“Identity in Christ”
Sermon Title: Identity in Christ
Scripture: Genesis 1:1-2; 1:26-27
If you weren’t able to catch the sermon this past Sunday, I would highly recommend you watch the sermon first before jumping into the summary below.
Passage
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2)
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:26-27)
The Message
As we wrap up the ‘Heart Detox’ series, we look at what defines our identity in the everyday. For you, do you take pride in your skills, talents, background, job, title, etc.? In order to discover what our identity and purpose is, it’s helpful if we go back to the beginning: God. He is the Creator (Gen 1:1-2) and the beginning of all things, the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 1:8). Though He created all things, He is not distant from us. His relationship with us was and is not emotionless, soulless or spiritless. As His image-bearers (Gen 1:26-27), we have this closeness in our relationship with Him for He even declares Himself:
“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Lev 26:12)
God repeats this multiple times in the OT and the NT until decisively and irrevocably, Jesus Himself proclaims that not only are we His people, but we are His sons and daughters.
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matt 12:46-50)
It’s great that we know parts of God’s character and what He’s done in the past… but knowing about Him is not enough. What’s more important is knowing Him. This is different from attending church every week, living morally by good works or deeds, or talking about Him as a fan of what He has done. Knowing God is an active engagement of our daily living, to see Him beyond reading or hearing something interesting about Him. God isn’t defined through our lens or the focus being on our needs or intentions - we need to shed this as we fix our gaze on Him.
We must say that knowing God involves, first, listening to God’s Word and receiving it as the Holy Spirit interprets it, in application to oneself; second, noting God’s nature and character, as his Word and works reveal it; third, accepting his invitations and doing what he commands; fourth, recognizing and rejoicing in the love that he has show in thus approaching you and drawing you into this divine fellowship.
(Knowing God, J.I. Packer)
Our purpose
As image-bearers of Christ, do you believe that the primary purpose of your identity is to honour and glorify Him? (1 Pet 2:9; Eph 2:10)
Throughout this entire sermon series, we’ve seen that the cleansing of toxic habits and sins is needed, so that we may be able to receive His Spirit and be filled with His presence and our lives to be poured out for His glory.
Our significance
Some of the things we value or place significance in are not necessarily things we identify by saying, “This is what I value,” or “I truly believe this is more significant than this.” It may come by in a more subtle way – the way we think about ourselves as we compare ourselves with others or how we believe others view us.
It is possible that either consciously or unconsciously, we derive our significance and value by how the current world views significance and value; it may not be that these are all bad in themselves, or against God’s purpose, but the question is more about the primacy of these values over our identity as God’s sons and daughters.
If these attributes take primacy over your identity in Christ, it may be that these values are taking you away from what is truly important and what God truly values.
Application
At the end of all that has been said and done in your and my life, when we see God face to face, He isn’t going to be impressed by all the letters that fall after your name, or how high your salary was, or how many friends you had or who you knew, etc…
He is just going to ask, “Are you my son? Are you my daughter?” “Do I know you? Do you know me?” “Did you remain in me, and I in you?” If the answer is yes, then His response will then be, “Enter into my presence.”
Part I Questions:
What does knowing God mean to you?
What is your motivation in life? Where do you derive your significance or value from?
Part II Questions:
Do you know what your purpose or identity in life is? How closely related is it to the calling to be an outpouring of God’s character in your life?
How do you see your role in this current season as a response to God’s command to rule over the earth? What is the image or character you are upholding in your growth as a son or daughter of Christ in this command?
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