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Suffering From An Identity Crisis
Contributed by Michael Goodwin on Nov 19, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Understanding just who we are in Christ.
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Suffering From a Identity Crisis
(Ephesians 2: 4 – 10)
Eph 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
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Introduction:
Many believers today are suffering from an identity crisis. Many believers don’t know who they are. It seems like many have a split personality. We here people say, “ I need to find myself.” For the believer we can find who we are by looking into the Word of God.
Ephesians 2:4-10 lets us know that we have been placed in Christ because of the love of our heavenly father. Verse 5 tells us that once we were dead and now we have been made alive. Verse 6 tells us that we have been raised up so we can sit together with Christ.
It’s easy to see whom we are when we look into the Word of God. We are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. We as believers can know who we are. And it is all-possible because of God’s grace.
It’s time the church realizes who we are. Let’s look and see part of who we are as believers.
1.We Are His Children: 1 John 3:1
3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
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A)We have royal blood. 1 Peter 1: 18-19
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
B)We have rights and privileges. Galatians 4:7
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
C)We have exhaled position. Ephesians 2:6
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
D)So you see we are His children. Remember it! Understand it! Live it! Take it seriously!
2.We Are His Ambassadors: 2 Corinthians 5 : 20
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
A)An ambassador is some one who lives in one country but represents another. That would be you and I!
B)We represent Christ:
C)A good ambassador doesn’t talk about himself.
D)A good ambassador has an effect on those who he is dealing with.
E)Acts 1:8 are the last words spoken by Christ on this earth.
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
F)Look at the opportunity we all have. We get to represent the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
3.) We Are His Priest: 1 Peter 2: 5; Revelation 1: 6
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
A) The Process: Exodus 29
1)God chooses us.
2)God washes us. Rev. 1:5-6
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
3)God clothes us. Rev 19:8
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
B) The Privilege: Numbers 3
1)Caring for God’s dwelling place.
I Cor. 6:19-20
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?