Confident - Our Identity in the Lord Jesus Christ

Part 1 - A Living Temple

1 Peter 2:4-5

There is a major identity crisis going on in our world today. Confusion is rampant and as a result, people are confused about who and what they are, and this is a dangerous place to be. When you dont know who you are (AKA your identity) then you cannot have any confidence. You wander through life discouraged and depressed, and unfortunately, that is what we are seeing with young people now more than ever.

The world tells you truth is relative and you are whatever you “feel” like you are. But is that really reliable?

The truth is that our feelings change on a daily basis, and for some it changes on an hourly basis. Therefore we cannot base who we are on what we feel, it must be based on something more concrete than that!

The Apostle Peter tells us from God’s inspired Word who and what we are as believers. If you are saved, then God says that you have a defined identity. You dont have to wonder who you are, what you are, or where your place is in life. You belong to Him and with that comes a specific identity.

The first part of your identity is that you and I are a Living Temple

I. Christ, the Living Stone

The foremost thing about our identity and who we are is that we are rooted and built upon the Living Stone, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible describes Jesus as the Rock in many places

He is the Rock Smitten that the Spirit of life may flow from Him to all who will drink (Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4; John 4:13-14; 7:37-39)

He is the Foundation and Chief Cornerstone of the Church (Ephesians 2:20)

He is a “stumbling stone” to the Jews (Romans 9:32,33; 1 Corinthians 1:23)

He will be a “headstone of the corner” to Israel at His 2nd coming (Zechariah 4:7)

He will be the “stone cut without hands” that smites the Gentile World Powers (Daniel 2:34)

The Crushing Stone of Judgment to all unbelievers (Matthew 21:44)

The moment that we got saved, God began building something with our lives. There is not one person in the family of God that serves no purpose. All of us are being built into something for the kingdom of God.

But as it is with any building, you have to have a foundation in order to start the building process. Without a foundation, the building will collapse during harsh conditions.

So what is the foundation?

1 Corinthians 3:11 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”

What this means is, the only foundation that you and I can be built upon is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation! all other ground is sinking sand!

Colossians 2:7 “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Once we have had the foundation of Christ laid, then the Bible says we are built up in Him. God is building us up into something, but it can only be built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ

Ephesians 2:21–22 “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.”

II. You and I, the Lively Stones

Because Christ is the Great Living Stone, and we have, as Verse 4 describes it “come to Him”, we are now also Living (lively) Stones!

What does it mean that we are living stones?

Just as Israel had a Temple that they built where they could come and meet with God and worship Him, we are being built into a “Spiritual House”. But our house is spiritual and not physical, therefore WE ARE the Temple.

Just as the Holy of holies in the Temple held the presence of God, we now as the Spiritual House/Temple is where the very Presence of God dwells!

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Our “Temple” is a better one because we do not have to go anywhere, it is found within us.

God is the One that is building us, we have no ability to build ourselves into this “Temple” (Mark 1:17)

But, even though God is the doing the building, we still have a responsibility and obligation

Separation from the world...

Because we are the Temple of God, we ought to live every day with that truth in mind. We are the dwelling place of God, therefore, we ought to take care of this temple in all aspects (physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc)

We would never allow God’s house to intentionally get run down, so why do we do it with our bodies, which are His temple?

This includes what we allow into our temples. What do we allow into our minds? What do we allow into our temples through the eyes? the ears?

…and unto Christ

But what goes on inside the Temple of God?

In the OT, The Temple was a place of Sacrifice. There were many sacrifices that were made on a daily basis, weekly basis, and yearly basis in order to atone for the sins of Israel.

But in the OT, only the priest could enter the Temple and make these sacrifices on behalf of the people. Heres the good news, you and I are not only the Temple of God, but we are also a holy priesthood! We have access to this Temple

Our “Temple” is a better one because we dont have limited access to it, we can access it whenever we want!

but what is the “Spiritual Sacrifices” that we are offer up? It is our praise and worship. Our adoration and affection. Or just simply put, our hearts!

The Temple was also a place of Praise and Worship unto God. And since we are the Temple and we are the priesthood that has access to the presence of God, we ought to praise Him at all times! We ought to give Him our adoration, we ought to give Him our affection. But how do we do all that, by just letting God have your whole heart

God does the work of building, but we do the job of offering spiritual sacrifices pleasing unto Him, as we come to Jesus as who we are - Living Stones, made by Him

Finally, we all do it together. A Living stone cannot build anything if it sits alone. What God does in us together is important! He is building something out of us together!

No house or building is made out of one piece, it is made out of many pieces (or stones) fit together to make the structure strong.

Conclusion

The First thing we need to know about our Identity, about Who we are, is that we are Living Stones being built into the Temple of God upon the Foundation of the Living Stone, Jesus Christ!

Let us have confidence in this, that we belong to Christ and that He is building us into something that will bring honor and glory unto Him! Your life has purpose and meaning!

God is the One Who is building us into this Temple, but there is some responsibility on our part. We are to offer up the spiritual sacrifices by being separated from the world and unto the Lord.