The Believer

Introduction

I grew up in a small town of northern KY. You could say it was kind of the country - kind of Kentucky backwoods. Kind of… let me show you.

[slide of piner elementary] Here is a satellite view of Piner Elementary - 2kft above.

Contrast this with where Nora will go to school

[slide of sward elementary] This is Sward elementary from the same 2kft - It’s slightly more dense than Piner.

I really struggled to read. I was so far behind my peers that during reading sections of our class, i would go to a special room, not much bigger than a large closet. I’d go with another kid who had a thick accent. I had a lisp (and still do sometimes).

I really struggled to read. I was so far behind my peers that during reading sections of our class, i would go to a special room, not much bigger than a large closet. I’d go with another kid who had a thick accent. I had a lisp (and still do sometimes).

[slide of kindergarten picture] what I looked like in those early years.

I remember reading a book about a bear. I loved this book. It was full of adventure - forestry - green leaves and dirt paths. Trouble is - this book didn’t have words. I would simply describe what was happening in the pictures. Then i’d get candy. That’s all i remember. By the time I was in third grade - i finally read at a first grade level.

Some of you may not know this but I really struggled to read when I was young. I was generally behind all of my peer.s

Getting to become a dad. This is a big event - I remember people asking me about my first father’s day.

Nurture -

There were only 2 non-white families in the school - and I used to try to make friends by making up words that sounded like chinese and tell people their name in my invented language. I could tell that one of the smart gifted and talented kids was on to me - so i stopped making up names.

Other scriptures on spiritual growth:

One of the most important things I needed to learn as a child was my identity.

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Maturity,-Spiritual

Up to that point, I was someone who looked, felt, and smelled different, but I desperately wanted to be accepted and liked.

But even more than that - I needed an identity.

I needed an identity.

The first thing the believer receives in chair 2 - is a new identity.

True Identity in Christ

We become “in Christ” - who do we become - a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

2 Corinthians 5:

What is the old that has passed away? The old way of recognizing me. I am new.

The best way Jesus describes is is that we are re-born. When I was first born, my name reflected my parents. Daniel Stidham. Daniel is the name my parents chose - and my last name identifies me as of my father.

When you gain a new identity - it should literally mean that you identify yourself in a new way. How do we know? Because the “old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” The only way that our new identity can be experienced or lived, is if our old identity passes. Died.

This verb “passed” away is tied to the end of something - it’s used when speaking of how heaven and earth will pass away; or how this generation will not pass away until… or how the rich in their humiliation will “pass away” like the grass and flower.

This is the only time i could find where this verb is in the aorist or the completed/perfected past tense. It’s also in the indicative. Aorist indicative gives a sense of completion.

The old has passed away - it’s done. It’s over. That period of time has ended. You are new.

The new has come - in Christ - tells you with whom my ultimate allegiance lies. I am reborn with a new name - a new title - a new identity.

In this place I am reborn - totally teachable - ready to learn from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

One of the key features of knowing that you are re-born is that you are teachable - you are open, ready to learn, ready to implement the wisdom and insight from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

Why am I teachable? Why would I open my life to be influenced? Because when you believe, you are placing trust in him as a good, wise, all-knowing, ever-present Father.

Trusting Jesus is key to exercise our identity in Him.

[Illustration] Megan told me that the most important thing I can do as a father of Nora is build trust - every little thing I do either builds trust with Nora or dismantles it. Nora needs to know that when she cries, we’ll be there. She needs to know that we can be trusted - that’s ultimately why she wants us over a stranger - because strangers can’t be trusted - she knows us, and trusts us, and therefore desires us.

When someone receives Christ upon placing their trust in Jesus - they become a new creation, and there’s no better way to see that than in baptism.

[slide] BAPTISM

Romans 6:4 ESV

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Baptism is a picture of that old passing away, literally being washed off of us, and behold, the new has come - we are baptized into a name. Into a person. Into Christ. And we are raised with Him.

In this place I am reborn - totally teachable - ready to learn from the ultimate teacher - Jesus Christ.

This name tells us whose we are just as

Who we are and whose we are.

Who we are and whose we are.

Why am I teachable? Because I trust him as a good, wise, all-knowing, ever-present Father.

Trust is key to exercise one’s identity in Christ.

Nora is loved - statements of identity from Ephesians

[Illustration] Megan told me that the most important thing I can do as a father of Nora is build trust - every little thing I do communicates whether or not Nora can trust me. Nora needs to know that when she cries, we’ll be there. She needs to know that we will be there for her.

We were raised, not just to have a new name, but to walk in this newness of life.

Building trust - it’s important that Nora knows that we will be there for her.

So let’s discuss what it looks like to walk and talk into this new identity.

Jesus modeled six foundational principles

The Resources of Jesus - Dependence on the Holy Spirit / Prayer / The Word of God .

Full Dependence on the Holy Spirit () () () (Romans 8:11)

Centrality of prayer in life and ministry (; )

Importance of obedience to Father’s will () (Luke 22:42)

God’s word as central in life and ministry (Mark 12:24)

Exalting the Father in every area of life (; : 14:10)

Intentional relationships of love and integrity ()

Talk in new Identity

When we become a chair 2 person - Jesus says that we experience a “re-birth.”

Since I am a new father - the birth of my daughter nora was terrifying. Just as much as she is my delight, she is also terrifying.

When Nora was born, she was 9 out of 10 in her post-birth assessment. But there was one crucial sign of health that she didn’t immediately show. Babies, when they are born, their first exhale is a… SCREAM/CRY. Why are they supposed to cry? I am not sure - but I think it has to do with it being their first breath, and oxygen can be a little strange when you first inhale.

The cries of a baby are wonderful. Because it’s how they talk - it’s how they know how to communicate their discomfort - they learn how to communicate their needs.

The first thing as Christians we learn is how to cry - how to communicate - how to tell our heavenly Father what we need. We may not even know what it is we need - but we cry and pray the Lord provides.

Nora crawling on her own - the only way to do it was to put something in front of her that she desired. Babies don’t learn how to walk - they learn how to get what they want - and walking is part of that.

Therefore, the first thing we should learn as a chair 2 believer is how to cry/pray/talk to God and each other in a new way. In fact, prayer was the means by which people are re-born. And if a prayer of trust and belief to God is how God gives us new birth - it is also prayer - that will enable us to walk in the newness of life.

Walk in new identity

The first time nora crawled, megan and i were so excited. Recently, I was watching Nora I was shocked and thrilled to see her pull herself up. And then I realized something - Nora doesn’t understand what I am celebrating. When coaxed to do it again, she wouldn’t do it.

Then i realized something - Babies don’t learn how to walk or crawl - they learn how to get what they want - and crawling/walking is how they figure out getting what they want.

We as parents celebrate their walking. The Baby celebrates the toy they can now more easily access.

What is it that the new believer wants? How does a believer learn how to walk? They have to be motivated by a desire. What is our motivation?

Love God, with every fiber of our being, and love neighbor as ourselves.

Walking in a new identity means that our desires change - so we don’t just celebrate that you’re going to church more for mere attendance. we don’t just celebrate that you’ve memorized some scripture passages. We celebrate that we’ve begun using our legs, our muscles, our strength, for new desires - particularly the presence and power of God.

describes a simple progression after someone received Christ.

[SLIDE ]

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:

Received Christ -> walk in him -> rooted and built up in him -> established in faith -> abounding in thanksgiving.

Walking in Him - living your life like Him - roots you in Him - which establishes you in

One of the first fruits of being rooted and established in faith is a life of gratitude. One that is continuously, constantly, regularly, overflowing with thanksgiving.

But notice - this isn’t just thanks giving for rain, oxygen, and your nice tempurpetic pillow. It’s being established in faith that gives the ground for abounding thanksgiving.

In other words - you know you’re faithful when your thankful. And you will be thankful when your faith-filled.

Every moment you have to complain about your life - you could remember that that moment is a gift.

If i were to give you $1.00 - you might be grateful and thankful. Now if I were to then give you $1,000,000 - the gift of a $1.00 would feel like nothing compared to the $1,000,000. It’s not that the $1 isn’t worth anything - it’s just that the $1,000,000 is worth so much more.

OR

5k terrain race - versus the Olympic Gold. It’s not that the 5k medal didn’t mean anything - but it means NOTHING compared to olympic gold.

If you have Jesus Christ - you something as valuable as the olympic Gold - what does the Olympic Gold represent? That you’re the best, most esteemed, most remarkable human in that field on earth. People will fawn over you, they will endorse you. You will make money from ads, and travel the US doing interviews with famous people who didn’t even know you existed 2 months before.

Olympic Gold ultimately represents glory and acceptance.

When you’re in Christ - even in pain, suffering, loss, exile, you realize that you are entitled to nothing, in fact, everything that once was gain, is now loss, in comparison to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ as LORD.

When you’re in Christ - even in pain, suffering, loss, exile, you realize that you are entitled to nothing, in fact, everything that once was gain, is now loss, in comparison to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ as LORD.

When you’re in Christ - even in pain, suffering, loss, exile, you realize that you are entitled to nothing, in fact, everything that once was gain, is now loss, in comparison to the surpassing knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ as LORD.

Knowing Jesus - Being Reborn in His Name - everything in comparison to knowing Jesus - might as well be nothing - because Jesus is everything.

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Talking -

Talking - chair 2 folks start to learn to use their words as a form of grace - building one another up.

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians

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Romans 6:4 ESV

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

But as Nora learns to be mobile, walking, and talking, communicating her needs - eventually we have to teach her the next survival lesson - it involves her teeth.

Feed themselves (Learning / Studying Scripture)

Food - eating good food doesn’t make me want to learn how to cook it. It makes me want to eat more - pay more - and compliment the chef. But there is such a food that lights you up. The food that when it hits your taste buds, memories explode, flavors collide, and sweet satisfaction washes over you.

What nourishes this life?

One thing - the Word of God.

If you’re a believer and you’ve managed to live with a apathy towards the Word of God - then I would argue that the people who have taught you have done a poor job of teaching you how to cook, and have done a poor job of letting you taste the splendor of His word.

How do you walk, talk, and live into your new identity?

What nourishes this life?

One thing - the Word of God.

It is vital for believers in Chair 2 to learn to start feeding themself.

1 Peter 2:2 ESV

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

Nora’s teeth - slowly they came in -

Our portion is the Word of God -

Nora’s teeth

Psalm 119:57 ESV

The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

Milk

Feeding yourself in chair 2 means that you really start learning how to read scripture on your own, with the aid of devotionals and other theological books.

Meat

If you don’t learn how to feed yourself - you’ll either become extremely weak or extremely dependent on others to feed you.

So you’ve begun walking in gratitude, talking with grace, feasting on God’s word.

One of the other most important parts of Chair 2 - is as you begin walking in gratitude, talking with grace, and learning how to feast on the word of God. Now comes the inevitable.

Cleansed Life (Repentance)

Need to “learn how to deal with the sin and get back in the power of God’s Spirit.”

Cleansing generally comes through discipline.

Need to “learn how to deal with the sin and get back in the power of God’s Spirit.”

James 4:8 ESV

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Hebrews 12:11 ESV

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

This cleansing life is powerful-painful-and full of joy in the Lord.

If you’re not experiencing the power of God - it could be because you’re in the power of your flesh. You’re relying on your own will power - not the real power.

If you’re not experiencing the power of God - it could be because you’re in the power of your flesh. You’re relying on your.

Importance of Family

All this must be learned in the context of a nurturing family. We need each other.

We cannot and were not intended to journey through chair 2 alone.

Chair 2 - growing up or growing fat. big babies raised by wolves.

Jesus modeled six foundational principles

The Resources of Jesus - Dependence on the Holy Spirit / Prayer / The Word of God .

Full Dependence on the Holy Spirit () () () ()

Centrality of prayer in life and ministry (; )

Importance of obedience to Father’s will () ()

God’s word as central in life and ministry ()

Exalting the Father in every area of life (; : 14:10)

Intentional relationships of love and integrity ()

Other scriptures on spiritual growth:

https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Maturity,-Spiritual