Identity—who Am I?

Membership Sunday

I. Membership

A. It is a privilege to welcome new members into the church!

B. Each time we welcome new members, the Lord gives me new thoughts to mix in with the traditional thoughts about membership.

1. Thus every time we welcome new members…

I pray that you long-time members receive encouragement in YOUR membership.

And that those who have not formally joined the church will be encouraged to do so.

C. We keep coming back to the question: Why is church membership important?

One of the ancient church fathers, Cyprian of Carthage, considered the greatest bishop of the third century, said,

“No one can have God for his father, who has not the church for his mother,”

John Stott said, “The church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God.

It is not a divine afterthought.

It is not an accident of history.”

Mark Dever says:

The church should be regarded as important to Christians because of its importance to Christ.

Jesus founded the church (Matt 16:18),

He purchased it with his blood (Acts 20:28),

And intimately identifies Himself with it (Acts 9:4).

The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12, 27; Eph 1:22–23; 4:12; 5:20–30; Col 1:18, 24; 3:15),

The dwelling place of His Spirit (1 Cor 3:16–17; Eph 2:18, 22; 4:4),

And the chief instrument for glorifying God in the world (Ezek 36:22–38; Eph 3:10).

Finally, the church is God’s instrument for bringing both the gospel to the nations and a great host of redeemed humanity to Himself (Luke 24:46–48; Rev 5:9).

Are you a part?

Bring Members Forward

A. So, this morning New Life Family Church has the privilege of welcoming, loving and COVENENTING WITH 4 new ADULT members (and 0 new junior members.)

1. 4 people want the world to know (now easier to do through livestreaming!) …

That they have put down their roots in Christ,

AND, they have planted their roots in this local church.

2. Brother Ron & Sister Cynthia Broadhead, would come forward?

3. Brother Gene and Sister Joy Khoury, would you also come forward?

4. Please face the congregation.

B. Would the Board: Jay, Madeline, George, and Cecelia come and join these new members?

C. As New Life Family Church welcomes these new members, I want to remind us that we are not an orphanage but rather a Family.

1. Jesus promised in John 14:18 (NIV) I will not leave you as orphans; …

D. In an orphanage:

1. Orphans are not related.

2. Their common bond is merely that they all reside at one location — the orphanage.

E. But, in A Family:

1. It’s NOT that way!

2. The family is BLOOD-related. WE are related by The BLOOD of Jesus.

3. Here at New Life we don’t merely meet at a physical location, we are united by the blood of Jesus.

F. So it is our privilege to receive into the membership of this church family, __4__Adult members (and ___ Junior members) who have…

1. … made proper application and have been approved by the Official Board of the church and are now ready to receive the right hand of fellowship by this congregation.

G. Our new members, and we as a church are going to publicly and vocally remind each other of our responsibilities and privileges.

1. Our FAMILY COVENANT together.

H. I will begin with our newest members:

1. I am going to read a statement and ask that if you agree with it that you say, “I do.”

I. Here goes:

J. Having been led by the Holy Spirit to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, and desiring fellowship with people of like precious faith, and now in the presence of God and this assembly you are entering into a covenant relationship with these members of the Body of Christ.

K. So, do you promise that with the help of the Holy Spirit you will:

1. walk together with the other members of this church in Christian love?

2. work for the advancement of this church?

3. help it pursue holiness and a deeper knowledge of Jesus?

4. promote its prosperity and spirituality?

5. sustain its worship, doctrines and disciplines?

6. contribute regularly and cheerfully to the support of its ministries and activities?

7. If so answer: I do.

L. Do you promise to:

1. maintain your personal devotions?

2. seek the salvation of the lost?

3. avoid sin by avoiding the very appearance of evil?

4. seek that love which thinks no evil?

5. If so answer: I do.

M. Do you further promise to:

1. watch over the other members of this church in Christian love?

2. to remember each other in prayer?

3. to aid each other in distress and sickness

4. to be courteous and forgiving to one another even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you?

5. If so answer: I do.

N. Church, please stand. Do you promise to:

1. watch over Brother and Sister Broadhead AND Brother & Sister Khoury in Christian love?

2. to remember them in prayer?

3. to aid them in distress and sickness?

4. to be courteous and forgiving to them even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you?

5. If so answer: I do.

O. We therefore, as the Church of Jesus Christ and members of His Body, now receive you, into our fellowship and communion, recognizing that God has already added you to His Church. And we pray that the blessing of the Lord be upon you always.

Prayer with the Board.

ALL come and welcome!

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST - Who Am I?

Thank you for your participation in Fasting and Prayer this week.

At whatever level you participated.

Ruth Thomason needed it.

Helen Davis needed it.

Our country needed and still needs it — please continue to use the 31 day guide to prayer.

In the Olympics this past week, we saw continued struggles with concept of identity.

The questions are:

Did a man, competing in a women’s event, pummel a woman so hard that she surrendered by taking a knee after 46 seconds?

Or were both the competitors women?

I did quite a bit of research on this situation, and because of where culture is on gender being a capricious, transitory choice, we are understanding the wrong thing.

My understanding is, the Algerian boxer is NOT a transwoman — a man who says he is a woman.

Rather, this is a woman, with a very rare biological condition who, has chromosomes and therefore the physique of a man.

From the perspective of FAIR athletic competition, this a very difficult situation.

But everything is clouded even further because of the confusion in our society over human sexuality.

The war over sexual identity continues and will continue because we live in a world, dominated by the prince of darkness, who, as Jesus said, comes to steal, kill and destroy.

The devil definitely wants to steal and destroy our identity.

And he has done a tremendous job of doing just that — especially in the area of stealing sexual identity.

In the process he has destroyed lives and even caused the death of untold numbers of people.

Thus fulfilling the truth of Jesus’ statement, as the NLT says:

John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s [Jesus is speaking of the devil] purpose [his reason for being] is to steal and kill and destroy. …

In accomplishing his ultimate purpose — which is to kill us — the devil steals and destroys our identity.

We have seen that play out in the Olympics this past week — though it has been on display for much longer than that!

Over the last few decades the devil has had huge success in our culture in destroying our sexual identity.

But stealing our sexual identity, is just part of the devil’s identity theft operation.

We Are Created Beings

Since the beginning, the devil has tried to convince humanity that God did not create us.

That we are not lovingly created by a heavenly Father on purpose FOR a purpose.

But says Psalm 8:3–9 (NLT) When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

Psalm 139:13–18 (NLT) [God] You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank You for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! …

The devil wants us to believe the lie that some other process apart from God created us.

Today, we in the U.S., have labeled that process evolution.

In centuries past the devil used mythology, animism and other lies.

Or, the devil tries to convince us that we created ourselves.

Look at me! I am a self-made man!

What a load of rubbish the devil wants us to believe.

But the truth is:

God created us.

Genesis 1:27 “And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Psalm 100:3 (NKJV) Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves…

Isaiah 64:8 (NLT) … O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We all are formed by Your hand.

As God’s creation we need to acknowledge some truths about our identity — about who we are.

Utterly Dependent

First, we need to acknowledge that we are dependent on our Creator.

We are dependent on God for the very breath that we breathe.

Acts 17:25 “ [God] is not served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;”

We are dependent on Him for food.

That’s why Jesus told us to pray: Matthew 6:11 (LSB) ‘Give us this day our daily bread.

Not being an agrarian society we tend to forget how close to starvation we live.

How hard it is to raise crops and animals for food.

How hard it is to get that food to grocery store where we can easily (NOT cheaply!) go and buy it.

But let there be a drought, an infestation, a strike, a war, greediness, corruption or some other disruption in our food supply and we would (or SHOULD!) quickly find out how dependent we are on God to make everything work so we can eat.

Let’s not take availability of food for granted.

As Psalm 145:15–16 “The eyes of all wait on You, And You give them their food in due time. 16 You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.”

We are dependent on God for ANY abilities that we have.

1 Corinthians 4:7 “ For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

We are dependent on God for any of our plans being successful.

James 4:13–15 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.””

Who am I?

What is my identity?

I am the creation of God, dependent on Him for my existence.

Fragile

That dependence should emphasize our fragility.

If I don’t have air to breathe (under water, buried alive, etc) or if my lungs don’t work properly — I will die.

If I miss out on water or food for just a short amount of time, I will die.

If I fall, if I am infected by a contagion, if I get an aggressive cancer or just ignore symptoms of cancer, so MANY things can afflict this body — I can be ill, I can be weak — these things can kill me.

It really doesn’t take a lot.

We are physically fragile creatures.

Proverbs 27:1 “1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

Not only are we physically fragile, but we are spiritually vulnerable.

We have 3 things that are actively fighting against our spiritual wellbeing:

The world

The devil

Our own sinful flesh.

The world is trying to force us to conform to its deluded and damaging way of thinking.

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may approve what the will of God is, that which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

1 John 2:15–17 (LSB) Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

I have already read John 10:10 that tells us the devil has declared war on humanity — he wants to kill us and damn our souls to hell.

In the same way, I really don’t need to convince you that WE are often our own worst enemies.

Especially, the temptations and urges of the flesh.

Romans 8:5–9 (LSB) For those who [live] according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is at enmity toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God. 9 However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.

How do we have the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit?

By repenting of our sins and surrendering ourselves to Jesus without any resservations.

So, another part of our identity is that we are physically fragile and spiritually vulnerable.

Morally Accountable

So, we are created by God.

We were created dependent on Him.

We created as fragile creatures — although at the beginning there were not as many things trying to kill us.

the number of enemies to our life multiplied after the fall — from animals who want to sting us, shock us, bite us or just eat us.

To microorganisms that want to infect us.

To weeds, insects, diseases and more that choke out crops and kill livestock — and thereby starve us to death.

All of those things came when humanity said, “No, God, I will NOT obey You.”

And yet we were created different from the rest of the animal kingdom.

We were created accountable to God.

As says Hebrews 4:13 (NLT) Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and He [God] is the one to whom we are accountable.

As says: Romans 14:12 (NLT) Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

Those who reject the salvation offered through Jesus Christ will face what is described in:

Revelation 20:11–15 (LSB) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Even those who repent of their sins and accept Jesus are still accountable to God.

Romans 14:10 (LSB) But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you view your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.

2 Corinthians 5:10 (LSB) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

1 Corinthians 3:11–15 (LSB) For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident, for the day will indicate it because it is revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

How Should I Respond?

How does the reality that we are created beings who are completely dependent, extremely fragile and morally accountable make us feel this morning?

That is our identity.

First of all I pray that it makes us feel:

Humble

WE should recognize that since I am absolutely dependent on God for every breath and every morsel of food;

seeing that I am accountable to God for every thought, every word, and every action;

and realizing how often I fail to honor God in these ways

— these should produce a deep and abiding sense of humility.

Despite what culture tells me — I am NOT God — not even close!

Gratitude

Secondly, it should produce profound gratitude.

Everything good in me or around me, whether spiritual or material, is a gift from God.

More importantly, as one who has trusted in Christ as my Savior, I know that He has taken on Himself the accountability for all my sins and has fully paid the penalty for my every act of disobedience.

As the Worship Team comes to the platform…

Perhaps the Holy Spirit is speaking to you today.

PLEASE don’t turn a deaf ear to Him.

He wants what is best for you.

He is calling out:

“Have you experienced the salvation of Jesus?

If not, turn to Him today.”

Or

“Are you walking in close relationship with Jesus?

“You can!

“Return to Him today.

Get closer!”

In humility and gratitude recognize God has given you another chance to turn from your sin and accept His salvation.

Salvation offered ONLY through Jesus.

Speaking of Jesus, the Apostle Peter said in Acts 4:12 (LSB) “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

1 Timothy 2:5–6 (NLT) For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.

Maybe you have wandered from Jesus.

As we studied in Wednesday’s Bible study — maybe you have drifted away from Jesus.

It wasn’t intentional.

But suddenly you realize you are drifting far out at sea.

I’m standing on the Ship of salvation, calling out:

Don’t give up!

Be rescued.

Grab the lifeline!