Identity - Who am I? I am a Witness!

Gregory Scott Richerson

Identity • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago • Presented 2 years ago

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The Identity of a witness that we take on.

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GREET EVERYONE-

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEXT SUNDAY MORNING PRAYER - 9:00 AM

RENEWAL

of Covenant Membership - June 4th invitations from Elders on the way this next week.

BAPTISM TRAINING

Being Baptized and Training to be baptizers - Sunday June 11th - After worship

NEW SERIES

Forgiven and VALUED - Walk through Philemon! - June 11th

TRUTH

FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD - LET US LISTEN TO THE WORD OF GOD!

Matthew 4:19 ESV

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

John 3:3–7 ESV

3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

John 14:1–6 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Acts 5:32 ESV

32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to the Gospel of JOHN Chapter 3 as we continue exposing what Jesus says about what Identity in Him and Identifying as belonging to Him encompass in our series dealing with the Subject of Identity answering the question - Who am I?

MY PRAYER FOR THIS MESSAGE -

that we would be identify ourselves in the role of what Jesus says His followers would be identified as - His witnesses to the World.

BACKGROUND

The Church - The assembly of the Called out ones were first called Christians in a place called Antioch -

Antioch is a place that was established about 200 years before Jesus came. Established by a Roman Emperor.

After Jesus converted the apostle Paul - PAUL dedicated His life to making disciples from among all people groups as Jesus had instructed him and all of His followers to do

Paul went to Antioch and shared the Gospel - Discipled People unto Salvation - Equipped them to do the same - And a church was born in the midst of some pretty bad spiritual and cultural issues.

And the people who became christian out of that dark ancient roman culture - were labeled “Little Christs” Little Anointed ones.

What this term was used to indicate by the people of Antioch the Group of People who belonged to Jesus.

It was a term of Segregation - A term that separated people who followed Jesus from other people -

They were separated by this Identifying term Christian becasue they put into practice what they had learned from Jesus, completely achieving the mission that was given to them (and to us) by Jesus Himself:

That Mission is to represent Christ and make Him known!”

This is what it is to be a followers of Jesus - This is the central agenda of Life for anyone and everyone who has surrendered to Jesus -

This new life that HE has made us alive to - IS to represent Him as His ambassadors and Make Him known

UNPACKING

AS we begin to Unpack this - We must grab hold of this idea of Representing Christ and Making Him known - What does that look like and what does that do and how is that walked out?

First thing we must know the promise of Jesus! Jesus was clear - He made the Promise - He laid out the IF THEN - quit-pro-quo when He called people to Follow him -

Matthew 4:19 ESV

19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

You see what Jesus said to the people who he calls to Follow him is: “Follow Me and the result of your life will be that you will do something that you currently cannot do and Are not doing - You will fish for men”

Follow Me

Back then when any one called someone to Follow them - That was not a figure of speech -

It was a literal - When you were called to follow someone - You literately followed them and you copied them and you went where they went said what they said and you did what they did.

This is what being a disciple meant - Following in the footsteps of your teacher and learning everything from Him.

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost - Jesus came as the Ultimate fisher of men - The personification of the Gospel

The Gospel it self - And Jesus said to those he calls - If you follow me you will do the same thing.

Jesus seems to make it so simple - But here is what I think has happened - I struggled with this as well.

We think that we matter in the equation of being a fisher of men.

Here is what I mean by that - Many people I know of say “Pastor, I am an introvert -

I cant talk in front of people”

The Idea of talking to someone about eternal things it just doesn't fit my personality”

I have through a lot about that -

And I have though to myself - Something seems to be wrong - It just seems off.

When you read the Gospels and then Acts and you see God being revealed so prolifically by and through His people.

It just doesn't match up -

How many of you have heard of an Ennegram?

Apparently There are 9 types of Engrams -

I had not heard of such a thing until recently.

I mean how many of us have taken some sort of personality tests - or personality assessment.

How many of us remember the 4 animal personality types - Lion, Otter, Beaver and Labrador.

How about a DISC assessment or Predictive Index

Here is one - Myers Briggs Type Indicator -

So with Myers Briggs there is 16 blends of personality types -

Introverted or Extroverted

Sensing or intuition

Thinking or feeling

Judging or perceiving.

And Apparently to the Myers Briggs institute there are in general 16 combinations of these that you Can be identified as

INTJ, INFJ - ENFP - ISTJ - ESTP -

Apparently there is JERK and

And AS i was thinking about what jesus said it made me want to say STOP -

Here is the Deal -

I think many many times and possibly way to many times we use our personality as an excuse to not be wholly obedient to God which allows God to use us for his glory?

You may say - Pastor that is just Who I am!

That is the way God has made me - I was born that way -

Here is where the truth of Salvation and this is where our personality we are born with come into collision with Jesus through the words of Scripture!

John 3:3–7 ESV

You see one of the things that Jesus wants is to surrender to Him and His ways and His will for our lives and most especially in our very own personality!

He wants us to bring glory to Him - To live the Life He has for us - Which is To represent Christ and make Him known in words and in deed -

We cant do that Church if we are clinging to our old nature -

Peter in our bibles is a prime example. When Jesus was here and Peter was spending time daily with Jesus face to face and Jesus hadn't sent the Holy Spirit yet.

Peter? foot constantly in the mouth -

Now I don't know what Myers Briggs letters that would have been used - But it changed -

Peter goes through divine transformation.

Jesus dies in front of Him - Jesus Rose and Appeared to Him - Jesus commanded Him - Jesus ascends - The Holy Spirit comes - Peter preaches - leader and servant

Peter goes from CLUMSY to APOSTLE from the Gospels of Matthew Mark Luke and John - To the Book of Acts. And Peter did the one thing that Jesus said to do.

YA know when Jesus left this earth - He left us all with ONE instruction and it was the only command given to us from the very seat of His authority - From his lordship.

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

These we Jesus last instructions - This was Jesus last will and testament -

these were Jesus last instructions -

Go, becasue I have all authority in your life to tell you to go -

That’s what therefore means - and Make disciples of mine -

“Make” means Produce - Produce from among those who are not in relationship with God through me - “Make” People who Follow ME -

The word “Disciples” - That word can be recapped and defined as “people whose lifestyle is to be so clear and unmistakably different Because they put into practice what they learn from me, so that completely achieve the mission that i am giving to everyone: to represent Me and make me known!”

This was Jesus ONE thing - it was the ONE Thing that He asked us to do -

and the reality is He didn't ask us to take a personality test to figure out if we were a good fit for the Job -

He decided we were a great fit when He saved us and transferred us form the world of darkness into his marvelous light.

He hired us - He vetted us -He called us- He interviewed us - he assessed us - He equips us and He Sends us -

You might be wondering - Pastor How in the world do I do this?

I don’t have the strength or the power or the know how or the focus to do this!

Jesus said -

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

“Holy Spirit comes upon us”

You see Jesus promise is to send the Holy Spirit - The Holy Spirit will come upon us - and He does so at the point of our salvation - He indwells us He gifts us - He gives us the tools we need - He regenerates us - Makes us new

WHY does the Holy Spirit do all of those things? I believe it is so that we can accurately take on the Identity of Christian and we represent Christ and make Him known -

Jesu says that we are to be His witnesses -When we receive the divine power of the Holy Spirit we will be His witnesses -

You see our personality of how we are born has nothing to do with the power of the Holy Spirit of God!

Now He may use us in differing ways - Some will make disciples one on one - Some will stand on the street corner and proclaim the gospel to passer by’s

Some will feed hungry people and clothe naked people and visit those in prison and those who are sick - To proclaim the Gospel.

Some will do it over coffee and dinner tables and some will do it from plat forms and stages -

Everyone will have a different manifestation of the anointing of God -

but loved ones make no mistake about it we are all anointed with the power of God to make disciples through word and deed from amon people who are not in relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ -

Every one of us who have been saved by grace through faith - We are anointed by God with HIs Spirit!

There are many who say to me - Pastor I don’t understand the hyper focus on reaching the lost -

Doesn’t Jesus just figure it out?

You see the reason it is hyper important.

Not only was it Jesus command and joyful and will foul obedience is important but also that there is an exclusivity with Jesus -

I was spending some time with the deep dive Small groups that I am a part of on Thursday morning -

The subject that we were working though from our bibles was the the Final Judgement of and Eternal Punishment from GOD -

Two things came to my mind as I revisited those two subjects that I have been familure with for years -

ONE of those things was my own repentance -

In the Testimony of Jesus in my life - When I share His story in my life.

I used to have a time when I early in my coming to faith that I say “I bought fire insurance”

I think it is possible that many many of us may have that same descriptions of our first and early encounters with the calling of Jesus to himself over our lives -

Loved ones - I have repented of that wording that describes the process of God saving me - The work that Jesus did in my life-

the words “I bought fire insurance” I used to simply mean that at that time in my life all I really wants to do was not go to hell. and that was really meaningless from a total repentance surrender point of view.

We must check our hearts in that statement!

Are we in any way diminishing the initial work of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit to bring us to salvation?

Are we in anyway diminishing or degrading the initial works of God to bring us to an understanding of His wrath that is reserved for us as unrepentant sinners?

When I considered those things and how my words may have lessened the severity of God’s character and nature I repented of those words and the attitude of my heart and the mistakes I have made in speaking those words.

It is so important to understand that in salvation God has saved us from being recipients of His wrath in Hell.

Part of what everyone gets to His glory in being saved is Fire Insurance”

The Other thing that I though of when walking through this subject again with these people in deep dive was “how many church going people who claim Christ - Don’t really believe in Hell - They don't really believe that there is a place a Physical place where Sinners - People who die in their trespasses and sin - Unrepentant people - are thrown into so they cane endure the Eternal Conscious Suffering as described by Jesus?

Suffering caused by the flame that never goes out and the worm that never stops eating?

Suffering that causes never ending weeping and gnashing of teeth?

Suffering that lasts for all eternity?

Suffering that is the very wrath of God poured out on rebellious sinners who rejected His loving gift of reconciliation - Himself in the flesh - The very Son of God - Who suffered for them - Called to them to repent?

They rejected the work

They rejected the Love

They rejected the calling of forgiveness

They Rejected the reconciliation with God all for what they thought was their own temporary and earthly pleasure.

Do we really believe there is such a place as Hell?

Do we really believe that God is a Just God and in His justice unrepentant sinners are headed there for all eternity?

Do we Believe that God is desiring that all men repent and be saved?

Do we believe that that salvation is based on being saved from the very eternal wrath of God?

DO we see our neighbors and friends and people in our community who are far away from God as people who are headed into a christless eternity who will become objects of the very wrath of God for all eternity in Hell?

Do we believe in the URGENCY of the Gospel and the exclusivity of Jesus?

You might be saying: “Pastor wait; I though the Bible says that Jesus said WHO SO EVER?

It does and jesus certainly did proclaim loudly WHOSOEVER -

But Jesus also said NO-ONE!

John 14:1–6 ESV

The call of Christ is an Inclusive calling - He desires Everyone and Anyone - and that calling is to everyone.

and the implied promise of His calling is true all who come to Him - Turning their life over to Him in repentance - Trusting His finished work as the Only means of repairing the broken relationship with God as we have all broken by our sin and rebellion -

Are welcome into His adoption and Regeneration unto new creature - created in Christ -

But Jesus ELIMINATED ALL OTHER OPTIONS -

There is ONE ROAD that leads to God - ONE Road that leads to Heaven -

ONE Road that saves guilty sinners from the very wrath of God -

The reality there is only one road to God

There are not many roads to God -That is a man made myth of the devil.

There is only one road to God- It has two lanes - They are going in opposite directions

One lane travels to God to his grace and loving mercies and to His love were people can enjoy that forever in heaven.

The Other lane leads away from God - Away from Jesus to a place reserved for those who have rejected all of the things of God and where people will be subjects to His wrath for all eternity.

Jesus says:

Anyone and Whosoever and NO ONE get to the father except through me -

but Jesus never said Everyone

Jesus Said -

I am the living bread of Life that came down form heaven - If anyone eats of this living bread will live forever.

I am the Light of the World WHOEVER FOLLOWS me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life -

Truly before Abraham was I AM

I am the door of the sheep if ANYONE enters by me he will be saved - and will find pastures -

I am the good shepherd and i know mine and my sheep know my voice - and Lay down my life for my sheep.

I am the Son of God -

I am the resurrection and the Life - Whoso Ever believes in though He die yet will he live -

I am the way and the truth and the Life - NO ONE gets to the father except through me.

You see - Jesus is Inclusive in His invitation and Exclusive as the Only WAY to salvation -

You see there is an urgency of the Gospel - An urgency of our witness -

this is why Peter Identifies Himself as a witness Acts 5:32

Acts 5:32 ESV

32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

STICKY POINT EMANUELA AND PRAYER TEAM

APPLICATION OR IMAGINE

APPLICATION -

How do we apply this

1- Pray -

2- Prepare -

3- Permit

4- Prioritize

Summary -

When we Identify as “christian”

To be Biblically accurate and true in our Identity AS Jesus would Identify us -

we are to Identify as a believer - A truster of the work of Jesus - A Truster of the autenticity and realirty f Scriture- and so we Believe- understanding that Having faith is Trusting God

We Identify as The Church - The Assembly of the ones called out - Members of His body - So we assemble together - Devoted to Jesus, one another and to prayer -

We identify as Followers of Jesus and so we Follow Jesus into His kind of Love and forgiveness-

We Identify as Servants/Slaves of Jesus - being joyfully obedient to the one who gave all for us and purchased us with His very blood.

Finally this morning - When we claim CHrist - When we Identify as Belongnig to Him - Taking on the Lable that was given to people who belong to Jesus all that time ago - When we take on the Identity of Christian - WE Identify as Witnesses and Ambassitors - Representing Jesus and Making Him known!