John LLoyd - Our Identity in Christ part 2
/Our Identity in Christ part 2
Building on Brokenness
Our Identity in Christ Part Two
July 23, 2017
Pastor John Lloyd
Continuing our study in Nehemiah, we follow a group of people deeply touched by God. They lost their land, place of worship and, in many cases, separated from their families. Returning to their homeland, they made deep commitments to God and each other to maintain their identity as His people. By drawing near to God, we also can have a new identity through Jesus Christ. It’s knowing, believing and living in sync with this identity that we truly grow to be more like our heavenly father.
John 15:9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. Col.3:1-3
Big Idea: It’s not about what we’ve done, but to whom we belong. Our Who, changes our what.
I. A new identity means God can bring metamorphosis.
John 3:4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
We have been born from above.
We are a new creation. 2 Corinthians 5:17
We died to our old selves and have risen as new people. Rom. 6:4
We were lost but now we are found. Luke 19:10
We were in the dark but now we are in the light (Colossians 1:12-13)
We were prisoners but now we are free
Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 2 Peter 3:9, Genesis 18:14
Colossians 2:6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
God can make anyone who comes to Him new! Our Who, changes our what. Is Jesus your who?
II. A new identity changes my relationship to God and to others.
I John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears] we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. John 1:12
a. We were spiritual orphans but now we’re God’s children.
Galatians 4:5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:16, Ephesians 1:5)
b. We were enemies of God, now we’re reconciled and friends.
Romans 5:10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; (Colossians 1:20-22)
Benevolence-desiring the good of the other person
Beneficence acting for the good of the other person
Concord- willing the good the other person wills
John 15:15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
c. We are married to Christ. We are His bride!
Revelation 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:9 saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
Revelation 22:17The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
d. We have been offered a new covenant with God that binds us eternally to God.
Mark 14:24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Hebrews 8:6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
Hebrews 8:10 I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Hebrews 10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand
Ephesians 2:17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 3:11-12, Romans 5:1-2
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Now we have unlimited access to God.
Ephesians 4:1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Our who changes our what.
Our identity in Christ changes our behavior.