His Now Galatians 4:1-7
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Talk about labels and identity.
David Carlson
Mother or Father
Sister or Brother
Wife or Husband
Diabetic
Alcoholic
Psychopath
Pastor
These are all labels to define us and categorize us for easy assimilation into a group. But this isn’t who we are, these are just parts of the great puzzle that is me or you.
So what am I talking about? Well - a
Label is:
A classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.
Identity is:
1. The fact of being who or what a person or thing is.
2. The distinguishing character of personality of an individual.
Think about that, the fact of who or what a person or thing is. Do you remember how God described Himself to Moses? I Am that I Am. He had no framework about how to identify Himself, He had no labels to apply to Himself. He just is.
In talking about our identities this morning we are going to take a look at:
1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything,
2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
That describes an identity - but is it yours? We all have an identity and we all have labels to describe ourselves. What are yours?
So we are going to look at:
Our identity before Christ.
How does Christ change our identity?
Our identity after Christ.
What is Our identity before Christ?
We all have a past. In our past we all had an identity. Our true identity depends upon whether or not we call Jesus, Lord and Savior, or we call ourselves Lord and Savior. Here are a few of the identities or labels that are worn by those who do not believe in the Christ Jesus.
a. Son of disobedience
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
The Sons of disobedience are the worldly people who obey the evil one and give him their allegiance instead of God. They are the people who as Colossians 3:6 says will find the wrath of God upon them. This is the identity of those who do not know Christ Jesus.
b. Dead Man Walking
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins,
2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
The sons of disobedience are dead men walking. You can see them, talk to them, and they can do all the things believers do, however they are dead in their in their trespasses and sins. They have no hope for their eternal future, only separation from God for all time. They have only one way to become alive - change their identity.
c. Slave to the World
3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
The sons of disobedience are also slaves to the world. They are in bondage to the desires of the flesh. They are in bondage to the law of sin and death. Their is no freedom or chance of freedom as long as they do their own thing. As long as they continue to do the things they have always done. The things I used to always do.
2. So, How does Christ change our identity?
In order to have a change of identity we must change to whom we give our allegiance and faith. We must stop following the evil one and follow Christ Jesus. Only Christ Jesus can change our identity. But how does this happen?
Purified/Washed by His blood.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals,
10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Verses 9 & 10 point directly to the sons of disobedience. Verse 11 tells us what happens when we change our allegiance. We are washed - washed in the blood of Jesus spilled on the cross. We are sanctified or set apart, separated from the world of disobedience and given a new identity. We are justified by the blood of Jesus and made righteous. Jesus did the thing we can not do, overcame sin and death.
b. Redeemed by His blood.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
The idea of redemption is easy to understand if you know what a pawn shop is. (Explain) In other words those who believe were bought at a price - the Life of Christ Jesus, His blood shed for all those who believe. So your freedom had a high price - your new identity had a high price. And Christ Jesus paid that price with His own blood, we belong to Him.
c. Sealed by the Holy Spirit.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
This shows that we are children of God. After being washed in the blood and redeemed from the grave we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. The idea of being sealed can go along with the habit of sealing a message with a signet ring. It was like a signature. The ring bore an image which was recognized as the King and it would be embossed wax sealing the message closed. The Holy Spirit does the same thing for us.
He seals us, He indwells us and makes us Children of God. He is God in us. He is the proof that God has adopted us as His own.
Now that we know how Christ changes our identity, exactly
3. What is Our identity after Christ?
a. Sheep of His pasture.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
In the gospel of John, Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd. Shepherds have sheep, but Jesus never kept actual sheep. His sheep are those who believe in His name. Just like Psalm 100:3 says: We are His people, the Sheep of His pasture. He cares for us, He provides for us just like a shepherd would for his sheep. So when we came to Him we need to trust in Him just like sheep trust their shepherd because we are His.
b. A chosen people, Holy Nation, God’s own people
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
According to this we are a chosen people and a royal priesthood. We are God’s own people. This is our new identity as the church. God’s people. But there is a reason He chose us. He called us out of darkness that we might proclaim His excellencies. Now that’s a grand idea. Proclaim His excellencies. In other words tell everyone about Him. Tell them the great things He has done for you. Testify, tell them who you are and who you belong too.
One last thing that we are, our true identities, we are
c. Children of God
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Those who believe and are redeemed are adopted as sons. Don’t worry ladies that includes all of you also. We are no longer sons of disobedience, lost, living in darkness or the walking dead. We are children of God. This is our new identity. There is just one problem with this idea. There are way too many people who accept Christ Jesus but still walk like a son of disobedience. When we accept this new identity in Christ Jesus we have to put away the old identity, we have to put that person to death. This is the hard part. Death, the death of the person you are so that you can be the new person that God wants you to be. So you can be the new person that only God change you into.
Exit:
So what is the true Identity we can have? It is What God does to us and the relationship he creates with us and the destiny he appoints for us. (REPEAT THAT)
God made us who we are so we could make known who He is. Our identity is for the sake of making known HIS identity.
When you think of who you are it should be related to God in some way. If you believe in Christ Jesus it should be as a Child of God. Nothing else. You may be a mother or father, a sister or brother, a wife or husband, a diabetic, an alcoholic, a psychopath or a pastor but these are only labels to categorize us and help us tell people things about us. But this isn’t who we are. This isn’t who I am. I am a child of God. Adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven to make His name known. You to can be a child of God.
Think about it, pray about it, are you His?
Be His Now!
Pray!