Identity

2/5/25

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If you were here last week, we discussed a guy named John Newton.

Through his life he had one big struggle.

Should I stand in the faith that my mom taught me

or should I cave to the world around me.

Before John Newton was saved, What was his identity?

What was his identity after he was saved?

Why is that an important question?

What makes you… you?

I want us to take a moment this evening and write a few things down or think of a few things.

Who are you? What describes you? What is your worth/value?

Would anyone like to share some of those?

So who am I? This question must be answered in your life.

Not only now, but continually.

When I fail today? Who am I?

When I have success today, Who am I?

When I mess up a relationship today, who am I?

When I don’t make the team, who am I?

When I make the team who am I?

When I make the mark, who am I?

When I miss the mark by 1 point, who am I?

Life is full of identity questions and if you’re finding your identity in the wrong things, friends you will be discouraged.

Someone read

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

What does this mean.

Well, for those in Christ, something is gone and something new is here. What is that?

Can I have someone read 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 “18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

If you were at Awanita last year I believe, Johnie taught on this and it was incredible.

What is sin?

Sin is anything you think, say, or do, that breaks God’s Word.

Yet what does verse 21 say about Jesus?

That he became sin.

Why?

So that we might become the righteousness of God.

What?

God took the worst part of us to give us His righteousness.

This is the gospel!

The Gospel is 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 “3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”

Why would Jesus do this?

Why would God give himself in our place?

Because God determines our value not you.

If you determine your own value, then you can answer that question however you want.

But if God determines your value… then what does it say bout your value that the God of the universe died in your place?

Do you see your value to God?

You did nothing to earn this.

He earned it all for you.

That’s why the old you died with Jesus on the cross.

The new you, the you in Christ. Your spirit is made alive in Jesus when you trust the gospel.

What is your identity today?

What are you trusting?