4 mini lessons in one

As I was preparing for today and thinking about which direction to go I was struggling because of the different things that were coming to my mind my mind’s like the little squirrel or hamster that rolls around and little thoughts come up here and there And so I was looking I was Praying about which one to go with. My mind went to Repentance, Be not wise in my own eyes, Light vs Dark, and Identity because of how I’m known here a middle school campus. And if I was to ask you what do you know me by probably the most popular one is candy man some may even call me coach Reed, May I even thought about wearing a bunny outfit today.

You know my identity - but what is your identity? How do people know you?

Do they know you buy your personality, or by being the sports person, or do they know you buy your ability in music or with drama, what is your identity?

I want to be identified by being a Christ follower.

Our identity in Christ

Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."

Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

So my identity is in Christ hopefully when you see me talk to me you see me outside of here, in a public place what do you see. There is a quy I saw last week that is getting married and he went to NCA, and as we were talking the Candy-man came up, wow I have been doing this a while.

Growing up in a family where my brothers who are not saved who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior they notice something different and they will ask me questions but that’s as far as it goes but it’s because they see something different and they do not know what they see but it should be Christ. When I realized that I am a sinner in need of a saviour, I realized I needed to be saved when someone sat down and explained it to me. I already knew I was a sinner and I knew that Jesus rose from the dead, but I really needed a relationship with Jesus , growing up in a church that talked about Jesus and the church but never about a relationship. at 18 I trusted Jesus and asked to be forgiven and asked him to be my Lord and saviour. So now my identity was now in Christ. Just like when you become part of the team, or school that is how people identify you.

But as I was thinking about identity then my thoughts went to my eyes…

Proverbs 3:5–7 NASB95

Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

As I trusted in the Lord , I had to learn not to do things under my own understanding. He is now the one to direct my path in life and my path did change. But there were many bumps in the road along the way. because of the verse - do not be wise in your own eyes. We see things and they we want those things and we need to learn not be be OK with what we want but with what God wants for us.

Then my brain went to repentance: “ It is more than apologizing to God “

When God changes your heart and mind he will also change your lifestyle.

Game of Sorry and Repentance :

So now when everybody we’re going to play a quick game I don’t think I’ve ever done this with you guys so everybody stand up you got to be at arms length okay for a second so we’re going to tell I’m going to tell a story about sorry And repentance.

So when I say the word sorry you do a 360 turn then when I say repentance you do a one 180 turn.

OK here we go so when sorry and repentance OK you got that went to the store and they saw candy that they wanted so sorry thought about well if I steal this and take this no one’s going to know but the repentant said you know that might not be a good idea to take that but sorry was really wanting a candy bar so sorry thought about it for a moment but Repentance said don’t do it it’s not going to be a good idea and so sorry took the candy bar put it in his pocket and repent and said you need not you need to give it back and sorry he says no I’m leaving and Repentance said you’re going to get caught don’t need to be doing that and sorry he says I won’t get caught but then sorry started thinking about it but he hesitated and when he hesitated he sorry got caught and Repentance said see you shouldn’t have done it.

Ok how many of you are dizzy how do you think God feels a lot of times we say we’re sorry and it’s really you’re sorry because you got caught you didn’t really truly repent because remember sorry is a 360 and you’re back where you you were at repentance is turning away from that sin.

Two kinds of repentance in the Bible repentance:

unto the Lord for salvation

initial repenting of sin at salvation

Romans 10:9–10 NASB95

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

daily repentance

lifestyle of repentance comes with following Jesus

When you hear the word repentance you might think of confessing sin or apologizing to God.

Certainly confessing sin and apologizing to God is part of it.

However biblical repentance is much more than those two things it’s impossible to have a life style change without true repentance

Repentance is rooted in the Greek word Metaonia:

which is the change of mind and the change of heart that will lead to a change in lifestyle.

As you follow Jesus daily the Holy Spirit changes your heart and mind to see the sin in your way your heavenly father does this requires repentance as you grow in him

Believe it and live it // Are you a Fan or Follower

You have seen fans act at sporting event. They are there cheer the team on, sitting down just being there, maybe even eat nachos.

They something exciting will happen, and they are on their feet and the afterwards they are sitting back down.

Some when someone says were you supporting your team, they say all the way.

This is like being a fan of Jesus. The are not really in the game they’re standing, they are standing by, they respect the game (Church or Jesus) , they keep their distance.

In Matthew 4:19 did Jesus say come and cheer me on, be a fan or did He say come and follow me? They do not want Jesus to change their lives.

But as Jesus called us to be followers , they realize that Jesus must be Savior and Lord they’re up close and personal with Him in their life.

Living by faith and repentance they’re willing to get rid of anything that stands in the way of becoming more like him also by the power of the Holy Spirit, they’re willing to remove anything in their lives that’s going to trip them up as they follow him.

1 John 1:9 NASB95

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

David a man after God’s own heart - He sinned with Bathsheba and then had her husband killed. But he was confronted with sin and he repented.

David acknowledged his sin and Psalms 51

So then from Identity, to not to be wise in our own eyes and then repentance I thought about not walking in darkness.

John 8:12 “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.””

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

We just had this storm, how many of your were without power ? Now after getting through the day and tornado sirens, that night being at home with no power, which of course means no light. I do not mind the darkness when brief, but I do like the light. In the darkness it was so quite which I like some noise. I did have flashlights and some candles, but I would rather have the power.

So I was thinking the difference between light and darkness, those that do not know Christ is living in darkness, those of us who have a relationship with Christ need to be the light, even when those around us are not interested. How will others see? Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 NASB95

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

So be the light.

So as you see my brain went in many different directions but you got a glimpse of the four things :

Identity

Be not wise in our own eyes

Repentance

and be the light.

As the school year ends and summer break is getting close - what are others seeing in you!

Let us pray