Remember Who You Are Series

I want to begin this morning by playing a word association game. I am going to name a famous person; you tell me what they are known for…

Oprah

Bill Gates

Lady Ga-Ga

Abraham Lincoln

Tiger Woods

Jesus Christ

Each one of these people is famous for something. There is something they do that makes them distinctive from everyone else. There is not another Oprah, Bill Gates or Lady Ga-Ga (Thank goodness!) They are unique, different and have had or are having a distinct impact on our culture.

Webster defines Distinct as Something or Someone who is distinguishable from all others; or having a special quality, style or attractiveness.

Distinguishable from all others

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Indeed the people we listed have distinct personalities. Let me give you one more word association – I will give you the word you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind READY – CHRISTIAN

We have a lot of definitions for the word that simply means; Like Christ or as the Romans would call them little Christ.

I fear we may have spiritual amnesia, I wonder if we have forgotten our spiritual identity. Maybe we have bought into the myth that we only exist to eat, sleep, work, pay our bills and be good citizens. However scripture teaches us we are so much more than just a person who does things, we are to be something – we are to be distinctive in our nature. Our lifestyles and our actions are to be different from the world. Remember the definition of Distinct… Someone who is distinguishable from all others; or having a special quality, style or attractiveness.

I believe God wants us to recapture our distinctiveness, to remember who we are as God’s people. Understanding our identity is crucial to fulfilling our destiny.

Over the next several weeks we are going to look at the one whom we are to model our life after – Jesus Christ. The Hebrew writer calls us to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Maybe you have grown weary; maybe you have lost your heart. Maybe it is time to forget who you have become and remember who you are!

To help us remember who we are we are going to look at the life of Jesus through the gospel of Mark.

In Mark 1, we see three distinctive marks to help us remember who we are as Christ followers.

Read Mark 1:1-8

1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began

2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.

3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ”

4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

5 All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

6 His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

7 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.

8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

Mark begins the story of Jesus by telling us of…

A Distinctive Man

Note the details of this distinctive man…

His arrival was predicted by the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah was Israel’s prophet in 700 b.c. Isaiah does not give us the man’s name, he simply calls him “The Voice of one calling in the wilderness” In the NT, the word wilderness stirred up painful memories for those who were familiar with Israel’s past. The wilderness was a place of wandering and discipline, but with the arrival of the voice; the wilderness becomes a place of hope; for in the wilderness there is a voice calling people to something new. The Lord is coming.

His message was not the only item that was distinct. Verse 6 describes his diet and wardrobe. His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.