Text: Ephesians 1-4 | Listen to Message If I am who God says I am, then other people are who God says they are. But we don’t tend to see people as God sees them, do we? Our relationships are often characterized by seeing the worst in others – even exaggerating or inventing new faults to be upset or feel self-righteous about. We want to believe that our identity is found in Christ, but other people? Nah, they’re measured by a different standard. They’re defined by their successes and failures. And when they’re failing bad, we can’t wait to let them...
Text: Romans 7:15-25 | Listen to Message An “Identity Crisis” is when someone feels confused about his or her sense of self, or – to put it another way – is unsure of where his or her validation and meaning is going to come from. This crisis typically occurs when someone is undergoing a major (and often negative) life transition – like being fired from a job, getting divorced, losing a loved one, or retiring. Spiritually, we experience a crisis of identity when we’re conflicted about where to look for our sense of self or significance. God tells us in the...
Text: Colossians 3:1-17 | Listen to Message If you ever feel like we overcomplicate the Christian life, you’re not alone. There are hundreds of “rules” in the Bible – both “dos and don’ts.” So how can we possibly keep them all straight and apply them correctly to every situation? How can we remember all the things God says about our identity in Christ and walk in light of these truths 100% of the time? We can’t. Maybe this is why even Scripture itself provides summary statements of the Christian life, like, “Love God with all your heart . . . and...
Text: Ephesians 1-2 | Listen to Message If you’re working off a Traditional Identity script, you tend to look outward for validation. If you’re working off a Modern Identity script, you tend to look inward. The Gospel calls you to look upward. The only thing that really matters is not the voice of society or the voice of self, but what God says is true about you. If you put your faith in Jesus Christ, you’re not just “saved” to go to heaven one day. You receive the gift of a new and enduring identity now. 1. You are defined by...
Text: Philippians 3:4-9 | Listen to Message No matter who you are, everyone’s working off an identity “script” – a story that tells you have worth, you’re a somebody, you’re okay. The Traditional Script goes something like this: You’ll receive validation if you do your duty, play by society’s rules, and wait for honor to come to you in due time. The Modern Script sounds more like this: You’ll receive validation if you play by your own rules, forge your own path, and live for the free expression of your own individual uniqueness. As different as these two identities are, they...
Text: Luke 15:11-32 | Listen to Message What do you find your identity in? Which component of your identity gives you the biggest dose of self-worth (if you succeed) or self-loathing (if you fail)? What do you need to achieve in order to feel a sense of validation? Traditional Identity In a Traditional Identity culture, the authorities set the rules and it’s your responsibility to live up to them. You’re driven by a sense of duty, and the highest ideal is honor. If you sacrifice, work hard, and play by the rules, you’ll achieve the highest honor possible for you. If...
Text: Mark 8:34-37 | Listen to Message How well do you think you know yourself? Let’s do a little diagnostic test. What are some of the strongest sources of self-worth in your life? What makes you feel like you’re significant, you’re important, you’re doing okay? What gives you a sense of security or validation? What is it that tells you you’re unique, you’re special? To ask it another way, what would anger and frustrate you most if someone were to threaten it or take it away from you? If you’re like most people, you derive your sense of identity from some...
Text: 1 Peter 5:6-14 | Listen to Message Peter concludes his first letter by showing us how to live in light of the grace and peace of Christ that is already ours. He’s saying, “Because you are born again to a living hope through the death and resurrection of Jesus . . . ” “Because you are called, chosen, and cleansed by Christ . . . ” “Because the end of all things is at hand and you are about to share in the glory and reward of Christ forever . . . ” “Because the One who establishes your faith...
Text: 1 Peter 5:1-6 | Listen to Message Most of us don’t spend a whole lot of time around sheep and shepherds these days, so we may not readily grasp what Peter meant when he instructed elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Peter 5:2). Shepherding was not a glamorous job. It involved long hours out in the elements defending sheep from predators (and from their own stupidity), leading them to find nourishment, rescuing them when they wandered off, and caring for their wellbeing. Shepherding was hard work with almost no breaks. And shepherds were some...
Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19 | Listen to Message The Apostle Peter’s instructions on how to suffer well sound a little like a checklist: Don’t be surprised by suffering. Check. Rejoice in the opportunity to share in Christ’s sufferings. Check. Make sure you’re not suffering for wrongdoing. Check. Don’t be ashamed when you suffer as a Christian. Check. Glorify God in how you identify with Christ. Check. So that’s it? Don’t be caught off guard, don’t sin, and don’t be ashamed? Be happy and praise God somehow? And then what? The trial will go away? I’ll feel better? I’ll be better?...