Sermon Central
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Our Identity In Christ
Contributed by Mark Roper on Nov 26, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Many Christians gain their identity more from their family background, work or human relationships than they from who they are in Christ.
Our Identity in Christ
Our Identity in Christ
We live in a world that is full of people who are lost… where many believe that they simply don’t fit in.
We live in a world were many people are searching for a sense of belonging to someone or something…
We live in a time were many are experiencing an identity crisis…!
The same problem is facing many Christians today
In other words, we don’t know who we are…!
We’ve lost our identity…
Too many young people gain their identity from the latest fashions, trends or popular expectations from their peers.
Many Christians gain their identity more from their family background, work or human relationships than they from who they are in Christ.
No wonder Paul emphasized that we are in Christ throughout his epistles.
Understanding our identity - Eph 1:1-9, 11-13 NIV
4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ , might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Could it be today that one of the greatest problems facing Christians today revolves around an identity crisis?
#1 result of a identity crises
1. We have been conditioned to expect the ordinary, the routine.
When life seems to be filled with the routine. And the possibility of some extremely good thing happening to us seems remote. Sadly, we not only can’t believe it when it does happen, we can’t believe it may happen.
We easily find ourselves saying, "I can’t believe it!"
We may not be able to believe it, but it is true.
2. We have been conditioned to believe we are less than God says we are.
In Christ We Are Significant
When Christ died on the Cross, He paid the penalty for our sin.
He died there to put to death our old self.
He died to enable us to receive His life.
As we surrender to Him, He gives us His life in exchange for ours.
He becomes our life. We live by His life. He is in us, and we are in Him.
Now we live from this new level of life. His righteousness is made ours. When God looks at us, He sees us in Christ.
3. We have been conditioned that we have nothing to offer
In Christ We Are Sufficient
As we enter into a relationship with the shepherd - he empowers us to speak and act - as he himself spoke and acted.
As we diminish - he increases in us.
As we let go of our own understanding - his truth grows in us
As we acknowledge our weakness - his power is magnified in us.
As we follow him - his life giving word is able to go forth from us,
And as he was able to expose and cast out the unclean spirits,
So we too will be ones who bring healing to and wholeness to the world..
4. We have been conditioned to see everything familiar and ordinary.
And when things become ordinary they sometimes seem to lose their importance.
And when things begin to lose their importance, there is the temptation for them to be neglected.
there is the temptation to do just enough to get by.
There is the temptation to do thing with our eyes “half-open” . . . to do them “half-heartedly” . . . and to go only “half-way.”
There is this lifelong and pervasive temptation to do things “half-way.”
And that temptation not only affects our work, but it affects our relationships, our church, and our spiritual condition.
Summery
1. The goal of the enemy is to steal the identity of the believers.
Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
