August 20, 2016
Gospel Identity – Week 3 – We are Family
Gospel Identity – Week 3 – We are Family
We are the Family of God, and we are called to love others as family.
In Review:
What is the Gospel?
Jesus Did it all, is doing it all and will not stop until it is complete.
Last week we talked about our identity Crisis.
We discovered that often we define ourselves by what we do but we said the Gospel changes all of that.
Your identity is not defined by what you do. Your identity is defined by who God says you are. We do who we are!
We are defined not by what we do but instead by who God has made us to be.
The Gospel reminds us we are not accepted, loved, or even saved by what we do or have even done. Instead the Gospel reminds us that It is because of who God is and what he has done that defined who we are.
Video Clip from Olympics Steele Johnson and David Boudia
David Boudia: “Yeah, I just think the past week, there’s just been an enormous amount of pressure, and I’ve felt it. You know, it’s just an identity crisis. When my mind is on this, thinking I’m defined by this, then my mind goes crazy, but we both know our identity is in Christ.
Steele Johnson: “I think the way David just described it was flawless. The fact that I was going into this event knowing that my identity is rooted in Christ and not what the result of this competition is just gave me peace. It gave me ease, and it let me enjoy the contest. If something went great, I was happy. If something didn’t go great, I could still find joy… God’s given us a cool opportunity
The 4 questions
Who is God?
What did He do?
Who are we?
What do we do?
Our new-creation identity is expressed in our baptism. God changes us. This is very important, because God wants us to know that we are new creations with new identities in him before he calls us to live new lives. This is why Jesus commands that we baptize disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Our baptism is a physical display of our old life of sin and death being buried with Jesus Christ in his death. It is also a sign of our new life of faith, hope, and love, as we have been raised with Christ into new life. We have a new life, a new identity, and a new name. Just as Abram was given a new name that represented what God had done and would do through him, our new name represents what God has done and will do through us.
One other statement we made last week that is important for us to hold on to this week is this.
Whatever God does to you, he also plans to do through you.
Today I want us to look at who we are as a church. I want us to look at our identity as His disciples. In Matthew 28:16-20 we see Jesus commission His disciples. He tells them that their job from now on this earth is to be His image bearers. To go and make Disciples. Do you see that? “What He does to you HE also wants to do through you!” He has made you His disciple so now He wants you to go and make disciples of Him.
So how do we do that? We do that by understanding our Gospel Identity.
Matthew 28:16-17
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
All of our action comes from what we worship
Discipleship is leading people to increasingly submit all of their life to the lordship and empowering presence of Jesus
v 16 – “Some doubted’
Matthew 28:18-19
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,
So how did Jesus make disciples?
Matthew 4:19 “And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.””
Follow Me = Worship (Obeidience)
I will make you = Baptism (Sanctification)
fishers of men = Teach others to obey (Reproduction)
What is a disciple? One who Worships Jesus, Being Changed by Jesus, Obeys Jesus, and teaches others to do the same.
Process of Discipleship is leading people to increasingly submit all of their life to the lordship and empowering presence of Jesus
Upward – Worship
Inward – Being changed by Jesus
Outward – Teaching others
God (upward)
^
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<— —> Others (outward)
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\ /
Self (inward)
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Baptismal Identity
New Name – New Identity
The first part of our identity we are going to look at is our baptism in the name of the Father.
So lets ask the simple questions
WHO IS GOD? – He is Father!
We were children of wrath
Ephesians 2:1-3
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
What He has Done? —sent His son to die for us, the children of wrath
Romans 5:10
For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Who are we? — Children of God, family as we are brought into the salvation of Jesus. Dearly loved by God when you were his enemy.
John 1:12-13
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born,not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Ephesians 2:19
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household
Galatians 4:4-7
4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.
Romans 8:14-15
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
He is Father, that makes us Family so we Love Others like they are family
Upward – Worship as Father
Inward – Make us to be Family
Outward – We love others
Cognative is not enough we need practical out growth of action.
What we Do? — If you are his beloved, you will Love Others as Family (just as he loved you)
If we believe that we are dearly loved children and we are to love others like family… What would that look like?
Matthew 12:46-50
46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Romans 12:9-16
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another.
What would it look like if the church said we are the family of God, in a world of lost children who don’t know the fathers love?…. How would we live? What would we do?
We would care for one another. What would that look like? John 13:35 They will know we are Christians by our love.
What would that look like? Put feet to it….
Forgive – Why because we are forgiven – 1 John 1:9
Put others first – Why Because he put us first – Philippians 2
give to each other – Why because he gave – 2 Corinthians 8:9 – For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
share with each other – Why becuase he has made us Co-hiers with Christ – Romans 8:17 – 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.
Adopt them in – Why because we are adopted – Ephesians 1:5 – He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
We invite people into our homes – Why because invited us in. – John 14:3 – And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
We share a meal with them – Why because Jesus share His table with us. – Communion – Luke 22 –
We love them when they are against us. – Why because Jesus loved us why we were enemies of his. Romans 5:10; Colossians 1:21
What ever God Has done to you He wants to do through you! Whatever he has done for you he wants to do for others through you!
We are His image bearers on this earth. The church is the Body of Christ!
He will never ask you to do something that he has not already done in you. And he wll not ask you to do something that he will not empower you and do through you. It is His Work so that HE is worshiped not us.
- What would this look like in the church? No “to do lists…”
- What do we do? We love like we have been loved.
- How did He love us? He Gave us His Son.
- What has God given you? Give it away. Give people what they need.
- What do people need? We fill that need
Questions to reflect on:
We ask the question if that person was my Mom,Dad,Brother,Sister,Son,Daughter What would I do for them? Why, because that is what Christ did and does for us!! He loved us like His own son.
For more from this series you can CLICK HERE.
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