TEXT: Ephesians 2:10
TITLE: How God Views Me (Identity part 2)
SERIES: Identity
TOPIC: Identity in Christ
OCCASION: November 2, 2008
PROP.: We are God’s masterpiece! That tells us a lot about our identity!
INTRODUCTION: Good morning! (The dangers of mistaken identity!)
This past week, on CNN’s website this past week there was a story about a young man who was 20 years old and was shot to death by police. Julian Alexander of Anaheim California was sleeping inside his home Tuesday night until he heard some noises that woke him up. Julian went outside to see what the commotion was. The commotion was made when police were chasing 4 teenage suspects in Julian’s neighborhood. As Julian came out of his house holding a wooden rod, police thought he was one of the suspects who was armed and shot him; killing him.
I was interested in this tragic story because it reminds me the importance of identity! The importance of being recognized and known for who you are!
So many people are struggling with the questions of WHO AM I? And who am I CREATED TO BE? So many are trying to be something they aren’t and something they were never created to be!
And so again, we focus on our sermon series about Identity. Last week, we encouraged you to remove the mask; to be yourself pleading with you to put off any façade; reminding you that you are not perfect, you do not have all the answers, you aren’t like anyone else and you are an unfinished product. These four facts about yourself should allow you some relief and allow you to be yourself while you are growing up and growing deeper in the Lord.
Today, I want to know that your identity is NOT found in what you do. (your job, your profession) Your identity is not found in what you own. Your identity is given to you by your creator!! Let me say that again…Listen to me this time:
Your identity is given to you by your creator!
WHO CREATED YOU? Come on…answer it out. WHO CREATED YOU?
This whole sermon is based on the foundation of the truth contained in Ephesians 2:10!
As an artist gives a painting it’s identity or a sculpture it’s shape and form…so does the master creator give us our identity as created beings made by God!
Ephesians 2:10
You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, to do good works..”
ILLUSTRATION: How many of you have ever received a picture drawn by one of your kids? How many have ever received a picture from one of your kids and you didn’t know what it was supposed to be? And so if you wanted to know what it was, you go to the creator and ASK! You didn’t go to your kid and tell THEM what it was meant to be. You asked them what it was they drew.
So it is with God. The creator gives His creation their identity! And the world will look at us and not be able to tell what we’re supposed to be…and you may be wondering what you’re supposed to be…go to your creator and ask!!!
1st Corinthians 12 says: “He gave some to be apostles…some to be prophets…some to be teachers…some to be preachers…some to be givers…etc. etc. etc.”
Go to God to determine your identity!
T.S.: Since you are God’s workmanship…since you are a masterpiece, that should tell me and you something about our identity. Please understand and know three facts concerning your identity…
I. I am UNIQUE
ILLUSTRATION: I did a search for the most expensive paintings that have ever been sold. I couldn’t believe what I found:
The most expensive painting from this report done back in 2005; was for a painting entitled: Number 5, 1948. It was painted by Jackson Pollock an American painter known for his contributions to the abstract expressionist movement. The painting was done on an 8’ x 4’ sheet of fiberboard, with thick amounts of brown and yellow paint drizzled on top of it, forming a nest-like appearance.
It sold in 2005 at a private sale for $140 MILLION dollars! Would you like to see it? I thought so.
Not much to look at is it? By the way…I think I inserted the picture upside down…can you tell?
And the nicest thing I can say about it is: Well…it’s a one of a kind.
It are the things in life which are rare…which are a one of a kind…that are considered masterpieces!
And can I just say you are considered a masterpiece because YOU ARE UNIQUE!
A. In the way you look!
The world’s population is 6.6 billion people! Not two people look exactly the same!
I realize that is a number that is difficult to grasp. So let’s deal with this room! The population in this place today is around 200 people. Even in our small country church, it’s blatantly obvious that we are unique in the way we look.
ILLUSTRATION: when I first came to Burnside, I had an awful time getting The Scanlan twins right! I’ve gotten really good at it now. Toni and Tami I can tell you a part really easily! Even though you may be identical twins, you are still UNIQUE in the way you look!
I realize some people may have a hard time distinguishing between me and my twin sister…THAT WAS A JOKE!
B. in the way you behave!
We are all so very different in the way we behave and act. It’s called: Personality!
Illustration: We all have different personalities. Some are quiet. Some are talkative. Some care about politics. Some couldn’t care less about politics. And here’s the great thing. NONE OF THAT MATTERS WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR. Because we are all united by the Spirit of the Lord.
( Lindsay’s personality vs. MY personality)
C. Proof of God’s love
And all of this is evidence that God loves you! If God didn’t care, he would have made us all the same! But He didn’t!
God didn’t just mass produce the human race. He didn’t just take a cookie cutter and start making us all the same.
He carefully, and artistically formed each and every person making us each unique! He created different skin colors. Different eye shapes. Different colors of hair…and even through in baldness just for fun!
God loved you enough to make YOU, YOU!
How does this truth impact my life?
Stop trying to look like everyone else. Stop trying to act like everyone else. Be who God created you to be! You are a UNIQUE MASTERPIECE! Created by an imaginative creator! Are you living like you’re unique? Are you different than the rest of the world? So do you understand that you are unique masterpiece that you can’t just find anywhere?
And if you understand this truth…there needs to be a change:
Not only am I Unique…but…
II. I am VALUED
I will be honest with you: As I was working on my sermon this week and had my three points all figured out, this point was originally: I am VALUABLE! Then, I was listening to a sermon in the car this past week as I was driving to Monmouth and the preacher was talking against this very point of us thinking that we are valuable!
He says, “You are not valuable! You’re not. To suggest that you’re valuable places emphasis on the object that has value! There’s nothing IN US that causes us to be considered valuable. The fact that God values us says more about Him than it does about us. And if you think that God has set His grace upon you because you’ve got something going on that your next door neighbor doesn’t have going on - you are SOOOO wrong!”
You are a sinner! You are dirty, broken, unworthy of God’s grace and yet, God VALUES YOU! He would do anything for you! He HAS done EVERYTHING to get His hands on you! Why would he do that? Because you are valued - by God. You are His masterpiece!
ILLUSTRATION: In a way, the fact that you are not valuable should bring you joy! Because if God only loves us because we are valuable what happens when you become not valuable? What do you do with your old cassette tape collection? You replace them with CD’s. What do you do with all of your VHS movies that are warped and will no longer play in your VCR? You replace them with DVD’s. What do you do with your car that is rusted out? You replace it! You get rid of it! But something that has VALUE…something that has significance to the owner will ALWAYS HAVE VALUE!
Because you have value, you will always be important and special to God!
Listen to what Paul writes in Ephesians 2:13:
Ephesians 2:13
13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
You were separate from God because of your sin. You were being sold at the yard sale of life for a measly quarter. Until God showed up. And he saw you and said, I’ll give you the life of my son in exchange for this person right here!”
That’s what the truth of John 3:16 is all about! “For God so loved the world that He gave his Son!”
And please understand this today:
You are valued:
A. Not because of what you’ve done
Our world is very much performance based:
--If you work harder and do your job well…you’ll get a raise and maybe a
promotion.
--If you do well in school and study hard…you’ll get an A and a scholarship
--If you are athletic and train hard…you’ll be a starter on the team and maybe
MVP.
This is NOT the way God operates. It has nothing to do with your personal achievements or accolades. Your value doesn’t hinge upon how often you pray…how many verses of scripture you can quote…how many people you’ve led to Christ…or how many good works you perform. You are valued not because of anything YOU HAVE DONE!
You are valued:
B. Not because of who you are.
God doesn’t care about your last name…about who you’re related to…or what social class you fall into. God isn’t your God because of what you can do for Him! It’s not about you at all..
C. But because of who HE is!
It’s all about God!
ILLUSTRATION: In 1996, Jackolyn Kennedy Onasis items were sold at auction. And some crazy things were sold for outrageous prices.
--a Worn footstool went for $33,350
--a tape measure sold for $48,475.…DUDE…I HAVE THREE OF THOSE!
--the night’s highest priced item was for a walnut-tobacco humidor that had belonged to President Kennedy. It sold for $574,500. A stupid cigar box!
Most of the items auctioned were common items. But here’s the point. They became valued because who the items belonged…what? TO!
ILLUSTRATION: Box of Grandpa Nichols sermons. These have no meaning to you. But because of who they belonged to, they mean quite a bit to me!
The same is true about us. We have value not because of anything we’ve done…but because of who we belong to!!!!
How does this truth impact my life?
Because God values you, you have confidence to face the future!
NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD’S LOVE! God cares about what happens to you…Because God values you, you have the hope that you will one day spend forever and ever in a place with no tears or suffering.
Fact number three about your identity!
III. I am HIS
Every masterpiece bears the authentic signature of the artist. And you need to know that you bear God’s signature if you will. God views you as HIS!
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
As if that’s not enough evidence that God views you as His masterpiece…listen to what he says in:
Isaiah 43:1 says:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
God’s signature:
A. lives inside you!
--we call Him the Holy Spirit!
2 Corinthians 1:22
“God anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”
B. is proven by your actions
--we call it love!
John 13:35. Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
It is the LOVE you have that will tell the world that you are God’s masterpiece.
How does this truth impact my life?
How does the fact that I am HIS change my life? START LIVING FOR GOD!
Ask yourself what does God want my life to look like? What does He want me to do?
CONCLUSION: “My Way”
Frank Sinatra wrote a song that has become famous. I would like to read a few of those lyrics.
And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, Ill say it clear,
Ill state my case, of which Im certain.
Ive lived a life thats full.
Ive traveled each and evry highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Regrets, Ive had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.
Who are you? Who’s are you? Too many lives are characterized by living for self…looking out for #1...too many people are living life “MY WAY” and their lives are scarred with tragedy and depression.
Won’t you choose to live God’s way? Afterall, you are His masterpiece!
Your identity is found in God alone!
