Embracing Our Identity and Influence in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Assurance of Eternal Life and Identity

Being exposed to God's glory while safe in Jesus assures us of eternal life and a new identity as His children. This identity invites us into a family where we experience security, significance, and the blessing of belonging to God and each other. As we embrace this truth, we are reminded that our worth is not determined by worldly standards but by our relationship with God. This eternal perspective transforms how we view ourselves and others, encouraging us to live with confidence and purpose. [00:00]

1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."

Reflection: How does knowing your identity as a child of God change the way you approach your daily challenges and interactions with others today?

Day 2: Influence Through Grace

We are called to extend grace to others, just as Jesus did, with empathy and service. This grace empowers us to influence the world, not by conforming to its patterns, but by testifying to the transformation Christ brings into our lives. By living out this grace, we become beacons of hope and love, demonstrating the power of the gospel in action. Our lives become testimonies of God's love, inviting others to experience the same transformation. [08:58]

Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV): "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

Reflection: Who in your life needs to experience the grace of Jesus through you today, and how can you practically extend that grace to them?

Day 3: Submission as Strength

Submission, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not an act of weakness but of strength and trust in God. It is a choice made from a place of freedom, not oppression, and serves as a powerful testimony to the world. In a culture that often views submission negatively, choosing to submit to God's will and to one another in love reflects a deep trust in God's sovereignty and goodness. This act of submission becomes a witness to the transformative power of the gospel. [17:56]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Reflection: In what area of your life is God calling you to practice submission, and how can you trust Him more deeply in this process today?

Day 4: Mutual Respect in Relationships

In relationships, particularly marriage, submission is about mutual respect and understanding, where both partners honor each other as co-heirs of grace. This mutual submission reflects the unity and love that God desires for His people. By valuing each other's perspectives and serving one another selflessly, relationships become a reflection of God's love and grace. This approach dismantles entitlement and fosters a spirit of unity and cooperation. [24:51]

Ephesians 5:21 (ESV): "Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Reflection: How can you show mutual respect and understanding in your closest relationships today, and what steps can you take to honor others as co-heirs of grace?

Day 5: Living with Unity and Humility

We are called to live with unity, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. This posture allows us to bless others and receive blessings, dismantling entitlements and embracing the love of Jesus. By cultivating these virtues, we create a community that reflects the heart of God, where each person is valued and loved. This way of living becomes a powerful testimony to the world of the transformative power of the gospel. [21:40]

1 Peter 3:8-9 (ESV): "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing."

Reflection: What specific action can you take today to promote unity and humility in your community, and how can you be a blessing to those around you?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we reflected on the profound truth that being exposed to God's glory while being safe in Jesus assures us of eternal life and a new identity as His children. This identity invites us into a family where we experience security, significance, and the blessing of belonging to God and each other. As we rest in this truth, we are called to extend grace to others, just as Jesus did, with empathy and service, even unto death. This grace empowers us to influence the world, not by conforming to its patterns, but by testifying to the transformation Christ brings into our lives.

We explored the tension between Christian values and cultural worldviews, particularly the misconception that the gospel requires political power to thrive. Instead, the gospel transcends political structures and flourishes even under persecution. This reminds us that resistance to our faith is not to be feared but expected, as God uses such circumstances to accomplish His purposes.

The sermon delved into the concept of submission, a term often misunderstood in modern contexts. Submission, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not an act of weakness but of strength and trust in God. It is a choice made from a place of freedom, not oppression, and serves as a powerful testimony to the world. In relationships, particularly marriage, submission is about mutual respect and understanding, where both partners honor each other as co-heirs of grace.

Peter's teachings challenge us to live with unity, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. This posture allows us to bless others and receive blessings, dismantling entitlements and embracing the love of Jesus. The call is to live before God, who judges the heart, and to trust in the liberating power of the gospel to transform lives.

As we partake in communion, we are reminded of Jesus' submission and sacrifice, which grants us new life and identity. We are encouraged to respond to His grace by living out our faith in our communities, demonstrating the reality of Jesus' resurrection at work in us.

Key Takeaways

1. Eternal Life and New Identity: Being exposed to God's glory while safe in Jesus assures us of eternal life and a new identity as His children. This identity invites us into a family where we experience security, significance, and the blessing of belonging to God and each other. [00:00]
2. Influence Through Grace: We are called to extend grace to others, just as Jesus did, with empathy and service. This grace empowers us to influence the world, not by conforming to its patterns, but by testifying to the transformation Christ brings into our lives. [08:58]
3. Submission as Strength: Submission, as demonstrated by Jesus, is not an act of weakness but of strength and trust in God. It is a choice made from a place of freedom, not oppression, and serves as a powerful testimony to the world. [17:56]
4. Mutual Respect in Relationships: In relationships, particularly marriage, submission is about mutual respect and understanding, where both partners honor each other as co-heirs of grace. This mutual submission reflects the unity and love that God desires for His people. [24:51]
5. Living with Unity and Humility: We are called to live with unity, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. This posture allows us to bless others and receive blessings, dismantling entitlements and embracing the love of Jesus. [21:40]
** [21:40]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Assurance of Eternal Life
[02:15] - Extending Grace to Others
[04:00] - Influence Through Transformation
[08:58] - Gospel Beyond Political Power
[13:02] - The Power of Submission
[17:56] - Mutual Respect in Marriage
[21:40] - Living with Unity and Humility
[24:51] - Embracing Inner Beauty
[28:30] - The Role of Husbands
[32:00] - The Call to Bless Others
[36:00] - The Liberating Power of the Gospel
[40:00] - Communion and Response
[60:00] - Invitation for Prayer
[64:14] - Closing and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Peter 3:1-12
Philippians 2:5-8
Matthew 28:19-20

Observation Questions:

According to 1 Peter 3:1-2, what is the purpose of wives being subject to their husbands, especially if the husbands do not obey the word?
How does Philippians 2:5-8 describe Jesus' attitude towards submission and service?
In Matthew 28:19-20, what command does Jesus give to His disciples, and how does it relate to influencing the world?
What are the characteristics Peter encourages believers to have in 1 Peter 3:8-9, and how do these traits contribute to blessing others?

Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of submission in 1 Peter 3:1-6 challenge modern cultural views on authority and freedom? [17:56]
In what ways does Philippians 2:5-8 illustrate the strength found in submission, and how can this be applied to our relationships? [17:56]
How does the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 reflect the idea of influencing the world through grace rather than political power? [08:58]
What does it mean to live with unity, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind as described in 1 Peter 3:8-9, and how does this posture dismantle entitlements? [21:40]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt the tension between your Christian values and cultural worldviews. How did you navigate that situation, and what might you do differently now? [08:58]
Submission is often seen as a weakness. How can you demonstrate the strength of submission in your relationships, particularly in your family or marriage? [17:56]
Think of a person in your life who may not share your faith. How can you extend grace to them this week, as Jesus did, with empathy and service? [08:58]
In what ways can you actively work towards unity and humility in your community or church? Identify one specific action you can take this week to promote these values. [21:40]
Consider the idea of mutual respect in relationships. How can you honor someone in your life as a co-heir of grace, and what impact might that have on your relationship? [24:51]
How can you live out the Great Commission in your daily life, influencing others through the transformation Christ has brought into your life? [08:58]
Identify an area in your life where you feel entitled. How can you dismantle this entitlement and embrace the love and blessing of Jesus instead? [21:40]

Sermon Clips

"And so, Father, as we sing those words, we're reminding ourselves that to be exposed to your glory and yet to be safe in Jesus is to know that we have eternal life. To know that we have access to come before you without fear of judgment is to know that we're loved. Lord, to come and to receive more and more of your grace and truth as we are exposed to your glory, Lord, reminds us that we have a new identity as your children." [00:03:14] (31 seconds)

"And Lord, we rest in that today. We rest in the security and the significance of being invited into your family, of participating in your works in history, of belonging to you and belonging to one another, that we might experience your blessing and bless our community. And so we sing, hallowed be your name, because there's only one name by which we can receive all of that, and that's the name of Jesus." [00:03:46] (29 seconds)

"And when we read the scriptures, when we read the gospels, we see that you, Lord Jesus, love those who are in front of you with great empathy, with great sympathy, that you sought to love them and serve them in profound ways, and that you did that by becoming obedient even unto death. And Lord, as we receive that grace, show us how we can extend that grace to one another in this room, even today, and to our neighborhoods and our workplaces, our communities, in the days to come." [00:04:36] (35 seconds)

"If you're new to our church or you're new to church at all, here's what we want you to know. Christians are people who are engaged with the world. That we believe that God has given us a calling, giving us a purpose, not just to live within the world, but to influence the world. That we do that when we testify to this transformation that Christ has brought into our lives. That we believe that what God has done in history, he's continuing to do through the faithful, through those that he has invited to experience his grace, that he might use them to share that grace with others." [00:08:10] (36 seconds)

"The greater the persecution, the greater the expansion and influence of the gospel. Right? Which reminds us then that we need not fear persecution, that when we find and face resistance to our faith, God can use that and has used that throughout the last 2,000 years to accomplish his purposes in ways we never could have imagined before. So we, we do not resist resistance. Are you with me? We kind of expect it." [00:09:43] (29 seconds)

"Mutual submission, this idea that together we're all submitting to one another in our homes, in our church, and even in regards to the government, is the means by which we present ourselves to the world and the strength by which we influence the world. And that, my friends, is a massive statement that requires a great deal of faith, doesn't it? Because we see injustice all around us." [00:17:24] (25 seconds)

"Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless. For to this you were called, so that you may obtain a blessing. Verse eight there, he has the word finally, which sounds like he's wrapping up the book, but like any good pastor, he's going to talk for another three chapters, right?" [00:18:59] (27 seconds)

"That that's the call of God for all of his people for all time, to receive a blessing in order to be blessed. And the thinking, even especially in these verses, are leading towards that, to bring everybody to a place of humility, out of trust in God, that allows them then to enter into life circumstances without the need to elevate, without the need to be validated, but rather to serve and to love, believing that God can demonstrate in humble submission his power to change lives." [00:20:04] (34 seconds)

"That's the liberating power of the gospel that then we live by since we have submitted to his lordship and believed in his sacrifice to give new life, we live our lives looking for opportunities to submit and to serve. Now, Peter is writing to the brand new church, the first church. And this is a church that doesn't really know how to be in the world yet. They're struggling with some different realities, right?" [00:23:00] (30 seconds)

"Peter says husbands elevate your wives embrace this oneness serve them love them protect them why because they are co-heirs here's the profound word the most revolutionary word in this whole passage he is saying this women are not inferior to you never in the history of the world had those words been uttered christianity brought in that equality they are co-heirs they are essentially your sisters as much as they are your wives." [00:27:50] (35 seconds)