Week 1: Who are you?

Announcements:

-Junior High Retreat

-Registration is currently open still. If you bring a friend, yours and the new friends cost will be FREE!!!

-Senior High Retreat

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and asked the question, “Who am i?”

(Give funny story of growing old.)

Ephesians 1:1–18 (NIV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,

Paul uses words that for this time period were foreign. You have to remember in this culture, especially in Ephesus that had tons of idol gods.

His words to describe our relationship with God.

Verse 1: Saints

Verse 4: He chose us

Verse 5: Adoption to himself as Sons

Verse 13: Sealed with the promised Holy Spirit

Verse 14: Guarantee of our inheritance

Paul in verse 18 uses this word Photizo which means to enlighten. In our modern language it means photograph.

Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,”

Here Paul is giving us a glimpse of how we should see ourselves in the inner mirror of our heart. That our eyes would be enlightened to see our God identity.

Eyes are a funny thing, our eyes give us the ability to see. And often times directly affects what we behold.

Artist’s will often tell you, they see the world different. (Describe Ej’s painting.) (Play the video I had him record.)

A painting as beautiful as it is, is nothing in comparison to beholding Gods beauty. (share story of quite time in the mountains.)

One and only point: Our God-given identity is found when we behold God.

So how do we behold God?

They say to truly appreciate art you have to do three things.

1.) Spend time with it.

2.) Observe the basics. Size, shape, medium used, other facts.

3.) We take notice on how it causes our eye to move.

These three basic skills are actually extremely helpful in how we behold God.

1.) We spend time with Him. (Prayer and worship) (Story of driving home crying uncontrollable at shepherd.)

2.) Observe the basic things about Him. (Read His word.) (1 verse a day challenge for the next 30 days.)

3.) Pay attention to how He causes your heart eye to move in different directions. (Heart for others.) (Story of praying over a kid at camp.)

Close:

My prayer in hope is that this new year, you would find yourself in Jesus. He would be the one we behold.

Hey tonight, we are starting something brand new, normally after the message we go into small groups, well thats kinda of boring sounding, so tonight this time will be known as “Family Crews”. And each Family crew will come up with it’s own name. We will use that name in team comps and other things.

Pray as we go into Family Crews