Untitled Sermon (2)

Introduction

who am i?

I am Stuart Vickers But who am i?

I am a son, a dad, a husband, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a Pastor all titles that i could take & speak a little of who i am. but do they really.

Where do i really find my identity?

In what i do or who i’m with? or maybe what some people have spoken over me?

Who are you?

I want us to think on that while i speak this morning.

The reason i start with this is that for many years i didn’t know who i am, which means then that you live a lie.

Testimony

Growing up in the pub, Darts as a child, bottling up, altar boy at the church, my Temper= Mrs Dixon.

Smoking from the age of eight, Temper smashing window on holiday.

Started taking drugs at 13 speed & downers. something was missing,

wake up, get ready for school, go to school, come home get stoned when out with friends go home, not always to sleep.

started selling drugs at 17 i was a drug dealer, & didn’t come down of speed for 2 or 3 years something was missing amidst the monotony of life

Get up, go to work come home from work get stoned or drunk or both.

1984 live aid the night before cocktail of dope drink speed and then at 1 oclock in the morning cocaine. Tell story quickly.

my friend at work became a Christian, i embarrassed him, i mocked him when all he was doing was trying to tell me about Jesus,

Let me ask a question what does that name conjur up for you, chuck some words at me.

What about church? some words

some of these were mine also.

Age 21 meeting Tony Lambriano, kray twins went away for murder of jack the hat. explain what you use to get up to.

Met someone had a baby, my eldest April.

Salvation story tell of saturday afternoons kids club and then the church.

all i knew of church was hypocrisy say about having to be clean of people telling you, you wasn’t smart enough, clean enough to be there. what should the church be like.

What has happened since. pneumonia 5 times, cancer in 2017, My wife Tammy has been called up the hospital to say goodbye to me 3 times, God didn’t cause it, God brought me through it, there’s no way i would be standing here today without him.

Look through all this when i look back there was something missing in me. i can see it. my responses to everything before i became a Christian was because i didn’t know who i am.

I want to tell you this morning that no matter what you have faced or what you have done God loves you, that he has a plan for you, that the things said over you do not define you, He defines you.

Women you are a beautiful wonderful cherished daughter of the most high King

Men you are a beloved Son, wanted & he cheers us on, he wants us with him, He doesn’t want to be separated from you any longer, the stuff you do keeps you from having eternity with Him, He cries out to you this morning, he holds out his hand to you right now, don’t leave it.