Sermon Central
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What Is Your Name? Week 1 Series
Contributed by Randy Bennett on Aug 17, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: Satan, the father of lies, has convinced us that we are worthless sinners. What does God say about us - and how hard is it for us to accept it?
What is Your Name?
Big Idea:
Satan has deceived us into believing that we are simple humans, just “sinners, saved by grace.” God calls us His children and Jesus tells us that we are made new in Him. Which voice are we listening to?
Scripture:
Illustration:
The Matrix: My Name is Neo
My Name Is Neo:
In “The Matrix,” Keanu Reeves plays a character named Thomas Anderson. He is also a computer hacker that goes by the name “Neo.” He is introduced to the Matrix and Morpheus tries to convince Neo that he is “the one.” Neo spends the entire movie denying that he is the one, a denial that is fueled by the ‘Agents’ who refer to him as Mr. Anderson. Finally, at the end of the movie, it appears that Agent Smith has finally overcome Neo and he will die. Agent Smith says, “Goodbye, Mr. Anderson.” As a subway train approaches. Neo replies, “My name is Neo” – the first time that he ever uses that name himself in the entire movie. When he finally owns up to his true identity, he is able to overcome the agents.
In the same way, you and I have been deceived by Satan. He would have us believe that we are just ordinary people without anything of value to offer to the rest of the world, especially nothing worthy of the kingdom of God. The Bible tells us that:
The devil is a LIAR and a THIEF.
The Father of Lies:
What have we come to believe about ourselves?
God created us to reflect His glory.
The Bible tells us that we were created in the image of God
Sin came in and separated us from God
Jesus came and restored us to God
Satan would have us believe that we aren’t worthy of being restored to God
“I’m just a sinner saved by grace.”
“I’m just clothes for God to put on.”
What is Your Name?
The Bible also tells us that:
If you are IN CHRIST, you are a NEW CREATION.
We know that we are a sinful people. If anyone of us looks deep down inside, we will see that we are deeply flawed creatures. Satan would have us believe that is the end of the story. But that is certainly NOT what the Bible teaches. Over and over again, the Bible tells us that when Jesus Christ comes in, things change. We are made new. The old has gone, the new has come. We are God’s workmanship. We are co-heirs with Christ.
I think the scripture that we get caught up in – and Satan loves to use subtle stuff like this to confuse us – is Romans chapter 7. READ v. 15-19 Paul says that when he wants to do good, he does bad and that he feels powerless to do good. But look at the distinction that he makes – in verse 18, he says, “I know that no good thing lives in me” but then he puts a qualifier on that – “that is, in my flesh” He doesn’t say that there is no good in him at all – he says that there is no good thing in his flesh, in his sinful nature.
God gives us a new heart – and our old selves, our sinful nature, our flesh, is crucified with Christ. God takes the sinful nature out of our heart and makes our heart new. Your heart is good! You are a new creation!
Accept Your Identity
You must ACCEPT your IDENTITY in Christ.
Do we still sin? Absolutely. This is a process we are in. We need to consciously CHOOSE to live from this new heart that God has given us and our old habits, our sinful nature, our flesh, is not going to go down without a fight!
Paul goes on in Romans 7 to say “it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it… For in my inner being I delight in God’s law.”
