Growing in Christ: Your identity matters.
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Big Idea:
Big Idea:
Growing in Christ requires knowing my identity in Christ.
Intro:
Intro:
Hey Everyone -
Today’s subject might just be THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN KNOW - apart from the gospel - as a Christian. It is ESSENTIAL for growing in Christ. It’s the key that unlocks the prison door. It’s the deciding factor between victory or defeat. Today, in our Growing in Christ series, we’re going to talk about identity.
Our world has a lot to say about identity.
The devil has a lot to say about identity.
God’s word has a lot to say about identity.
Those 3 voices alone should clue us in on how important this subject is.
In the book of Ephesians, one of the main ideas Paul writes about is our NEW IDENTITY in Christ. For example, in chapter 2 he says...
But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
And he goes onto say...
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
We were once sinners with no hope. But now, because of Jesus, we belong to God’s family. We have a new identity.
This changes everything. Because of this new identity, we should live in new ways, which is why Paul later writes in chapter 4...
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,
Christians should be growing in Christ! But there’s a problem…
...too often we don’t understand this new identity. And because of that, we don’t live in new ways. We may have truly cried out to God in repentance, “I turn from my old ways! Jesus make me new!” And He does!
...But - for us - it doesn’t feels like anything changed...
We’re still depressed.
We still feel defeated.
We still feel stuck in darkness.
Can anyone relate?
We begin to wonder, “Does this Jesus-thing really work?”
What’s going on?!?
Some of you know that I’ve been intermittent fasting since Thanksgiving. Praise God… it’s been working pretty well. I’ve lost over 20lbs since then.
But, you know what’s crazy? When I look in the mirror, it feels like nothing changed. Don’t get me wrong… I know I’ve lost weight. I weigh myself often on the scale. I can see the difference in pictures. But when my brain see’s my reflection, it doesn’t process the change.
And I get discouraged.
I get depressed.
I feel like giving up.
What the heck is wrong with me?
Can I be honest with you? I think it’s a mental health problem. My thinking is broken...
You know… how we think greatly impacts how we live. This is by God’s design...
Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
The word “heart” is not just our physical heart or the center of our emotions, but it also includes our mind! In a way, Proverbs is telling us, “Guard your THINKING, because it AFFECTS how you LIVE!”
The apostle Paul wrote...
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
According to Paul, our mind (how we think) is key to living a transformed life… living in new ways consistent with our new identity in Christ! As Proverbs 23 says, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so he is.”
So, how are we supposed to grow in Christ when our thinking is broken? I believe one answer lies in understanding how God created us...
I’ve talked about this before, and I can’t go too indepth with it today, but God has designed our brain to work a certain way. Science calls this process Neuroplasticity or “brain shaping.”
Basically, it means the more we think about something, the more those thoughts shape our brain. When we have a thought, a groove / neuro-pathway is developed. And when we keep thinking that thought, the deeper that groove gets. And the more the brain is shaped by it. It becomes easier to think those same thoughts. Our brain begins to automatically travel down those paths. As you can imagine, negative thoughts have the potential to be very destructive...
I’ve struggled for a long time with being overweight.
I’ve heard people say hurtful things to me about my weight - things I have believed for a long time (because they were consistent with what I saw in the mirror).
And I’ve struggled losing weight for decades. Making progress, then gaining it all back. Each time thinking, “Maybe I will always be overweight?”
Can I just pause for a second? Please hear me when I say I’m using a personal struggle to illustrate a biblical truth. But what I’m not saying is, “Your weight or physical appearance gives you value in God’s eyes or His Kingdom.” You are loved by God regardless of your physical appearance or weight. You have extreme value and purpose because of who God says you are and because you are made in the “image of God.” Amen?
Anyways, because I’ve thought a certain way about myself for a LONG TIME, it’s shaped my brain. It’s conditioned me to think a certain way. Which is why, I believe, I still see fat-George in the mirror even though I’m the lightest I’ve been in 2 decades. My brain is programmed to think negatively about my body.
Let’s apply this to our identity. I’m about to declare some Scriptural truths that I believe. I understand (because of the diversity of our crowd) that you may not agree with these. And if that’s the case, I’d love to talk with you about them some other time. But for the sake of keeping the sermon flowing, I’m just going to declare them and build upon them as God’s truth.
I believe God is real and He loves us.
I believe God’s plan of salvation, which was His Son Jesus going to the cross, worked.
I believe those who put their faith in Jesus will not perish, but be forgiven and have eternal life.
I believe all Christians receive a new identity! They were sinners and are now saints.
And I believe in what theologians call eternal security. I believe Jesus when He says...
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
That being said… why is it so many Christians of us remain stuck, discouraged, and defeated?
Some may think it’s because God’s not real, so nothing really happened...
Some think it’s because their not really saved. Maybe they missed a step...
Some believe they lost their salvation… I had it, messed up, God got mad, and lost it.
What I believe... is their thinking is broken! They simply do not understand their new identity and therefore are unable to live in new ways. Because they do not understand their identity, they cannot grow in Christ.
For some, this is connected to how God designed the brain to work. For a long time, our brain has been shaped by sin. And thinking differently is a struggle.
Other times… there’s something dark (or someone) at work. else at work. A liar. Capitalizing on our broken thinking. The TRUTH is, because of Jesus: The prison door has been opened. The chains have fallen off. We are free. But are broken thinking struggles to believe it. And Satan knows this. So, he also whispers, “The door is shut. You are trapped. It didn’t work. Nothing changed. Nothing will ever change.”
But let me begin to build a case for why we need to believe we have a new identity, based upon God’s word, regardless of circumstances or how we feel...
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
God’s word teaches us… regardless of our broken thinking… regardless of how we temporarily feel... regardless of the lies we hear...
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
If you’ve turned from your sin and put your faith in Jesus, You have a new identity! It did work and...
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Do you need to hear that today? That is gospel truth. It’s truth you can build your life upon, regardless of your present circumstances. Regardless of how you feel...
for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
In other words, keep believing God, even when your thinking is broken! That being said, I want to touch on two subjects that will help us think biblically about our identity in Christ...
First off, I want to give clarity to something that has created a lot of confusion and damage to the church… even though it contains a lot of biblical truth.
How many of you have heard or said, “I’m just a sinner saved by grace.” To be clear, this is SO TRUE!!!
Alright, how many have heard or used this Scripture?
The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
Also, COMPLETELY TRUE!
So, what’s the problem? The problem lies in both when and why we use these truths. Because when they are used incorrectly, they actually hurt our spiritual growth, especially considering the way God designed our brain and Satan’s strategies to destroy us. Let me explain…
Again, we are sinful. Even as Christians. The apostle John writes… to Christians...
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
We are sinners. That’s truth. Or, as the young kids say: Facts. But here’s what’s extremely important to realize as Christians: In Christ, we are only sinners by description now, not identity!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Our identity is a new creation in Christ. For the time being, we still sin… and being a “sinner” only describes our actions, NOT WHO WE ARE!
And regarding the wicked heart the prophet Jeremiah talks about… totally true... BEFORE coming to Christ. But listen to what the prophet Ezekiel says… [The time is coming when…] [remove the wicked heart Jeremiah talks about…]
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Ezekiel was prophetically point to what would happen when Jesus saves us. We get a new heart! We get a new identity. The old has passed away.
Christians… don’t miss this!
Because let me remind you… most of us have been sinners for a long time. Our brain has been shaped by sin. And our thinking reflects this!
Our brain thinks… I’ve always sinned. I want to sin. I like to sin. I can’t stop sinning. That’s just what I do.
And when we were slaves to sin, that was true. We had no choice. But Jesus changed everything! Because of Jesus… “Sin is no longer your master!” (Rom 6:14)
You can now CHOOSE to think new thoughts that leads to transformed living. But you also need to practice (by faith) thinking - believing - God’s Word, so your brain is reshaped by His truth!
The apostle Paul actually teaches this! You’ve heard this verse before…
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
The Philippians were dealing with anxiety. They were “worrying about a future that didn’t exist” instead of trusting God. Probably because (like us) that’s what they always did before Christ. But Paul tells them to, “Stop it. Trust God instead!”
But look at what he says next…
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
I believe Paul wrote this because, by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, he knew what science only recently discovered… he knew God designed the brain to work… he understood neuroplasticity.
He knew that even though we are saved by grace, our physical brain would still struggle with sinful thoughts because all our lives… that’s what we’ve thought about the most. And the more we think about something, the easier it is to think about! That’s the way God designed it!
But he also knew God designed the brain to be reshaped through the same process. So, he says, “Stop thinking in sinful ways. Instead… keep thinking about God’s truth instead. Reprogram your brain. Transform your brain by truth. When you do that, you’ll grow in Christ and live out your Christ-centered identity!
That’s the first subject: If you have put your faith in Christ, He has made you new. You are no longer a sinner by identity. So, stop thinking that way. You are a saint who is free to live for the glory of God.
But here’s the second subject: Know your enemy. The devil is real. The devil is active in our world.
That sounds spooky… because it is.
Maybe that sounds weird - sorry, but it’s real.
We must take spiritual warfare seriously. Our growth in Christ depends on it. And the devil loves to attack our mind.
As I said earlier… the devil is a liar. Jesus said, “…[the devil] does not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)
The Bible also says he is the temporary ruler of this world. That means he has both power and influence over the people and cultures of this world… with one large exception: The Church.
Christians… hear this! Just as sin no longer has rulership over you, neither does the devil. On the cross, Jesus defeated sin and completely disarmed Satan and his army of darkness.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
So, why does the devil seem so powerful?
Because he is a good liar and has deceived us. That’s the only “weapon” he has left against the church. And unfortunately, it works. Because all too often, we believe his lies.
Satan is a skilled liar. He’s been lying to humans since the Garden of Eden. He knows how to trick us.
Additionally, our sinful nature, with it’s broken thinking, is often trained to listen to his lies because it’s what we always did. Even more, his lies daily surround us in our culture.
So, what do we do?
Response:
Response:
Let me end our time together this way… If you want to grow in Christ...
Believe God. If you have turned from your sin and put your faith in Jesus, then YOU ARE A NEW CREATION. You are free and can live differently - you can grow in Christ! You are who God says you are!
Know God’s word. I know I say this all the time. I don’t repeat myself because I’ve run out of things to say. I’m repeating because it’s important.
You’ve likely heard the illustration regarding how to properly study counterfeit money. You don’t study the fakes, you study the real thing. The truth helps you spot the lies.
In the same way, God’s word will help you spot the devil’s lies. Because you know what God says, you’ll be able to respond, “That’s a lie!”
Additionally, spending time in God’s word puts the truth on repeat! And it’ll reshape (it’ll renew) your mind! And pretty soon, you’ll be a pro at identifying lies and replacing them with truth. You will be transformed by the renewing of your mind!
Receive the King’s gifts. God wants you to grow. And he’s given you gifts to help you. For us specifically, we live in the age of technology. Sometimes that’s distracting, but other times it can be extremely helpful!
Our generation has the YouVersion Bible App.
Our generation has RightNow Media.
We have audiobooks. Btw, if you need two suggestions for books you can listen to that’ll help you think biblically:
Winning the War in Your Mind by Craig Groeschel.
Victory over the Darkness by Neil Anderson.
God has also given us the gift of the church. Sometimes the best way to change your thinking is to live in community. Do you need to join a Life Group? Maybe start at a Men’s or Women’s breakfast, which is a great first step to joining biblical community at The River Church!
Finally, I want to go back to “Believing God...”
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Notice how it says, “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”
Broken thinking is best healed by trusting God’s grace.
The best thing you can do is believe the God who promises to finish the good work He has started. And if He has started a good work in you, He will finish it. Don’t let the devil tell you anything different.
But, maybe God hasn’t started a good work in you yet? But you want Him to. Today, you no longer want to be a slave to sin or Satan. If that’s you, here’s the truth: Jesus is ready and willing to save you.
All you need to do is say, “God, I’m sorry for my sin. I’m ready to turn from my old ways and follow You. I believe You died on the Cross my sins and rose again unto new life. Please make me new!”
If you come to Jesus today, He will make you new. Because He promises...
However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
[Today, we’re going to close by taking communion together. We’re going to honor what Jesus did on the cross. We’re going to remember how He saved us and made us new through His sacrifice. And as we do this, as you take the elements, let it also remind you of God’s promise to save you. Not just from our sin, but even in our broken thinking. His broken body and shed blood heals our wounds, even mental ones.
(Elements)
Prayer: Jesus, today… we sit at your feet and remember. We thank you for the cross, set our hearts upon you, and believe what You say. Amen]
Btw, if you decided to come to Jesus today, come talk to me after service. I want to celebrate with you. But I also want to make sure we help you grow in Christ...
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