Dealing With A Spiritual Identity Crisis

“DEALING WITH A SPIRITUAL IDENTITY CRISIS”

1 PETER 2:1-11

INRO-

1 PETER 2:1-3 READ

PETER IS WRITING UNDER THE ANOINTING OF GOD , HE IS GIVING US DIRECTION FOR OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES

HE HAS IN CHAPTER ONE TOLD US AS CHRISTIANS WE NEED TO LIVE HOLY LIVES, TO BE SET APART, TO DESIRE THE THINGS OF GOD

TO BE HOLY BECAUSE THE GOD WE SERVE IS HOLY-

YOU WOULD THINK HE WOULD BE TALKING TO UNBELIEVERS, BUT HE IS TALKING TO THE CHURCH.

1 PETER 1:1 PARAPHRASED-

TO GOD’S ELECT...THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN ACCORDING TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, THROUGH THE SANCTIFYING WORK OF THE SPIRIT.

HE IS TALKING TO EACH ONE OF US THIS MORNING THAT PROFESS JESUS CHRIST AS LORD OF OUR LIVES

HE IS TELLING US THAT GOD EXPECTS THOSE WHO PROFESS THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO THE LORD SHOULD BE STRIVING TO LIVE HOLY LIVES BECAUSE THE GOD WE PROFESS IS HOLY

I HAVE TITLED THIS MESSAGE “DEALING WITH SPIRITUAL IDENTITY CRISIS”

WE SOMETIMES DON’T KNOW WHO WE ARE- WHO WE BELONG TOO-AND WHAT IS EXPECTED OF US AS CHRISTIANS

IT WAS NO DIFFERENT THEN, THEN IT IS TODAY- CHRISTIANS STRUGGLE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL WALK.

SOME JUST GET TIRED OF BEING A CHAMELON. WHEN THEIR WITH NON CHRISTIANS THEY ACT ONE WAY AND WHEN THEY ARE WITH CHRISTIANS THEY ACT ANOTHER WAY.

PETER TELLS US IN CHAPTER 2 V 1- THAT WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE THINGS OF THE WORLD. MALICE, DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, ENVY, SLANDER.

INSTEAD OF FEEDING ON THESE THINGS- HE TELLS US WE NEED TO CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK-

THAT ONCE WE BECOME CHRISTIANS THAT WE SHOULD DESIRE MORE THINGS OF GOD .

THERE SHOULD BE A HUNGER TO GROW DEEPER AND MORE INTIMATE WITH THE LORD.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT ONCE YOUR SAVED, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT WAIT FOR JESUS TO RETURN

THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ARE BABES IN CHRIST...(NEWBEE’S) . THEY DESIRE THE MILK OF THE WORD ...EASY TO DIGEST THINGS OF GOD. THE BASIC THINGS.

BUT AS THE CHILD GETS OLDER, THEY SHOULD BE HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR THE MEAT OF THE WORD.

THE MEAT OF THE WORD BEING THE HARDER MORE MATURE THINGS OF GOD’S WORD.

WE SHOULD NOT BE SATISFIED WITH THE MILK OF THE WORD.

I DON’T WANT TO POP YOUR BUBBLE- BUT MOST NEVER GET PAST THE MILK OF THE WORD.

THEY ARE HAND FEED BECAUSE THEY DO NOT DESIRE TO FEED THEMSELVES, AND ANYTHING HARD IS TURNED OVER TO A SELECTED FEW THEY CONSIDER “SPIRITUAL”

THE LORD DESIRES THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF US FEED OURSELVES WITH THE WORD OF GOD AND TAKES A ACTIVE PART OF MAKING SURE OUR WALK WITH GOD IS CONSTANTLY GETTING BETTER EVERYDAY.

IF YOU ONLY LIVE ON WHAT I DIG OUT OF GOD’S WORD FOR YOU- YOU ARE STARVING BECAUSE YOU EAT ONCE A WEEK ON A MEAL YOU DIDN’T EVEN GET TO PICK.

TO HELP OURSELVES WITH THE IDENTITY CRISIS, I THINK THERE ARE THREE THINGS WE NEED TO LOOK AT

I. (IDENTITY) WHO THE WORLD THINKS WE ARE

IT IS NO SECRET THAT T.V. NEWSPAPERS, AND A LIBERAL SOCIETY THINKS WE ARE FREAKS, FANATICS, AND FRAUDS

THEY THINK WE ARE EXTREMISTS, PEOPLE TRYING TO GET ATTENTION

BIBLE CARRYING RENEGADES.

THEY LOOK AT US AS STOPPING THE ADVANCEMENT OF PEOPLE’S RIGHTS

AS HATERS OF CERTAIN GROUPS

THEY BELIEVE THE CHURCH IS A SOCIAL CLUB THAT GATHERS TO SHOW OFF THEIR NEW CLOTHES, HAIRSTYLES, AND MEDDLE INTO PEOPLE’S BUSINESS.

THEY BELIEVE THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THEM AND US IS THEY MEET IN CLUBS, BARS, AND WE MEET IN THE CHURCH.

UNLESS WE CAN SHOW THEM A DIFFERENCE, THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAR WHAT WE SAY.

2 TIM. 3:5- “MANY HAVE A FORM OF GODLINESS BUT THEY DENY IT’S POWER”

THEY SEE US AS FAKING, AND PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING WE ARE NOT.

THE WORLD DOESN’T CARE THAT YOU GO TO CHURCH, JUST DON’T BRING IT HOME, TO WORK, IN PUBLIC

THEY SEE US AS HYPOCRITES:

WEBSTER’S DEFINITION- A PERSON WHO PUTS ON A FALSE APPEARANCE OF VIRTUE OR RELIGION

READER DIGEST JOKINGLY SAYS -A HYPOCRITE AS SOMEONE WHO COMPLAINS THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH PROPHANITY, SEX, AND VIOLENCE ON THEIR VCR.

DID YOU GET THAT - SELF INFLICTED AND WITHIN THEIR CONTROL TO CHANGE

THEY SEE US BELIEVING IN PRAYER-BUT NEVER PRAYING

THEY SEE US SAYING WE BELIEVE TITHING MONEY TO THE CHURCH IS RIGHT, BUT NEVER GIVE WHAT GOD EXPECTS FROM US.

THEY SEE US SAY THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD, BUT NEVER READ IT ON OUR OWN

THEY SEE US WITH A WHOLE LOT OF JUNK IN THE TRUNK OF OUR LIVES.

BACK TO THE KEY VERSE-

“THEREFORE RID YOURSELVES OF ALL MALICE, AND ALL DECEIT, HYPOCRISY, ENVY, AND SLANDER OF EVERY KIND. LIKE NEWBORN BABIES CRAVE PURE SPIRITUAL MILK. SO THAT YOU MAY GROW UP IN YOUR SALVATION., NOW THAT YOU HAVE TASTED THAT THE LORD IS GOOD.”