Embracing Our Identity as God's Masterpiece
Summary
In 1910, Theodore Roosevelt delivered a powerful speech at the Sorbonne in Paris, emphasizing the importance of being "the man in the arena" rather than the critic. This message resonates deeply with our own lives, where we often face internal and external voices that challenge our worth and identity. As we embark on this new series, it's crucial to recognize that the loudest critic is often the one we see in the mirror. We have days of confidence and days of doubt, but it's essential to view ourselves through God's eyes, not our own. Perspective is everything, and like the little boy who saw the sky as orange at sunset, we must understand that our perspective shapes our reality.
Without Christ, we are incomplete, sinful, and broken. Paul reminds us in Ephesians that we were once spiritually dead, but God, rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ. Our identity is no longer bound to our sinfulness but is defined by God's grace. We are His masterpiece, created for a purpose. This means that our worth is not determined by our performance but by what Christ has done for us. We are God's poetic statement, crafted for divine purposes.
As God's masterpiece, we are called to bring purpose into every aspect of our lives. Whether as teachers, parents, or friends, we have a purpose to fulfill. Our identity is secure in Christ, and we are being shaped into His image. Like Michelangelo carving David, God is chipping away everything that doesn't belong, molding us to be more like Christ. This process is ongoing, and while we may not feel like masterpieces, God sees us as His redeemed children.
Our identity is not defined by our past failures or successes but by God's grace. We are fully loved and fully His. In every challenge and experience, God is with us, shaping us to be more like Jesus. The question is not whether we are good enough but whether we believe what God says about us. Embracing this truth changes everything, allowing us to step forward in confidence, knowing we are equipped for the good works God has prepared for us. We are His masterpiece, and with this understanding, we can live boldly, love deeply, and serve joyfully.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Perspective: Our perspective shapes our reality. Like the boy who saw the sky as orange at sunset, we must understand that how we view ourselves and our circumstances can either limit or liberate us. Seeing ourselves through God's eyes rather than our own is crucial for embracing our true identity. [03:32]
2. Our Identity in Christ: Without Christ, we are incomplete and broken. However, through God's grace, our identity is transformed. We are no longer defined by our sinfulness but by God's love and mercy. This shift in identity is foundational to living a life of purpose and fulfillment. [06:39]
3. Created for a Purpose: As God's masterpiece, we are crafted for divine purposes. Our worth is not based on our performance but on what Christ has done for us. This understanding empowers us to bring purpose into every aspect of our lives, from our careers to our relationships. [09:33]
4. The Process of Transformation: Like Michelangelo carving David, God is continually shaping us to be more like Christ. This process involves chipping away everything that doesn't belong, using life's challenges and experiences to mold us into His image. It's an ongoing journey of growth and refinement. [15:09]
5. Living Boldly in Our Identity: Embracing our identity as God's masterpiece changes how we approach life. Instead of striving to prove ourselves, we can rest in the truth that our identity is secure in Christ. This allows us to live boldly, love deeply, and serve joyfully, stepping into the purpose God has prepared for us. [17:55]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:23] - The Man in the Arena
[01:59] - Internal and External Critics
[03:32] - The Power of Perspective
[05:06] - Our Reality Without Christ
[06:39] - God's Transformative Grace
[07:48] - Declaring Our Identity
[09:33] - Created for a Purpose
[11:11] - Purpose in Everyday Life
[12:13] - Masterpieces in Progress
[15:09] - The Process of Transformation
[16:32] - Embracing Our Identity
[17:55] - Living Boldly and Confidently
[19:37] - Closing and Benediction
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Ephesians 2:1-10
- Psalm 139:13-16
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Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of perspective in shaping our reality? How does the story of the boy coloring the sky illustrate this point? [03:32]
2. According to the sermon, how does Paul describe our condition without Christ in Ephesians? What are the implications of being "spiritually dead"? [05:06]
3. How does the sermon define our identity in Christ, and what metaphor is used to describe this transformation? [06:39]
4. What role does God's grace play in redefining our identity, according to the sermon? [06:39]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the concept of being "God's masterpiece" change a person's view of their own worth and purpose? [07:48]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that our identity in Christ is not based on our performance? How does this contrast with societal views of success? [06:39]
3. How does the process of transformation, as described in the sermon, relate to the challenges and experiences we face in life? [15:09]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between our identity in Christ and the good works we are called to do? [17:55]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when your perspective limited or liberated you. How can you begin to see yourself more through God's eyes rather than your own? [03:32]
2. Identify an area in your life where you feel incomplete or broken. How can embracing your identity in Christ bring healing and purpose to that area? [05:06]
3. Consider the roles you play in your daily life (e.g., teacher, parent, friend). How can you bring a sense of divine purpose into these roles, as suggested by the sermon? [11:11]
4. Think about a recent challenge you faced. How might viewing it as part of God's process of transformation change your response to it? [15:09]
5. The sermon encourages living boldly, loving deeply, and serving joyfully. What is one specific way you can embody this in your community this week? [17:55]
6. How can you remind yourself daily that you are God's masterpiece, especially on days when you feel inadequate? [07:48]
7. What steps can you take to trust more fully in God's plan for your life, even when you don't feel like a masterpiece? [16:32]
Devotional
Day 1: Perspective Shapes Reality
Our perspective is a powerful force that shapes how we perceive ourselves and the world around us. Just as a child might see the sky as orange at sunset, our view of our circumstances can either limit or liberate us. When we choose to see ourselves through God's eyes, we embrace our true identity and potential. This shift in perspective allows us to overcome the internal and external critics that challenge our worth. By aligning our view with God's, we can live with confidence and purpose, knowing that we are valued and loved. [03:32]
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where your perspective might be limiting you? How can you ask God to help you see this area through His eyes today?
Day 2: Identity Transformed by Grace
Without Christ, we are incomplete and broken, but through His grace, our identity is transformed. We are no longer defined by our past sins or failures but by God's love and mercy. This transformation is foundational to living a life of purpose and fulfillment. Embracing our identity in Christ means recognizing that we are His masterpiece, created for a divine purpose. Our worth is not based on our performance but on what Christ has done for us. This understanding empowers us to live confidently, knowing that we are fully loved and fully His. [06:39]
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5, ESV)
Reflection: How does knowing that your identity is defined by God's grace change the way you view yourself? What is one way you can live out this truth today?
Day 3: Crafted for Divine Purpose
As God's masterpiece, we are crafted for divine purposes. Our worth is not determined by our achievements but by the work Christ has accomplished on our behalf. This understanding allows us to bring purpose into every aspect of our lives, from our careers to our relationships. We are called to live intentionally, knowing that we have a unique role to play in God's plan. By embracing our purpose, we can impact the world around us and fulfill the calling God has placed on our lives. [09:33]
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can intentionally bring God's purpose today? How can you align your actions with the divine purpose He has crafted for you?
Day 4: The Ongoing Process of Transformation
Like Michelangelo carving David, God is continually shaping us to be more like Christ. This process involves chipping away everything that doesn't belong, using life's challenges and experiences to mold us into His image. It's an ongoing journey of growth and refinement, where we learn to trust God's hand in our lives. Even when we don't feel like masterpieces, God sees us as His redeemed children, and He is faithful to complete the work He has begun in us. [15:09]
"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, ESV)
Reflection: What is one challenge you are currently facing that God might be using to shape you? How can you trust Him in this process of transformation today?
Day 5: Living Boldly in Our Identity
Embracing our identity as God's masterpiece changes how we approach life. Instead of striving to prove ourselves, we can rest in the truth that our identity is secure in Christ. This allows us to live boldly, love deeply, and serve joyfully, stepping into the purpose God has prepared for us. By believing what God says about us, we can move forward with confidence, knowing that we are equipped for the good works He has planned. [17:55]
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)
Reflection: What is one way you can live boldly in your identity in Christ today? How can you step into the purpose God has prepared for you with confidence?
Quotes
And I think we can relate in some ways because we all have voices in our lives that try to speak into who we are and shape our identity. And yet today as we begin this new sermon series, sometimes the loudest critic isn't out there, it's what we see in the mirror. Right? Some days we see confidence. We see that we are doing exactly what God created us to do. That we are living to our fullest and best potential. [00:02:08] (29 seconds)
But then if we're honest, we also have days where we see all the flaws and the imperfections. The times that we have failed as whether an employee or a boss. As a friend, as a parent, as a spouse, as a follower of Jesus. There's days, quite frankly, that we feel like we don't measure up. That we are not good enough. [00:02:37] (23 seconds)
And it's on these days that it's essential that we see ourselves not through our eyes, but through God's eyes. Because perspective is everything. Isn't it funny how two people can look at the exact same thing and see it completely differently? [00:03:00] (22 seconds)
Depending on our perspective, it's easy to fall in the trap of looking at how are we wrong? How have we failed all of our shortcomings? And we miss out on our true identity, the way that God sees us. [00:04:04] (16 seconds)
And yet perspective matters because it's important to understand the reality of our situation. That on our own or apart from Christ, the truth is that we aren't good enough. That we don't measure up. That we don't make it count, so to speak. Because here's how Paul describes it from Ephesians that Mike read just a moment ago. Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins, you used to live in sin just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil, the commander of the power. [00:04:20] (37 seconds)
The next two words, the most powerful, arguably the most powerful words in all of Scripture, but God, while we were lost and incapable of saving ourselves, God, who is rich in mercy and overflowing in love, made us alive with Christ. [00:06:17] (21 seconds)
And so no longer is our identity bound to our sinfulness and our selfishness. No longer does God see us as a mess. He sees us as a masterpiece. And so no longer is our worth determined, by what we do, but rather what Christ has done for us. It's not based on our performance. [00:06:39] (22 seconds)
This means that no matter how inadequate we feel, our identity is not defined by our past, whether failures or successes, but rather it's defined by God's grace and God's grace alone. We are His people. We are God's masterpiece. Masterpiece. [00:07:01] (20 seconds)
Because we feel that we don't quite measure up. And yet here is the truth that as Paul is writing these words, as he's speaking this identity over those who are in Christ, that he's showing us and reminding us that he's using this word poema, which, as we get the word poem from, it is this word that means masterpiece or workmanship. And so think of it this way, that a creator has shaped you and molded you into this masterpiece. [00:08:05] (32 seconds)
Kind of the words that I think are kind of beautiful way to describe it. It's God's, you are God's poetic statement created by God for God's divine purposes. A masterpiece. It means that you are of him, that you are from him, that you have been made by him, not just to exist, but for a purpose, that you are a masterpiece that has been created and crafted by God, shaped by his hands and created for a purpose, a purpose that God has put into place, into motion, even before you were born. [00:08:58] (45 seconds)
And yes, this is true for us, even though we don't feel like masterpieces, even though we would look at them with an honest look and say, we are not perfect, that we mess up. We do things that aren't the smartest or the wisest, right? And even though God has made us new, He's made us this new creation, we still stumble and fall. We continue to struggle with things. We continue to struggle with situations, and we think to ourselves, how could God possibly be working through me? But like all masterpieces, masterpieces aren't perfect, from the beginning, they go through this process of shaping and refining. [00:12:35] (44 seconds)
And that's exactly what God is doing with us. He sees the finished masterpiece that has been shaped by Christ, even when we can't. And so He chips away everything that doesn't belong. And He works in us and on us and through us, shaping us to be more and more like Christ. He shapes our identity. He develops our character. He uses the hard things, the good things in life, the painful moments, all of which to mold us and shape us into the image of Christ, a process that will never be complete until we are standing in His presence. [00:13:52] (43 seconds)
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