Who's Are You?

Who’s Are You?

Romans Series

CCCAG August 9th, 2020

Scripture- Romans 8:5-17 (James West Reading)

Just a quick show of hands this morning

how many people are exhausted with the year 2020?

If that's you, you're not alone

This year has been one of the hardest years we have had as a society at least in my 50 years of life.

The statistics bear that out-

Mental health statistics are as follows for the months of Jan-July show a 65% increase in depression, serious thoughts of suicide up to and including having a plan to do it, 70% increase in drug and alcohol abuse. Most mental health hospitals are in overflow with waiting lists.

It’s not that uncommon for Emergency rooms to have to board mental health patients for days waiting for an inpatient mental health bed to open up.

What happened? I mean, we are Americans! We are tough, rugged cowboys and cowgirls and don’t need anything….

It’s often been said that pressure can only squeeze out that which is inside of a person. 2020 has exposed what is really at the center of most of the people in this country, and it’s not pretty.

The question now is- who are we really?

Or more importantly, whose are we?

That’s what we will be talking about this morning- whose are we, who is in control, and what spirit we are living by.

Let’s start off with reading the scripture from Romans 8 (James W)

Rom 8:5-17

5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

9 You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation — but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

NIV

Prayer

I. Who’s Are you?

We live in a day where this question can be defined 1000 different ways.

Are you a Republican?

Are you a Democrat?

Are you a Packers fan?

Are you a Vikings fan? If so, we'll pray for you

Are you boycotting the NFL because of the kneeling during the national anthem?

Are you conservative?

Are you liberal?

Are you a libertarian?

Are you a lot of the first a little of the 2nd and a whole lot of the third?

Are you a Christian? What kind? Protestant, Catholic, Red-letter only, Gospel only.

Are you Muslim? Sunni or Shia? Take it seriously but not a fanatic?

Are you agnostic? Atheist?

Do you like Facebook?

Do you like Twitter?

Are you one of those people that use tick tock?

Are you an introvert?

Are you an extrovert?

Are you male?

Are you female?

Are you non-binary fluid non-cis gendered? We need to talk.

With all of these different ways of describing ourselves, it is any wonder why there is so much confusion on how we are to live.

Why does any of this really matter to any of us in church on a Sunday morning.

It’s because our worldview, mindset, and behavior is closely identified with how we see ourselves.

What we need to decide this morning is the answer to this question- not what are you, not which political party, or psychological theory you ascribe to.