Definitions: How do You define youself?

Good morning welcome to another week of church online here at the Bridge I am so glad that we could be joined together this morning.

Definitions

If you have been listening to my sermons for any amount of time you know that I love to look back at the definitions of words. Understanding language and why we use the words that we do is an important part of the communication of ideas. let us do that this morning.

Definition is defined as: “A statement of the exact meaning of a word, or an exact statement or description of the nature, scope, or meaning of something”

This is how you know you have accomplished something interesting when you are defining the definition. It Feels like I may have taken this practice a little too far.

In all seriousness though the way we define the world around us is important. It puts our world into perspective and brings meaning, and insight into how we understand things. We are able to perceive and grow because we are better able to define the world around us.

Not only do we start to grow our understanding of the world around us but if we are truly growing we begin to define who we are.

Who are You?

Have you ever been asked this question. Have you ever really thought about it.

Many people will answer this question like this.

My name is Andy Richmond. I am a Pastor in the Wesleyan church.

Or they might say...

My name is Andy Richmond. I am A father of two and a husband.

Now these aren’t wrong answers. They are important aspects of who I am but are they who I am. Is it really that simple.

Sometimes it is fun to ask the follow up question. I didn't’ ask what you do, I asked who you are.

Multiple Defining characteristics

The truth is that these are just some of the defining characteristics of who I am but they are not the only things that define me.

How we understand ourselves is very important. It affects how we live our lives and how we act in all aspects of our lives. I was thinking about this as i read this mornings scripture and how important it is to know how we define ourselves.

Turn with me to...

Acts 9:1–20 (NIV)

Acts 9:1–20 NIV

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered. 11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Who is Saul?

If we look at the basic understanding of who Saul is in this passage we learn some very important things.

Saul is a Jew

Saul Believed in God

Saul was Zealous

Saul was on a Mission

Saul had an encounter

One of the great challenges when we read this passage is we believe that this is the story of Saul’s Conversion. While that is partially true it is important to remember that we need to look at this within the proper context.

When we define conversion we think of moving from unbelief to belief.

In both New Testament times and Old Testament times it was more a change of orientation in thinking. Or a change in direction.

THink about Saul.

Did Saul Believe in God?

Yes

Was Saul trying to Honor God?

He thought he was.

Was Saul Converted in this moment?

Yes and No. Yes he had a change in who he was and how he was living his life. No, it isn’t how we often think of conversion because Saul wasn’t in unbelief about God.

It is important because it reminds us that there is more going on here than just another person coming to know Jesus.

God saw this man who was a focused driven man who was trying to serve him in the way that he thought was right and he got a hold of him. He got a hold of him in a big way.

Acts 9:15–16 NIV

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Who Is Saul?

I want us to go back to this question. Think about it now. Who is Saul. Is he just another zealous Jew. Is he the persecutor of the early church?

I imagine before that Day Saul defined himself very differently. He probably saw himself in a completely different light up to that moment that he encountered Jesus.

It was in this moment that it hit me.

It was in this moment that God showed me what he had for us in this passage.

I asked you another question earlier that i think we need to go back and look at.

Who are you?

I said it earlier and it still is a true statement. This is a loaded question that doesn’t alway appear to have a simple answer. There are a lot of things that we can use to define who we are. However, i realized that there is a fundamental problem with this. It was the problem Saul ran into. It is the problem that Peter ran into. It is the problem that many others have run into over the hundreds and thousands of years in our existence.

We are so busy focusing on how we define ourselves that we forget who defines us.

Who we are comes from God

Have you ever thought about it that way before. Have you ever thought about the fact that he is the one who needs to define us. Have you ever thought that i am so consumed with defining and building my concept of who i am i forget to seek God in the moment and allow him to define who I am.

That is the truth of what is happening in the moment here. Saul was living his life how he thought he was supposed to. He was trained by men to honor God in a certain way that it makes you wonder if he ever thought to seek God’s direction on how he wanted him to live his life. How God wanted to define him.

I don’t doubt for a second that God knew exactly who Saul was. He knew that Saul was a strong willed man. He knew that Saul was passionate. He knew that Saul was tenacious. God knew who Saul was and who he really needed to be. He confronted Saul and help Saul see that his abilities and gifts didn’t define him but to allow the Holy Spirit to enter into him and help him see who he was.

Acts 9:17–20 NIV

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Saul become Paul

While the name change doesn’t happen yet, I truly think that there is a reason that Saul changed his name. Some might argue that it was because of the past and the disassociation that he needed form that history. I think that it was instead a recognition o the fact that he was a new creation. God took a man who was persecuting his church. Who saw himself as the opposition. The exact opposite of what the church was supposed to be and he transformed him into a new creation that followed after him who shared the good news across many countries and did brought countless people to know God and to a new life in him.

Who we are Comes from God

Today we are so busy figuring out and trying to find things to define who we are.

Jobs

family

sexuality

compassion

works

it goes on and on

We can sit here and list of so many things that we use to better understand who we are. Yet, the truth is that we have to start to realize that only one thing can define who we are. Only one person truly knows who we are. God needs to be the defining force of our lives. God is the one who calls us to be a new creation. A creation that puts aside the old life and is buried with Christ and is born anew as a new creation. Only God removes the scales form our eyes so that we can see the life he has for us. Are you letting Go define who you are this morning? Are you letting God fill you with his Spirit? Do you need to have the scales removed from your eyes? Turn to him and see who he sees you as. Allow him to define who you are.

Let us pray.