Who Am I?

Title: Who Am I?

Scripture: Genesis 1:26-31; Psalm 8; Matthew 3:13-17

Theme: “In Christ, our identity is not something we achieve — it is something we receive.”

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who speaks to us and leads us.

This morning, I would like for us to ask ourselves a rather simple question.

WHO ARE WE or perhaps more individually – Who Am I?

It’s an important question.

Why?

At every stage of life – childhood, young adult, mid-life, retirement – well more than half of all people report that they are struggling deeply with their self-identity; with who they are.

This number is even higher with people who are dealing with things like health issues, domestic issues, divorce, job loss, moving to a new home, dealing with end-of-life issues and having to live in what is called the new normal.

For example:

Who am I now that I am at college or getting ready to graduate?

Who am I at work; am I an asset, an actual person or merely just there to make money for the company?

Who am I now that I find myself alone and must start a new normal without the person I loved or without the person I thought loved me?

Who am I now that I am no longer active in the workforce?

Who am I now that I am dealing with this long-term health issue?

Who are we this morning?

If you listen to some people, even good people, inside the church people, you hear things like:

+Well, you are a sinner saved by grace but somehow always focusing on that word sinner with the idea that you can never get away from that part of your identity – a sinner.

+You are in some way broken and sometime this week you probably have proven that you are broken.

Well, I am here this morning to share with you some Good News.

The Good News that in Christ Jesus our Savior and LORD:

a. You are not merely a sinner saved by grace.

b. You are not just a broken human being that will always remain broken.

c. You are not condemned to live your life in muddy waters, never feeling good about yourself or never having a clear path to complete your life walk.

Let’s take a few moments and remind ourselves exactly who we are this morning:

I. Genesis 1:26-31

Genesis 1:26-31, God’s word reminds us that we have been amazing fashioned and given life by the God of All Creation.

You and I and the billions that have lived before us, that live with us currently all over the globe and will live in years to come are distinct from all of the rest of creation.

We are fashioned by the LORD GOD HIMSELF.

We are not an accident. We are not here by mistake.

Each one of us is a deliberate act of God’s love – a gift to all of God’s creation and for all of eternity.

We are more than just a physical body.

We are body, spirit and soul.

We have been created in the very image of God, and part of that image is our reason, our personality, our intellect and our ability to relate, to hear, to see and to speak.

Each one of us born can live victoriously in this life on God’s Good Earth and live gloriously forever on God’s New Earth and New Heaven one day.

Let’s go on to Psalm 8 and see what God shares with us there:

II. Psalm 8

The Psalmist after praising God for all of creation ask himself and God the identity question

“What is man, what are humans that You spend time with them or take care of them?”

In other words, God why do you put up with us humans?

What value do we possess?

The Psalmist goes on to tell us:

+We are made just a little lower than the angels.

+We have been crowned with God’s glory and honor.

+We were made to be stewards over all of creation.

Wow!

I don’t know about you but to be made just a little under the likes of the angels like Gabriel and Michael?

I mean I don’t know about you, but I think that is pretty good.

And then to know that not only does God make us the God of the Universe, the God of all of Creation wants to take care of us, visit us and have communion with us.

And what a gift God has given us – this world of ours in all its wonder. On top of that we have been given power and authority over it. No other being is to rule over it – that is our joy as God’s image bearers here on His Good Earth.