Introduction:
(Finish this sentence)
Hello, my name is……dumb, stupid, unsuccessful, worthless, nice to meet you.
How insane would that be to introduce you that way? Kind of makes you thing about how we define ourselves right? Matthew West has a song, “Hello, My Name Is” and it got me thinking just how we introduce ourselves. How does God introduce us? It also got me thinking of how we would finish the statement, “Hello, My Name Is……”
Hello, my name is…..smart, funny, respectful, trustworthy, nice to meet you.
This way of completing the sentence is more me, right?
This is a much better way of an introduction.
Think about this today, do you define yourself with negative thinking or with positive thinking? How would your life be different if we saw ourselves as a child of God instead of the negative names we give ourselves?
Today we are going to look at this from two different yet distinct perspectives.
Point 1: The Negative Perspective
How often do you really think positively about yourself?
Do you think there are more negative words than positive?
Do you define yourself by your mistakes and weaknesses?
We are told to live and die by the world.
We allow the world to define us
We let the world dictate how we should behave and act
The world tells us to live in darkness
The world tells us to live a life of sin because it’s okay
We allow television, computers, cell phones to rule our life
We watch shows that enable its okay to sin with no consequences
Those who live in the world tell you that they are happy and everything is okay
Yet behind closed doors they are searching for something.
They are not happy and everything is not okay. They are struggling and hurting
There is a chief accuser of the world and that is the Devil.
Are we allowing Satan’s lies to enter our heart and stay there?
The devil is out to steal, kill and destroy….he can do that with words
From the negative perspective how would you define yourself by completing this sentence?
Hello, My Name Is………
A. Defeat
Definition: to frustrate; to foil/baffle; downfall; failure to win
We can feel defeated
We can feel that we are on a downward cycle
There is nobody who loves us
Nobody cares about me
Everyone is out to get me…why can’t I just have 1 win
Why can’t I have someone on my side?
Psalm 31:9-11 says, “9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by roaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends—those who see me on the street flee from me.” (NIV)
Illustration: R.B. Zuck (The Speaker’s Quotebook Page 115)
If you want to be distressed, look within.
If you want to be defeated, look back.
If you want to be distracted, look around.
If you want to be dismayed, look ahead.
If you want to be delivered, look to Christ.
If you want to be delighted, look up!
B. Regret
Definition: miss very much; mourn loss or death; expression of distressing emotion; feel sorry or disappointed
Children feel this way when they upset their parents
We can still feel this way as adults when we disappointed our spouses and family
It is an emotional state of being
Sometimes we feel we can not climb out of regret
It is the voice that goes off in our heart and reminds us everyday of our mistakes or loss
It is hard to shake this….it is something that happens everyday
It can be a constant reminder in our lives
If we stumble and fall this is where we end up and it never leaves. It never goes away
Sometimes I think this emotion will never go away
This is the way we feel when we can’t forgive and forget
2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (NIV)
Illustration:
The Cross is a symbol of Gods heartbreak over a world that is gone astray.
C. Broken
Definition: imperfect or incomplete; not functioning; overcome with grief or disappointment; weakened in strength and spirit
Cars break down but most of the time can be fixed
Sometimes things don’t function at all once broken and need to be replaced
We can feel broken as well
Words can hurt and leave us feeling broken.
We can be broken over relationships, job, family, loss of loved ones, etc
It leaves us feeling empty inside
Everybody can feel this way no matter how old you are
Psalm 34:18-20 says, “18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.” (NIV)
Billy Graham Illustration:
Billy Graham tells the story about a little child the was playing with a very valuable vase. He put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. His father too, tried his best to get it out, to no avail. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, “Now my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers out straight as you see me doing, and then pull.” To their astonishment the little fellow said, “O no, dad, I couldn’t put my fingers out like that because if I did I would drop my dime.”
Smile, if you will but thousands of us are like that little boy, so busy holding on to the world’s worthless dimes that we cannot accept liberation. Drop the trifles in your life. Surrender! Let go, and let God have His way in your life.
D. Lost
Definition: going astray or missed the way; no longer belonging too; fail to keep, preserve or maintain; unable to find the way
Have you ever felt lost before?
Not a good feeling right?
We you get scared or lonely when we feel lost.
Should we feel lost or scared? Society has given us reasons to feel this way.
Sometimes its hard to see the light at end of the tunnel.
Satan wants us to feel this way.
Satan wants to destroy our lives.
He does not care how we feel
He will continue to use these feeling to keep us down.
Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (NIV)
Psalm 119:176 says, “I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.” (NIV)
Illustration; Luke 15 (Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son)
Lost Sheep: shepherd left the 99 to look for 1 sheep; rejoice for shepherd found the sheep
Lost Coin: 10 coins and loses 1; looks everywhere in house; rejoice when found
Lost Son: 1 son stays home, the other leaves; father fears he is lost; son returns and rejoice
Point of this: Rejoicing in heaven when 1 sinner repents and turns to God
We can have this same feeling today if we look for Jesus, because he is looking for you!
E. Sinner
Definition: transgressor; serious offense; wrongdoer; transgress against the law by committing immoral acts
Sin is sin no matter who you slice it
It is no respecter of people
Does not matter your age
Does not matter if the sin is small or large
Satan wants us to sin
He does not care who we hurt
He will remind of us of our sins daily
He wants then to stay in our hearts, mind and spirit
If we give Satan an inch, He will take a mile
If you break the law then you have sinned.
Speeding is a sin in the eyes of the law - small
Murder is sin in the eyes of the law – large
Eyes of God both are a sin and we need to repent and ask for God to forgive us
Psalm 51:10-13 says, “10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” (NIV)
Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (NIV)
Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (NASB)
Point 2: Positive Perspective
Do you see us in a positive way?
How can we say positive things about ourselves?
Do your family, co-workers, and friends talk positive about you?
We all need to realize that people love you
We each have to be aware that not everyone is out to get us
We are loved beyond a shadow of a doubt
We have no reason to despair
There is someone who loves us unconditionally
He thinks of you in a such a way that it takes away all the words that are negative
How can you describe yourself from the positive perspective knowing that God loves you?
Hello, My Name Is……..
A. Cheerful
Definition: in good spirits; hearty or ungrudging; reflecting willingness or good humor; pleasantly bright or gladdening
It is great to feel cheerful. We have a lot to cheer about.
We can be cheerful that each of us has a great family
We can be cheerful that we have a great church
Think about some of the reasons you can be full of great cheer?
Is it great to feel that way?
Don’t we want to feel that way all the time?
I know the angels rejoice when one person comes to know Christ.
We can be full of great cheer because if we are Christians we get to go to heaven!!!!
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.” (NIV)
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (NIV)
B. Grateful
Definition: thankful; expression of gratitude; favorable or pleasant
Why should we feel grateful? Do we have any reason to be grateful?
Think about how one of the ways to define grateful is thankful.
What are we thankful for today?
Are we not grateful for the family and friends we have?
I love my family and friends to death. I would do anything for them
What do we have to be grateful for today? Does anything jump out at you?
Why should we be grateful?
We all should be grateful for a savior….Jesus Christ!
Psalm 147:7 says, “Sing to the LORD with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.” (NIV)
Jonah 2:9 says, “But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the LORD.” (NIV)
Illustration: Henry Blackaby, Experiencing God page 135
The crisis of belief
An encounter with God requires faith.
Encounters with God are God-sized.
What you do in response to God's revelation (invitation to the task) reveals what you believe about God.
True faith requires action
C. Joyful
Definition: happy, jolly, glad; indicate a great joy; elated; high spirited delight
Why are we filled with joy? Do we sing or shout when we feel joyful?
Do we tell others why we have great joy? Are we sharing our joy?
I love this feeling. There is so much joy around us that sometimes we forget.
Kids feel joy due to summer vacation!
There is joy with the birth of a new baby!
There is joy in church when some one comes to Christ!
What makes you feel joyful?
Psalm 68:3 says, “But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.”
Romans 12:12-13 says, “12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” (NIV)
D. Believer
Definition: religious faith; confidence; trust; having opinion; accepts something as truth
What do we believe?
Do we believe everything we hear on the news?
Do we fully believe politicians?
Do we believe everything our friends tell us?
Where does your faith, confidence, trust, come from?
Do we let others know about what we believe in?
If you call yourself a Christian we have much to believe in….
God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit
Do we share our faith
Do we have a firm faith our spiritual growth?
Why do you call yourself a believer?
I believe that Jesus came to earth, died on the cross and rose again on the 3rd to save a poor sinner like me. I want to share this everyone! I want to shout it from the rooftops!
Do you have that kind of faith?
Acts 2:46-47 says, “46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (NIV)
1 Timothy 4:11-12 says, “11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” (NIV)
Illustration: Conversation between student and professor
Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?
Student : Yes.
Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?
(Student was silent.)
Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?
Student : Yes.
Professor: Is satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor: Where does satan come from ?
Student : From … GOD …
Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student : Yes.
Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor: So who created evil ?
(Student did not answer.)
Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor: So, who created them ?
(Student had no answer.)
Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.
Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.
Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Professor: Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as cold?
Professor: Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn’t.
(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.
(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)
Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.
Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)
Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?
(The class was in uproar.)
Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class broke out into laughter. )
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.
Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.
By the way, that student was EINSTEIN.
E. Child of God
Definition: God created all living things; we are his children; faith in Christ; recipient of God’s love
You are a part of God’s family
How do you become a part of God’s Family?
Accept you are a sinner
Believe that Jesus came to earth, died on a cross for our sins, and rose again on the 3rd day
Confess that Jesus is lord of your life.
Galatians 3:26-27 says, “26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (NIV)
Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (NIV)
1 John 5:1-4 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” (NIV)
Illustration: Max Lucado, The Applause of Heaven
