCEPTANCE, SIGNIFICANCE, SECURITY…not only that JOY, PEACE, LOVE, STRENGTH
Where do we get acceptance, significance, security?
Find another thing or idol to run after?
NO, it comes from knowing who GOD SAYS YOU ARE
This is Paul’s prayer for the church is to
KNOW WHO GOD IS and SECOND WHO WE ARE
A.W. TOZER
1. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about you.
1. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about you.
(If you think God is big, sovereign, faithful, provider, omnipresent you will feel COURAGEOUS, CONFIDENT, FAITH OVER FEAR…but if you think God is weak, small, not power…you will be full of worry, doubt and FEAR)
2. Second greatest question is “who do you believe you are?”
Paul would say a better question is to ask “who does God say that you are?”
Not what your momma who for some of you is great, not your spouse or best friend or enemy
YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE
YOU ARE WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE
WHY? BECAUSE WE LIVE FROM BELIEVING WHO WE ARE
Too how impactful this is some phycologist did a test on a classroom of students and the teacher read report that said all kids with brown eyes were genetically smarter than all other eye colors…what do you think happened? brow eyes excelled…blut eyes, green eyes did what?
then follow week the teacher said I had it wrong it was blue eyes…what happened????
THIS IS WHAT PAUL’S WANTS THE CHURCH TO KNOW IN EPHESUS AND WHAT GOD WANTS US TO KNOW,
- HE PRAYS AND PREACHERS OVER AND OVER IN HIS 13 LETTERS THAT CHRISTIANS WHO KNOW WHO THEY
TODAY HE PRAYS FOR IT
Let’s read His prayer.
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
What does Paul pray?
That they would know they, THE BELIEVERS, would KNOW THEY ARE IN CHRIST
He prays the Christians, THE SAINTS, TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE IN CHRIST....GREAT REVELATION
WHY DOES HE PRAY THIS FOR CHRISTIANS??? (This is already true)
1. We forget…how often do we forget???
2. Because we believe the lies from the world, flesh, devil.
The world will say your TRASH
The devil will say your significant because you have that high paying job
The flesh will say I sinned again and therefore I am sinner.
FALSE.....or our culture would say FAKE NEWS…and it is really FAKE NEWS....
--- The World, FLESH, the DEVIL ARE WORKING HARD FOR YOU TO BELIEVE FAKE NEWS..
3. Or we believe a FALSE GOSPEL
What is one of the biggest false GOSPELs people say
“I am just a sinner saved by grace.” anybody here say that or have said that? Is that true? If you are in Christ... Is that in your Bible?
NO
SOME US ARE SAYING DIDN’T WE JUST COVER THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO and AGAIN IN PHILIPPIANS???
How many times in Ephesians, 6 chapters, does Paul say we are IN CHRIST?
- 22 TIMES IN EPHESIANS
This is a point Paul wants to drive in over and over....we just preached on it a couple weeks ago and Paul is bringing up again.
Scholars call this letter a letter to the church and a letter that Paul wants SAINTS TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE IN CHRIST
This is not only a them in Ephesians we heard this same language in Philippians and in all of his letters
Does anybody want to guess How many times does Paul say we are in Christ in his 13 letters?
216 TIMES IN ALL 13 of Paul’s letters
How many times does the world sinner get written in the New Testament?
300
How many times are saints called sinners?
ZERO
But how many times do we believe we are sinner over a saint?
Say it with me I AM A SAINT
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
WHY IS SO IMPORTANT?
Because if believe you are sinner how are you more likely to act?
If believe truly believe you are a saint how are more likely to act?
How do we become a saint.... the Catholic way?
- Ten steps to becoming a saint
(A couple of those ways are)
you have to be Catholic
you have to have lived pietist life, earned it by your works
the Vatican has to say your something special
of you cannot be one until your dead
You are not a saint by earning it or by having to be dead…no
NO by the share grace of God
SAY IT WITH ME I AM A SAINT
NOT ONLY ARE YOU A SAINT BY THE SHEER GRACE OF GOD
YOU ARE ALSO an adopted child
This is how Paul opens the letter…we read this a month ago
Eph 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
SAY IT WITH ME I AM ADOPTED CHILD OF GOD
You are an adopted child of God.
In ancient Rome, adoption had a powerful meaning. IT WAS NOT RANDOM, IT WAS A BIG DEAL, with huge implications. The reason people adopted was for two major reasons
1. They could not conceive
2. There were wealthy and wanted to pass down their inheritance to someone.
-They wanted someone who would take care of their inheritance and for the child to be blessed….
How would they adopted someone?
- they would first look and choose the a teenager or adult. Find the person they believed was best to take care of there finances. I chose Makito
- Then they first had to pay off all the debts the child had Makito I am paying off his credit card debt, school loans paid, t
- Then they signed a covenant that parents would supremely take care of this child
- As a result of signing the covenant this child would have a new identity, new family, new inheritance, that was forever permanent, (even today you cannot disown a child you adopt, there are more legal rights for adopted children) and every thing the adopting parents have is also now the child’s.
This is similar to what Jesus has done for us.
Jesus chose us, paid off our debt, given us a new family, and everything He has is ours.
When did Jesus do this? When we are earned it? DID WE EARN OUR ADOPTION God saw a person that earned it…NO
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
While we were still wretched. While we were still wayward. While we were lost
While we rebelled against God, God says I am choosing you....That’s all our story....
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
I was a filthy rag and God loves....WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU REJOICED OVER CRIED OVER THIS???
WHEN DID YOU SAY WITH FULL REVELATION AND TEARS....Do you know what God loves....I don’t know about this or that, but I do know God loves....When is the last time you wept over the joy of God’s love
If we have not been moved by the love of God lately we have not been in relationship with Him....tears of utter joy.
Some of you had this last week when we sang Promises…some of you teared up because of the Godness of God.
SAY I AM LOVED....GOD LOVES ME
NOT ONLY ARE YOU IN CHRIST, ADOPTED, LOVED,
I AM FORGIVEN , SAY IT WITH ME I AM FORGIVEN
Yes, yes I know that
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
But do we really believe this?
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
…Or you like me? I have the habit of beating myself up from yesterday sin knowing I am not what I do…I am who he says I am....I AM A SAINT, ADOPTED, LOVED, FORGIVEN..do you realize the sins you commited in past have been paid, yesterday have been paid for, tomorrow have been paid for, a year from now have been forgiven been paid for
Or do you believe you are a sinner saved by grace or you identity is defined by what you do?
Coming out of additions, habits, and hangs…I stumbled my way to to freedom by the grace of God....and do you know the biggest thing that kept me ENSLAVED: believing I am what I do
WE ARE NOT WHAT WE DO WE ARE WHO HE SAYS WE ARE
Or maybe you feel SHAME FROM YOUR PAST SINS....I have talked to people recently who struggled with, sexual brokenness, drug addictions and live live in SHAME BECAUSE of their past sins...
God couldn’t love me, because God couldn’t forgive me
ANYBODY BEEN HERE????
ANYBODY BEEN HERE????
.YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE
Where does it say in the Bible I forgive all sins except GOSSIPPING, CHEATING, STEALING, SUICIDE, ETC.???
Listen to what Beckett Cook says, a person who God saved and redeemed and delivered from the sin of homosexuality said.
“One of the things people say over and over...How did you did with the SHAME from you pass....JESUS DEALTH WITH MY SHAME....Beckett said what blew me away was that when I gave my life to Jesus all my past was forgive, present, and future....Everything
THE HAMMER DID FALL AND IT FELL ON JESUS, NOT YOU
YOU HAVE BEEN DELEIVERED, REDEEMED, SAVED
EMPOWERED....SAY IT WITH ME I AM EMPOWERED
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Do you realize the same power that conquered the grave, defeated death lives where?
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
In this day and age God is saying we need to remember we are more than conquerors....
You are not a weak SAINT....YOU ARE WARRIOR
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The Gates will not prevent the church from moving forward…From the SAINTS moving forward with the GOSPEL..
US
How do we know who we are?
PREACH AND PRAY THESE TRUTHS OF YOUR IDENTITY OVER AND OVER
WE have two sheets in the back for you to take home about your identity in Christ
Here’s what’s at stake....your acceptance, significance, security.....JOY, PEACE, CONFIDENCE, VICTORY
UPDATE
Due to the schools being closed to outside renters and students in person at least until Thanksgiving, if not longer, on top of the they said do not plan to be able to rent space at a CMSD school until fall of 2021.
But the good news is we have been Blessed with a Building…many churches in Cleveland and the US have no where to meet because they meet in a school or rental facility and have no idea when they would be able to meet again.
Brooklyn is our home
A couple of announcements
August 30 we will be having communion and a if you feel comfortable a church lunch after church, you can bring your own lunch, or we will be providing sandwiches, water bottles, and individually wrapped chip bags.
September, we as a leadership team have been asking how do we do small groups with Covid and restrictions so what have decided to do have small groups meet at Brooklyn on Sundays for 30-45 minutes…We will have a 10-15 minute break after the service then we will meet for small groups…This is a new idea…it