Trophies Don’t Define You - Jesus Does

Illustration: Childhood trophies

When I was young, these trophies meant a lot to me

They represented who I thought I was - athlete, musicians, student, etc.

But now??? Now they sit in a box in my attic

Those labels don’t do ANYTHING to describe or define me now.

Segue:

You might not have a box of trophies yet but you do have labels…

Things people say about you

Things you believe about yourself

Some of them feel heavy…some fade away…some hurt

The question is: Are you going to let those labels define you? Or will you let God define who you are???

Once you surrender to Jesus, none of those labels define or identify who you are anymore…

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

PRAY

Context:

The Midianites had been oppressing the Israelites (God’s people) for 7 years

The Israelites had been praying and begging God to rescue them from the Midianites

Judges 6:11–16 NIV

11 The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, MIGHTY WARRIOR.” 13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? (IT’S OK TO ASK GOD QUESTIONS) Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” IT SURE DOESN’T FEEL LIKE THINGS ARE GOING WELL 14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” GOD TELLS GIDEON TO USE THE STRENGTH HE HAS BEEN GIVEN — — BUT GIDEON ISN’T SURE HE HAS ENOUGH STRENGTH… 15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” TRANSLATION — “I’M A NOBODY” (THAT WAS HIS IDENTITY) 16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

God’s response to Gideon…

If I am with you, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you.

Let me give you THREE IDENTITY SHIFTS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TODAY…

1 - What I See -> What God Says

Gideon saw — Weak, Least, Unqualified

God said — “Mighty Warrior”

Students see — Insecurity, Failure, Comparison

God says — His Word is truer than your feelings

2 - Who They Call Me -> Who God Calls Me

Gideon’s family — Wouldn’t have voted him “Most Likely To Lead”

God calls — Chosen, Leader, Delieverer

Students’ community — Friends, Parents, Teachers, Social Media put labels on you

God’s voice — Rips off the lies and defines you as His Son / Daughter / Masterpiece

3 - My Weakness -> God’s Strength

Gideon’s feelings — “I can’t do this…I’m the weakest”

God’s promise — “I will be with you.” His presence was the difference maker

Students’ challenge — Instead of letting weakness become your identity, lean into Jesus’ strength. Jesus shapes your identity…not your limitations.

INVITATION: Let God become your identifying factor

CHALLENGE: Help other students make the same shifts

MIDDLE SCHOOL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

EASY (get talking, low pressure):

What’s something in your life (like a hobby, grade, or skill) that you’ve been tempted to let define you?

If someone gave you a “label” today (ex: funny, awkward, athletic, quiet), what would it be? How does it make you feel?

If old trophies don’t define us, why do you think we still try so hard to earn them (in sports, grades, popularity)?

MEDIUM (connect to Scripture, personal reflection): 4. Gideon thought he was weak. What “weak” or “not enough” label do you think about yourself sometimes? 5. How does it change things when you remember that God called Gideon a “Mighty Warrior”? 6. What’s one area of your life where you need to replace what you see with what God says?

DEEP (challenge them, spiritual application): 7. What do you think Jesus would call you if He walked into this room today? 8. When you feel weak or not good enough, how could leaning on God’s strength make a difference? 9. How can we remind each other this week that we are “new creations” in Christ? 10. What’s one step you can take this week to find your identity in Jesus instead of in labels?

HIGH SCHOOL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

EASY (relatable, start with culture and life):

What “labels” are hardest for high school students to shake off (from parents, teachers, coaches, friends, or social media)?

If you’re honest, which label has the loudest voice in your life right now?

Social media thrives on labels and images. What would it look like for you to resist finding identity there?

MEDIUM (connect to Gideon and Scripture): 4. Gideon argued with God about who he was. When have you felt like your weakness made you unusable? 5. God called Gideon “Mighty Warrior” before he ever fought a battle. How does that show us God sees more than we do? 6. How does 2 Corinthians 5:17 challenge the way you see yourself on your worst day?

DEEP (identity formation, forward-looking): 7. Why do you think we often believe people’s opinions of us more than God’s truth about us? 8. What’s one way you could live differently this week if you really believed your identity was in Christ? 9. How could you help a friend see themselves the way God does instead of how the world labels them? 10. Imagine yourself 5 years from now. What identity do you want to carry with you — and how can you start living into that today?