Jesus’s Identity Solution
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Body
Body
So far this week we have a few different things about identity.
First, we saw what IDENTITY looked like at CREATION! We saw what it meant to be made in the image of God!
Secondly, we saw what happens when we replace God’s design for identity with our design.
Yesterday, we saw what happens when our identity become an IDOL!
And tonight, Wednesday night, we are going to see what the solution to this identity issue is.
Growing up there was a stereotype about the last night of camp. The stereotype was that on the last night the speaker would pull out all the emotional stops and would make everything super emotional trying to get a response.
Listen, I’m not going to do that.
I might get emotional because IDENTITY IS THAT IMPORTANT and I PASSIONATELY BELIEVE what I’m going to be preaching. I think you’ve seen that this week! But it’s not a joke to me; this isn’t something fake looking for a response!
This is REAL EMOTION about a VERY REAL NEED IN OUR WORLD!
We need to understand what JESUS SAYS ABOUT IDENTITY!
So, tonight, that’s what we are going to see.
Tonight, we’ll be in 2 Corinthians 5.
2 Corinthians was sent to the Church in Corinth.
There were actually 4 letters sent to Corinth, but only 2 of them are in the Bible.
The church in Corinth struggled.
And can I tell you what most of their struggles were really about?
They were about IDOLATRY OF IDENTITY and making IDENTITY into OUR DESIGN!
That’s why we talked about David and Jonah!
And now, we are going to see the response to these issues that Paul gives them.
Paul has been talking about what Jesus did on the cross and what that means for us in a general sense. That’s where we will pick up.
16 From now on, then, we do not know anyone from a worldly perspective. Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way.
PAul’s instruction is clear and simple in this verse.
We do not know anyone from a worldly perspective, INCLDUING JESUS!
Now, what is a worldly perspective?
Well, Paul uses the word “sarka” which means flesh here. Flesh was used by Paul to describe OUR SINFULNESS!
Paul uses a series of contrasts in his writings to talk about the change that happens when we put our faith in Jesus.
One of his contrasts is the world and heaven, one is flesh and the SPIRIT!
So here, Paul says, “We don’t know anyone from a worldly, or a fleshly perspective.”
What does that mean? Well, it’s referring to a couple things.
First, we can’t see someone’s heart, so a worldly perspective relates to the EXTERNAL THINGS THAT WE CAN SEE1
A worldly perspective is primarily focused on our OUTWARD appearance and our OUTWARD self!
That is going to include a number of different things. It could include our physical appearance, our gifts, it could include money, success; it’s all those external things!
Those are outward, worldly measures of success.
But let me go one step further. Seeing from a fleshly perspective doesn’t just mean seeing the external look. It also means that we see things from a sinful perspective!
In other words, we don’t see things clearly! We start to look at people in envy! Instead of wanting to be more like Christ, we want to be more like them!
We see their methods, we see the sins that they commit and they look more and more fun.
When I was in HS, I had some friends who got really into smoking weed and drinking. I never joined them, but can I tell you guys a secret?
The more time I spent them and the more they talked about it, the more that I saw how they were “cool” at school, the more tempting it was!
I saw it from a worldly, fleshly perspective.
A worldly perspective makes SIN LOOK ATTRACTIVE!
So, a fleshly perspective is focused on the outside, it makes sin look cool and it also is ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR US!
A fleshly perspective is always wondering how we can be more successful, or made to be better!
A worldly perspective is always wondering how we can come out ahead.
It will use people for our gain.
Let me give you an example… (Someone using someone for their own selfish gain)
So a worldly perspective of knowing someone has 3 things to it.
WRITE THESE DOWN GUYS! THIS MATTERS!
First, a worldly perspective focuses on the outside. It focuses on appearances.
Secondly, a worldly perspective sees sin and finds it attractive.
Finally, a worldly perspective looks for how it can use other people.
But look at what Paul says- BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS DID, WE DO NOT KNOW ANYONE FROM A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE!
Ok hold on! What does that mean?
Let me tell you! it means that there is another way for us to know someone; a BETTER WAY!
And then Paul continues on and says, “Even if we have known Christ from a worldly perspective, yet now we no longer know him in this way.”
So what does that mean?
Well, let’s apply these definitions.
First, knowing Christ from a worldly perspective means that we focus on appearances. Jesus didn’t appear powerful! In fact, that disappoints the crowds as Jesus is in Jerusalem!
They think that he’s coming to start a war against Rome! They see him from a worldly perspective and thye grow upset!
Secondly, it means that we are attracted to sin. Well, Jesus never sinned. So, we find that living as Jesus lived is boring and NOT FOR US!
Thirdly and finally, we look at Jesus to see how we can use him!
(Acts 8- Simon the Sorcerer)
But guess what, we are never going to be able to use Jesus! We just can’t!
So from a worldly perspective, Jesus doesn’t seem important, or like something we want.
And listen, you may be here tonight, RIGHT NOW and you may be thinking, “Jesus really doesn’t matter to me. I am only here because someone brought me, or someone told me to go, or because my parents made me.”
Well guess what, you can see Jesus in a whole new light tonight!
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 Paul tells us how to see other and Jesus from a new perspective!
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
GUYS! THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VERSE WE WILL LOOK AT ALL WEEK!
Can we take this word by word and talk through it?
THEREFORE- OK- therefore always means that there is a change coming.
If ANYONE- That is simple. ANYONE! Any person on earth, now, in the future, or in the past is being addressed!
IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST!- We have to be in Christ!
What does it meant o be in Christ?
Being in CHRIST IS OUR NEW IDENTITY!
Think about it like this. Jesus’s teachings were black and white.
Either you are IN CHRIST, or you are NOT! Either you are SAVED, or you are not! Either you go to heaven, or you do not!
It’s straightforward.
So being IN CHRIST IS OUR NEW IDENTITY!
Let me give a simple definition of what it means to BE IN CHRIST!
Being in Christ means that we rely on JESUS for our salvation!
Further, being in Christ will lead us to live FOR JESUS, living AS JESUS TOLD US TO!
It literally means BEING IN CHRIST!
It’s that simple!
So how do we see things not from a FLESH-LED, SINFUL DESIRE?
We follow Jesus! We place our faith in Jesus and we are IN CHRIST!
But Paul then goes on and explains even more of this!
He says that ANYONE WHO IS IN CHRIST IS A NEW CREATION!
We are made new when we are in Christ!
Listen, this isn’t talking about physically made new. This is so much deeper.
This is talking about new desires, new life, MADE NEW!
Let me just ask you to close your eyes.
I’m going to ask a series of questions and I just want you to raise your hand if this applies to you.
And hear me on this- NO ONE IS GOING TO BE LOOKING!
First, do you ever sin?
EVERY HAND SHOULD GO UP! Romans 3:23
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
Now, that’s easy. Let’s make it harder. How many of you find yourself sinning in the same way over and over?
Listen, there’s no shame here. Thanks for being honest! You can open your eyes now.
Can I tell you guys the best news that there is? Romans 8:1
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
Listen, if you are in Christ, you are NEW CREATION and there is NO CONDEMNATION! YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE!
Hear me on that! Guys, there’s hope! We will battle sin for the rest of our lives, but we are NO LONGER SLAVES TO SIN!
Listen to what Galatians 2:20 says about this!
20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
We live in CHRIST AND THROUGH CHRIST!
That’s what it means to be NEW CREATION!
We live because we have been made new by FAITH IN JESUS WHO LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE DIED FOR US!
Think about that! JESUS HUNG ON THE CROSS AND DIED FOR YOU AND FOR ME!
And in 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Paul continues to expand on this. Look at these verses with me!
18 Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. 19 That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
EVERYTHING IS FROM GOD!
And what has God done?
GOD HAS RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF!
Can I say that in a different way? GOD HAS SAVED US AND GOD HAS GIVEN US A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM!
And how did that happen?
It happened THROUGH CHRIST!
THIS ENTIRE THING IS THE SOLUTION TO OUR IDENTITY!
What is our identity?
Well, we’ve been made new! WE are IN CHRIST, we are CHILDREN OF GOD, we are RECONCILED TO GOD AND WE ARE FORGIVEN FOR OUR SINS!
See, the solution to identity isn’t that we create an identity for ourselves, it is that we EMBRACE the identity that God has given us!
But listen, Paul isn’t done here. Paul then tells us our purpose.
Remember, our purpose and our identity are not the same. David was a king, that was his God-given purpose, but that wasn’t the extent of him!
Jonah was a prophet, but that wasn’t the only thing about Jonah!
So now in 2 Corinthians 5:20 Paul tells us our PURPOSE! This is OUR JOB! It’s my purpose, it’s your purpose! If you are made new in Christ, this is ABOUT YOU!
20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST!
An ambassador is someone who goes to a foreign country and is a representative. This world is not our home. Jesus has sent us as AMBASSADORS TO REPRESENT HIM AND TO TELL THE WORLD ABOUT HIM!
That’s what our purpose is! Our identity is found in being IN CHRIST AND BEING MADE NEW, but our PURPOSE IS TO BE AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST!
Our old identity and our old purpose- seeking what’s best for OURSELVES FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE- have passed away! Instead, we have a new purpose and identity!
Do you understand how WONDERFUL THIS IS?
Guys, your life has meaning! God has given you meaning and purpose!
No matter what you are going through, hear me on this! God has GIVEN YOU PURPOSE!
Paul isn’t just speaking for himself here. In fact, what he says mirrors what JESUS says. Listen to what JESUS SAYS!
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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Look at this!
We are to PLEAD WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND US SAYING, “BE RECONCILED TO GOD!”
We are to proclaim salvation on a daily basis! We are to point people to JESUS EVERY DAY!
EVERYWHERE THAT WE GO, EVERYONE THAT WE MEET, WE ARE TO POINT THEM TO GOD AND TO GOD’S RECONCILIATION WITH MAN THAT HAS COME THROUGH JESUS!
This is our purpose! It’s EVERY CHRISTIAN’S PURPOSE!
This is the job that my grandparents should do, my parents should do it, I should do it, my wife should do it and SO SHOULD YOU!
This is OUR JOB!
Hear me on this. Sometimes you might hear the term used about our generation- because I’m actually in the same generation as you- you might hear us talked about as “next-gen.”
Can I challenge you with something?
We aren’t NEXT-GEN, WE ARE THE NOW-GEN!
Guys, we have a job to do! We are called to share the GREATEST NEWS EVER!
And can I tell you guys something? Almost 90% of people who get saved will get saved before 30!
That’s our GENERATION!
It’s our job and it’s an urgent job for us NOW TO PROCLAIM THIS MESSAGE, TO PLEAD WITH THE PEOPLE AROUND US ABOUT THIS MESSAGE!
HEAR ME ON THIS!
And listen, if you haven’t put your faith in Jesus then tonight, can you really focus on this next verse; verse 21?
21 He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This is the truth of the Gospel in one verse.
The gospel is simple. God sent JESUS WHO NEVER SINNED- DESPITE FACING VERY REAL TEMPTATION!
Listen to this verse from Hebrews 4. Hebrews 4:15
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
The high priest is Jesus! Jesus was tempted just as we are. But JESUS NEVER SINNED!
And JESSUS CAME FOR US TO BE SIN!
In other words, JESUS CAME TO TAKE OUR PLACE!
That’s what happened when Jesus went to the CROSS!
He took our PLACE!
But what was the purpose?
He did it so that we can become the righteousness of God!
Do you know what another word for righteousness is?
It’s PERFECTION!
We are made perfectly clean from sin. Our sin is forgotten, our sin is thrown out! And we are no longer identified by our sin or ourselves!
Instead, how are we identified?
BY BEING THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD!
You can’t earn that. I can’t earn that. Think about this with me. Sin is ANYTHING THAT MISSES THE MARK.
Hamartia which is the Ancient Greek word for sin is actually an archery term that means ANYTHING THAT MISSES THE CENTER OF THE BULLSEYE!
In college, I worked at a camp. I taught archery. Listen, the kids missed that center a lot!
And we sin a lot! We all do! That’s what Romans 3:23 told us.
But hear this great news- WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN BY JESUS’S ACTIONS!
And no longer are we defined by sin! Now we are identified as MADE NEW, AS AMBASSADORS OF CHRIST!
That contrast is very real. And I want to really talk about that.
Application
Application
Repent and embrace this
Salvation- do you need to get saved tonight
Do you need to rededicate and refocus your life on God?
Do you need to take the next step and get baptized?
Do you need to LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH? (WE ALL DO!)