The Divine Conflict

Recognizing Our True Identity

Bible Passage: Psalm 2, Psalm 5, Ezekiel 13, Matthew 7, John 8:31-41, 1 John 3:1-24

Summary: These passages collectively highlight God's sovereignty over nations, the importance of righteousness, the dangers of false prophets, and the identity of believers as children of God, calling to live out their faith with love and truth.

Application: This sermon can encourage believers to stand firm in their identity as God's children amidst societal pressures and challenges. It reminds them to seek righteousness and reject false teachings that may divert them from their faith journey.

Teaching: Believers are reminded of their identity as children of God, the importance of righteous living, and the need for discernment against false teachings and the wisdom of their actions in the eyes of God.

How this passage could point to Christ: Throughout Scripture, Jesus is portrayed as the fulfillment of God's promise, establishing an eternal kingdom that contrasts the futile efforts of earthly rulers. He embodies the true identity of God's children and calls them to live out love, faithfulness, and truth.

Big Idea: As children of God, we are to stand firm in our identity, resist the allure of the world, and treat others with the love that Christ has shown us, reflecting His righteousness in our actions.

Recommended Study: As you prepare this sermon, consider studying the historical context of Psalm 2 and Ezekiel 13 using your Logos library, focusing on the Messianic implications and the nature of prophecy. Pay attention to the themes of identity and love in John 8 and 1 John 3, exploring how these reflect our response to God’s grace. Additionally, examining the original Greek terms for 'love' and 'children' in 1 John would provide deeper insight into the text's meaning.

1. Submit to the Sovereign

Psalm 2 CSB

1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: 3 “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.” 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. 5 Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: 6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will declare the Lord’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.” 10 So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the Lord with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling. 12 Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy.

You could emphasize how this psalm highlights the futility of opposing God’s anointed King. Encourage your audience to find peace and purpose by recognizing their true identity as children of God, subject to His sovereign authority. Reflect on how Jesus, the ultimate fulfillment of this psalm, calls believers to align with His divine rule, offering refuge and identity amidst worldly chaos.

2. Plead for Purity

Psalm 5 CSB

For the choir director: with the flutes. A psalm of David. 1 Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing. 2 Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you. 3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly. 4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil cannot dwell with you. 5 The boastful cannot stand in your sight; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who tell lies; the Lord abhors violent and treacherous people. 7 But I enter your house by the abundance of your faithful love; I bow down toward your holy temple in reverential awe of you. 8 Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of my adversaries; make your way straight before me. 9 For there is nothing reliable in what they say; destruction is within them; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongues. 10 Punish them, God; let them fall by their own schemes. Drive them out because of their many crimes, for they rebel against you. 11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you. 12 For you, Lord, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.

Perhaps explore the contrast between righteousness and wickedness, outlining that as God’s children, believers are called to pursue righteousness. This could act as a guide for how we approach daily prayer and conduct, seeking God’s guidance against deceit and standing firm in faith. Reinforce the idea that Jesus, our advocate, empowers us to live righteously.

3. Discernment Against Deception

Ezekiel 13 CSB

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ 3 This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. 4 Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it might stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They saw false visions and their divinations were a lie. They claimed, “This is the Lord’s declaration,” when the Lord did not send them, yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. 7 Didn’t you see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you proclaimed, “This is the Lord’s declaration,” even though I had not spoken? 8 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: You have spoken falsely and had lying visions; that’s why you discover that I am against you. This is the declaration of the Lord God. 9 My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and speak lying divinations. They will not be present in the council of my people or be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, and they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God. 10 “ ‘Since they have led my people astray by saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and since when a flimsy wall is being built, they plaster it with whitewash, 11 therefore, tell those plastering it with whitewash that it will fall. Torrential rain will come, and I will send hailstones plunging down, and a whirlwind will be released. 12 When the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, “Where’s the whitewash you plastered on it?” 13 “ ‘So this is what the Lord God says: I will release a whirlwind in my wrath. Torrential rain will come in my anger, and hailstones will fall in destructive fury. 14 I will demolish the wall you plastered with whitewash and knock it to the ground so that its foundation is exposed. The city will fall, and you will be destroyed within it. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 15 After I exhaust my wrath against the wall and against those who plaster it with whitewash, I will say to you, “The wall is no more and neither are those who plastered it—16 those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw a vision of peace for her when there was no peace.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.’ 17 “Now you, son of man, face the women among your people who prophesy out of their own imagination, and prophesy against them. 18 Say, ‘This is what the Lord God says: Woe to the women who sew magic bands on the wrist of every hand and who make veils for the heads of people of every size in order to ensnare lives. Will you ensnare the lives of my people but preserve your own? 19 You profane me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread; you put those to death who should not die and spare those who should not live, when you lie to my people, who listen to lies. 20 “ ‘Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I am against your magic bands with which you ensnare people like birds, and I will tear them from your arms. I will free the people you have ensnared like birds. 21 I will also tear off your veils and rescue my people from your hands, so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 22 Because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (when I intended no distress), and because you have supported the wicked person so that he does not turn from his evil way to save his life, 23 therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will rescue my people from your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

In Old Testament practice and symbolism, sheep and goats occupied distinct roles that shaped their theological and practical significance.

Sacrificial and Practical Roles

Both animals served in Israel’s sacrificial system, appearing in burnt offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. (Lev 1:10; 4:23–28; 5:6) However, their functions differed strategically. Male goats were specifically designated for sin offerings when individuals committed unintentional wrongs, (Lev 4:23–28) while sheep appeared in fellowship offerings. (Lev 3:6–7) Beyond ritual use, goat ownership signified wealth, and their meat was prized as food, while they also provided milk.1 Goat hair constructed the tabernacle’s curtains,1 demonstrating their material value.

Symbolic and Leadership Meanings

The animals carried contrasting symbolic weight. Throughout the Old Testament, leaders were symbolized by goats,2 particularly in prophetic visions where Daniel depicted a powerful goat defeating a ram, representing Greece’s military dominance.2 Yet goats also carried negative associations: on the Day of Atonement, one goat was sacrificed while another was sent into the wilderness as a scapegoat, symbolically carrying the people’s sins.2

Sheep, by contrast, embodied vulnerability and divine care. God himself was depicted as a shepherd nine times in the Old Testament, most famously in Psalm 23, where the psalmist illustrates how God provides pasturage, water, and protection.3

Eschatological Distinction

In Jesus’s final judgment parable, he separates sheep from goats, placing sheep on his right and goats on his left.4 Sheep, more valuable with white fleece symbolizing righteousness, contrast with goats long associated with evil.4 Practically, sheep respond to the shepherd’s voice while goats may ignore it; sheep prefer open air while goats require shelter from cold,4 making them natural metaphors for obedience versus resistance to God’s will.

Maybe highlight the danger of false prophets and the need for discernment. This segment of the sermon could encourage vigilance against misleading teachings that distort our identity in Christ. By understanding Jesus as the truth, we can discern and reject deceit, staying true to the gospel and our identity as God’s children.

4. Fortified by Faith

Matthew 7 CSB

1 “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged. 2 For you will be judged by the same standard with which you judge others, and you will be measured by the same measure you use. 3 Why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the beam of wood in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ and look, there’s a beam of wood in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First take the beam of wood out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye. 6 Don’t give what is holy to dogs or toss your pearls before pigs, or they will trample them under their feet, turn, and tear you to pieces. 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him. 12 Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. 13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it. 15 “Be on your guard against false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves. 16 You’ll recognize them by their fruit. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit; neither can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So you’ll recognize them by their fruit. 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers!’ 24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.” 28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like their scribes.

You could discuss the consequences of false teachings and the importance of building our lives on Jesus’ teachings. As children of God, our identity is revealed in our foundations of faith. Focus on Jesus’s call to discern the fruit of genuine faith and the resolve to live according to His word, even when the world tempts us otherwise.

5. Freedom in Faith

John 8:31–49 CSB

31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38 I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.” 39 “Our father is Abraham,” they replied. “If you were Abraham’s children,” Jesus told them, “you would do what Abraham did. 40 But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You’re doing what your father does.” “We weren’t born of sexual immorality,” they said. “We have one Father—God.” 42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.” 48 The Jews responded to him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you’re a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 “I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me.

Consider examining Jesus’ dialogue emphasizing true discipleship and freedom found in being God's children. Here, one could explore how Jesus frees us from the bondage of sin, establishing our true identity. Encourage your listeners to continue in His word, for it affirms their identity and liberates them to live in truth and love.

6. Live Love Loudly

1 John 3:1–24 CSB

1 See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed so that he might take away sins, and there is no sin in him. 6 Everyone who remains in him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the devil’s works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because his seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how God’s children and the devil’s children become obvious. Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother or sister. 11 For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another, 12 unlike Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers and sisters. The one who does not love remains in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. 16 This is how we have come to know love: He laid down his life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth. 19 This is how we will know that we belong to the truth and will reassure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive whatever we ask from him because we keep his commands and do what is pleasing in his sight. 23 Now this is his command: that we believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he commanded us. 24 The one who keeps his commands remains in him, and he in him. And the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he has given us.

Perhaps illustrate the depth of God's love for us, calling us His children. As believers, the transformative love of Christ empowers us to love one another genuinely. This passage could be a strong conclusion, focusing on how our identity as God’s children calls us to manifest love, reflecting Christ in our community.